Free Pattern Day: Scrap quilts! (pt 2)

Here is another Free Pattern Day just for you! Some designs were designed for fabric collections, but creative substitutions can easily be made. What a great way to use up your stash!

To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" in the title above the quilt. For part 1 of Free Patterns for Scrap Quilts, CLICK HERE!

p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns and vintage collectibles. For continuous free quilt patterns and blog updates, please visit us on Twitter.

Big Charmer quilt, 63 x 72", free pattern by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Quilt to Give in multiple sizes by Nancy Zieman (CLICK for tutorial)

Orbit quilt, free pattern by Becky Petersen at Quilted Twins (CLICK for description) (CLICK for free pattern page) - there are many free patterns on this page!  (Thank you Becky!)

Happy Crossings quilt, 50 x 70", free pattern by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Heartwood quilt, 62 x 82", free pattern by Lynne Goldsworthy for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Follow The Leader quilt, 54 x 78", free pattern by Modern Quilt Studio for Benartex (CLICK for PDF download)

Urban Puzzle Boxes quilt, 62" square, free pattern by Nancy Mahoney (CLICK for PDF download)

Swatch quilt, 48 x 60", free pattern by Ruby Star Society for Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Tic-Tac-Toe scrap quilt, 64 x 78", free pattern at Quilters World (CLICK for PDF download)

Carousel quilt, 66 x 75", free pattern by Kathy Mack / Pink Chalk Studio (CLICK for PDF download)

Scrap Block quilt, 46" square, free pattern by Pam Rocco for Quilters Newsletter (CLICK for PDF download)

Cajas de Colores (Boxes of Colors) quilt, ~56 x 78", free pattern by Rob Appell for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Christmas Dance baby quilt, 27 x 31", free pattern by Diane Harris at Stash Bandit (CLICK for pattern) (Thank you Diane!)

Scrappy Lilies quilt - in 4 sizes, free pattern by Cindy Carter at Carter Quilter (CLICK for PDF download)  (Thank you Cindy!)

Century Squares quilt, 52 x 72", free pattern by Kim Schaefer for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Inspiration Board quilt, 53 x 74", free pattern by Lish Dorset for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Picnic Quilt, 48 x 56", free pattern by Melody Miller for Cotton + Steel (CLICK for PDF download)

Favorite Fibers quilt, 50 x 60", free pattern by Sheryl Johnson for Marcus Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Joyful quilt, 80 x 100", free pattern by Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Francesca's Garden quilt, 76" square, free pattern by Giucy Giuce for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Bellflower quilt, 66" square, free pattern by Tamara Kate for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Blades of Color quilt, 99" square, free pattern Becky Petersen at Quilted Twins (CLICK for PDF download) (Thank you Becky!)

Twirling Triangles quilt, 96" square, free pattern by Fons & Porter (CLICK for PDF download of eBook - this pattern starts on page 8)

Tetris quilt, 48" square, free pattern by Lisa Lanza Kaupp for Lonni Rossi / Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Image credits: This post was updated on October 1, 2024. Individual images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs; complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links. The photo montage shown on this page is a derivative work that is the property of Quilt Inspiration. For corrections - or if any links are broken - please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

Modern Quilt Month 2015 (part 2)

We've designated  both July and August as Modern Quilt Month 2015. We've enjoyed seeing the modern quilts at various shows, and summer seems like the perfect time to feature these fun quilts. Here is part 2 of Modern Quilt Month !

Blockade, 31 x 47, by Martina Hilgert-Vervoort , Germany

Martina explains about her original design,  "We face the world smiling; it's just a facade. We don't allow for much of our inside to show on the outside. That's self-protection-- at least, that's what we are convinced of. Sometimes, we set up barricades, which make it almost impossible to communicate with our environment. It's hard to.....overcome blockages."  We admire this quilt for its superb sense of texture and its lovely monochromatic shades of blue, with contrasting yellow-orange.

Close up, Blockade by Martina Hilgert-Vervoort

Martina continues, "I constructed my quilt by integrating 3/8' narrow strips of fabric. I used mono-filament thread for quilting in order to achieve the structures I envisioned." Martina's quilt is comprised of hand-dyed cotton fabric, which was pieced and quilted on her domestic sewing machine.

Intra-Galactic Journey by Evelyn Link and Chris Lynn Kirsch

Third place winner in the Pieced Modern Quilts category in the 2014 Arizona Quilters Guild Show,  this work is a collaboration quilt inspired by quilt teacher Andi Perejda's class,  "Circle of Illusion."  The circle, flying geese pattern, and quilting was contributed by Evelyn. The Mariner's Compass in the center and more quilting was contributed by Chris.

Intra-Galactic Journey by Evelyn Link and Chris Lynn Kirsch

Beautiful "ice-cream sherbet" colors of tangerine, apricot, peach, and lemon provide a dynamic contrast to the dark background. This design reminds us of a beam of light traveling through the night sky to an unknown world.

Intra-Galactic Journey by Evelyn Link and Chris Lynn Kirsch

We really admire the accurate piecing and workmanship which adds to the "op art" visual effect of "Intra-Galactic Journey."

Who Won in London 2012, 46 x 48", by Caroline Wilkinson, United Kingdom

Caroline notes of her original design,  "My inspiration was triggered by the London Olympics in 2012. My idea was to celebrate this exciting event with a quilted piece which suggested a race to the viewer."

Close up, Who Won in London 2012 by Caroline Wilkinson

Caroline continues, "Swimming was my special interest, which influenced my choice of colors. The quilt is made with fabrics dyed at home and commercial cottons." Her work is machine pieced, machine appliqued, and machine quilted. The base layer of strips is pieced, and the the upper layer of little strips is shifted slightly to give a zig-zag movement to this intriguing pattern.

Color Explosion by Kathy Kent (Virginia)

Color Explosion received the third place award for pieced quilts in the AccuQuilt Go Challenge at the 2013 AQS Quilt Week in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The requirement for the challenge was that all the pieces had to be cut on an AccuQuilt machine. Kathy has been sewing since she was 11 years old and reports that she has compiled a huge fabric stash. She has used a great collection of light and dark values here to give a sparkling, watercolor wash effect to this eye-catching modern quilt.

Close up, Color Explosion by Kathy Kent

Kathy enthusiastically notes, "I love all of the steps to making a quilt, ......and the best part, hand quilting." She hand quilts all her creations, and this one is beautifully done in a traditional grid pattern.

Charming Chevrons, 46 x 54",  by Christa Watson (Nevada)

Christa notes that she loves solid fabrics with lots of machine quilting. She was inspired by "bold and beautiful [Kona cotton] solid charm squares."  This was her first attempt at making a modern quilt (in 2012) and she quilted it on an older Bernina.  It was exhibited at AQS Quilt Week 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Close up, Charming Chevrons by Christa Watson

These vivid solid colors show an excellent contrast and distinction between the  edges of chevrons. A PDF pattern and instructions is for sale in her ChristaQuilts Pattern Store. We recognize this design, created from half-square triangles, as the traditional Amish "Streaks of Lightning" pattern.  The newest version of the quilt will be in a brand new colorway and layout designed by Christa.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2015 World Quilt Show in Florida (Blockade and Who Won in London), the 2014 AQS Quilt Week in Phoenix (Charming Chevrons and Color Explosion) and the 2014 Arizona Quilters Guild show (Intra-Galactic Journey).

Free pattern day: Christmas part 2: Gifts, Ornaments and Wreaths

Here are free quilt patterns for Christmas wreaths, Ornament blocks, and Gift boxes! NOTE: This original post has been UPDATED. For the latest updates, please click on the following link:  Free patterns for Christmas Quilts PART 2 (CLICK HERE!)

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on designer jewelry and collectibles! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !     

Image credits: Note: this post was updated on November 6, 2025. All images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs. Complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links.  Some of these are tutorials while others include downloadable (.pdf) patterns; we have tried to note which is which in the titles.  We update our links every 6 months as needed; however, websites may change their pages in between updates.  If any links are broken we'd love to know; please email us at quiltinspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

Modern Quilt Month

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I. This is the first of four feature posts, and we couldn't be more excited about these fun quilts!  So, what makes a quilt modern? According to The Modern Quilt Guild, the characteristics may include the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, and expansive negative space.  Well, some of these quilts don't fit the definition, but they do have modern themes and/or colors!

Alien Eyes by Keith Dommer

We loved the 1960's op art flair of this design.  Keith Dommer says, “I’ve been fascinated by Notan and bold graphic images for a while now and tried to use them in my first quilt in kind of the modern quilt style. The applique is turned-edge machine applique.”

close up, Alien Eyes by Keith Dommer

Keith adapted the pattern from Hajime Ouchi’s Japanese Optical Art.  Alien Eyes won Honorable Mention at the 2014 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Be Yourself - Everyone Else is Taken, 40 x 40", by Meg Cowey (Fremantle, Western Australia)

Meg Cowey created this quilt for a new baby of modern parents, "with blessings for strength of character and independence."  The title of the quilt is from the quote by Oscar Wilde.

close up, Be Yourself - Everyone Else is Taken by Meg Cowey

We love the way in which the red triangle is soaring away from the rest of the flying geese.  The swirls, depicting the wind, are a clever part of the design.

Coloring with Kate by Jane Bromberg (Kansas City, Missouri)

We like the modern minimalist design of this woven-looking quilt.  The orange squares were arranged in groups of two and three columns with a space in between, adding interest to the design. Coloring with Kate was exhibited in the AQS Modern Quilt Challenge, which is traveling to all of the AQS shows in 2014. 

close up, Coloring with Kate by Jane Bromberg

Jane Bromberg, a professional long arm quilter, used a simple but effective quilting design that did not detract from the color blocks.  For more information on the quilt, see Jane Bromberg's website.

Lost and Found by Jacqueline Skarritt (Kalamazoo, Michigan)

The AQS Modern Quilt Challenge included many quilts that broke the traditional rules with new approaches to fabric combinations, piecing, construction methods, and motif quilting.  In Lost and Found, some diagonal design lines are formed by the touching triangles.  The triangles stand out starkly against the blue field but there is plenty of negative space to rest the eyes. 

close up, Lost and Found by Jacqueline Skarritt

The straight-line quilting complements the strip-pieced triangles and alternates directions, adding texture to the surface of the quilt.  The traditional prints make an interesting juxtaposition with the bright solid background.

Log Pyramids by Liz Havartine

Liz Havartine says, “This design was inspired by traditional log cabin blocks, using an equilateral triangle for the center 'hearth' instead of a square. I wanted to have uniformly sized 'pyramids' with precise piecing but add randomness with the width of the 'logs'. I had an acrylic triangle template custom made to facilitate trimming the blocks down to size while keeping everything centered.”  As of this writing, you can find a Log Pyramids Quilt Along at Liz Havartine's website, Lady Havartine.

close up, Log Pyramids by Liz Havartine

Log Pyramids was included in the Best of Quilt Con exhibit at the 2014 Road to California show.  The exhibit featured quilts from the inaugural 2013 Quilt Con Show.

Obsession, 63 x 63", by Meg Bauer (Crestwood, KY)

Obsession by Meg Bauer was awarded Third Place in the Wall Quilts - Traditional category at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week in Phoenix, Arizona.  Mary says that she became obsessed with modifying traditional blocks to create mini quilts; she stitched the mini quilts together to make Obsession.  These little quilts did not have pieces as small as traditional miniatures, however, they were still a challenge to piece.

close up, Obsession by Meg Bauer

The mini quilt blocks were quilted in spirals that were centered over each of the blocks; the quilting lines overlap at the four corners of the blocks.  We like the aqua, chartreuse and orange color scheme of this quilt.

Buckles and Belts, 39 x 49", by Linda Hungerford (The Villages, Florida)

On her blog, Linda Hungerford says, "I named my quilt 'Buckles and Belts' because the chevron and solid diagonal prints weave in and out of blocks that look like buckles. The woven effect was accomplished, in part, with hand appliqué."

close up, Buckles and Belts by Linda Hungerford

We enjoyed seeing Linda Hungerford's interesting design and quilting. After completing all the machine quilting, she hand quilted the solid strips with big stitches, using DMC #8 Perle cotton.  Buckles and Belts is traveling around the country as part of the AQS Modern Quilt Challenge exhibit.

Charming Chevrons, 48 x 56", by Christa Watson

Christa loves solid fabrics with lots of machine quilting, which was done on an older Bernina 1630. On her blog, Christa says:  "When I started Charming Chevrons I’d just barely heard of the modern quilt movement and was wanting to go a little bolder with my quilts." "It was inspired by a pack of bold and beautiful [Kona cotton] charm squares and the desire to quilt the heck out of something!"

close up, Charming Chevrons by Christa Watson

Christa used pebble quilting within the chevrons, and straight line quilting in the negative spaces.  A pattern for the Charming Chevrons quilt is available at Christa Quilts.  The quilt was exhibited at the 2014 AQS Quilt Week in Phoenix.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration.