35 Free Quilt Patterns for A Quilting Newbie – All Easy!
Quilting is my hobby, me-time, therapy, and obsession. I’m hooked on quilting like my sons are hooked on video games. It’s rewarding and relaxing at the same time. A handmade quilt is the perfect gift for any occasion.
I have talked to some people who don’t want to quilt because they prefer to make something functional… what?!! Quilts are most definitely functional – even in Florida. They are comforting gifts and heirlooms that can preserve memories and share love.
A well-written pattern can make all the difference in your quilting experience. These easy quilt patterns are not only FREE, but they are presented in a way that is easy to understand, with comprehensive photos and cutting instructions.
You will find the following tools helpful in the quilting process:
- Sewing machine
- Standard thread
- 1/4″ piecing foot for accurate seam allowance
- Cutting tools (like a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat) for ease and precision
- Fabric – Whatever you have lying around (scraps included!)
Now is the perfect time to make a Twin Star quilt!
When I was a beginning quilter, my first project was a queen-sized quilt for my 8-year-old daughter. It was ambitious! But after that, I was hooked, and I’ve been making quilts of all sizes ever since. Try a baby quilt pattern if a huge quilt sounds like too much. Try a mini quilt or table runner too; they are more bite sized and manageable, plus you can display them in your home!
The quilt above is requires just 3 yards of fabric, and I’ll help you pick fabrics that work together. See the free Twin Star Quilt Pattern.
Any Sewing Machine Will Work!
You use a straight stitch for making a quilt top, and you can even straight stitch the quilting! No need to spend lots of money on supplies; get piecing using these perfect starter patterns. Here are the best beginner sewing machines.
The Easiest Baby Quilt Pattern Ever
This baby quilt pattern is literally the easiest quilt pattern ever. It is considered cheating just a little because it’s sewn from pre-made patchwork fabric. All you have to do is sandwich the layers together, add some straight-line quilting, trim, and bind!
Tied Summer Quilt Pattern
You can sew an easy tied quilt like this with nine-patch quilt blocks, flannel fabric for the back, and yarn or embroidery thread for ties. In my tutorial I teach you how to add batting to adjust the thickness.
Add a Border for Any Panel
Here is my free sewing pattern for adding a border to any panel. It doesn’t matter what size the panel is, you’ll be able to sew sawtooth stars for each corner, and make a nice clean border to match. For the finished size you’ll just add 16″ x 16″ to your panel measurements.
Simple Patchwork Quilt Pattern
This is a pattern to show you the way to sew a patchwork quilt with simple 2 1/2” fabric squares. This beginner quilt tutorial is perfect for using up your scraps. If you know other sewists, ask them for scraps if you’re just starting out.
Pro Tip: Don’t throw away scraps! There are so many ways to use leftover fabric; you wouldn’t believe how many quilts (and other projects) you can make from scraps.
Super Easy Four Patch Quilt Pattern
The photo shows a four patch quilt block. If you make lots of these and put them together you get a whole quilt top. You only need to choose three fabrics: light, medium, and dark. There’s even a free PDF for this easy four patch quilt pattern.
Pro Tip: Strip piecing is an easier way to make and continue the pattern of colors. I’ll show you how!
Basic Four Patch Quilt Pattern
This crib-sized quilt also uses the four patch pattern. Four patch means that each square block is made of four equal pieces. Some fabric stores sell pre-cut fabric which can make your quilt easier to make.
Chandelier Quilt Pattern
I think you will love sewing this unique quilt pattern. I have designed it so that the chandeliers fit in a three yard quilt size! Finished size: 48″ x 59″ to make a large lap or a small throw.
The Easiest 3-Yard Quilt Pattern Ever
The Easiest Three Yard Quilt Ever is a perfect beginner quilt. It’s not huge so you can finish quickly, and you only need 3 yards of fabric. As a bonus, this pattern shares tips for picking fabric, cutting, and quilting.
Jumbo Hashtag Quilt Pattern
Large 18” quilt blocks like the free Jumbo Hashtag Quilt Pattern are so fast and easy to piece, and before you know it you have a huge quilt! Since it comes together so quickly you can make it in just one day.
Bow Tie Baby Quilt Pattern
I love fat-quarter quilts! A fat quarter is just an 18” x 22” piece of fabric. Fat Quarters often come in coordinating bundles so you already know your fabrics will look amazing together.
The Bow Tie Baby Quilt Pattern uses just four fat quarters and 1 1/4 yards of background fabric. The bow tie block is a perfect pattern to learn as a beginner. I think you’ll love how it comes together.
Rail Fence 3-Yard Easy Quilt Pattern
The free Rail Fence Quilt Pattern is a 54” x 60” lap quilt. You only need three yards of fabric to complete this quilt, and it’s perfect for beginners and experts alike.
Wrapped Candy Twin Size Quilt Pattern
This quilt also uses strip piecing which makes it come together quickly. This free Wrapped Candy Quilt pattern looks great with any colors. I would love to see what you come up with. Tag me on Instagram @sewcanshe and show me what you made!
Whirlwind Quilt Pattern
My free Fat Quarter Whirlwind Quilt pattern is fast and easy. This simple patchwork quilt uses a repetitive block pattern that makes the quilt come together quickly . The pattern includes a free PDF template to cut the whirlwind blades.
Weathervane Quilt Pattern
The Weathervane Quilt Pattern finishes at 52” x 52”. It is a throw quilt pattern that showcases Weathervane Quilt Blocks mixed with some Windmill Quilt Blocks to add interest and movement. You will be pleased with the results of your work as you watch the whole thing come together.
Daydreams Baby Quilt Pattern
Learn how to sew the classic pinwheel block pattern, then sew it into a beautiful Pinwheel Daydreams Baby Quilt.
Fat Quarter Fizz Quilt Pattern
The Fat Quarter Fizz Quilt pattern uses fat quarters (I know, shocker!) but it can also be used with other fabric pieces or scraps. The big chunky blocks come together to form a diagonal chevron design, fun!
Simple Nine Patch Baby Quilt Pattern
Like the four patch, nine patch means that each big quilt block is made of nine squares. Once you get these traditional basics you will see other ways to add variety. In this Nine Patch Baby Quilt pattern I’ll show you a shortcut.
Pro Tip: You can use the strip piecing method to sew multiple nine patch blocks at once! I’ll show you.
Rainbow Color By Number Quilt Pattern
Another great quilting style is called bargello. First, you will cut strips of fabric and sew them together. Then, you’ll cut the strips and arrange them in a specific pattern. The free Color By Number quilt pattern includes a coloring sheet to help you plan your quilt.
Test Tubes Quilt Pattern
This quilt pattern comes together sew quickly you will be amazed. These darling test tubes can highlight some of your favorite prints, or use up plenty of scraps of any color! Head over to Fabric Mutt for the free pattern. Finished size: 45″ x 69″
Easiest Plus Quilt Pattern
I think the plus block (more traditionally known as the cross block) is the most enduring of all quilt block designs. It’s one of the oldest designs there is, and yet it is popular in modern quilts too. Sew the Easiest Plus Quilt pattern either using a variety of scraps, or just two different fabrics.
Pro Tip: It’s helpful to know some terms and to understand how to match colors when making a quilt. This post about low volume fabric is a good resource to get you started.
Easy Signature Cross Quilt Pattern
You can do it! Use this free quilt pattern for my Signature Cross Quilt. This is a throw size pattern, but it can easily be sized up by adding more blocks.
Kisses Jelly Roll Quilt Pattern
Quilting beginners love my free Kisses Quilt pattern. The entire quilt (background included) is sewn from 2 1/2” jelly roll strips. A jelly roll is a fabric bundle of 42, 2 1/2″ wide strips that are each 42″ long. You can easily cut your own 2 1/2″ strips with a rotary cutter.
Pro Tip: Invest in a quality cutting mat and you won’t regret it!
Fat Quarter Fancy Quilt Pattern
Fat Quarter Fancy is actually one of my most popular quilt patterns. Finished, it measures approximately 52” square and is perfect for a throw quilt. You only need nine fat quarters plus a little more than a yard of background fabric.
Big Star Quilt Pattern
Learn how to sew the fat quarter friendly Big Star Quilt using half-square triangles (HST)! This fast and easy throw uses my shortcut method for sewing two HSTs at one time. And since the blocks are large, it comes together quickly. It finishes at 64″ x 64″.
Half Square Triangle Baby Quilt Pattern
The Half Square Triangle Baby Quilt pattern is just a smaller version of the Big Star Quilt above. This will make a beautiful first ever quilt! The finished size is 40.5″ square.
Gnome Forest Quilt Pattern
This super easy quilt pattern uses flying geese, rectangles, and snowball corners, and half-square triangles. You can make as many quilt blocks as you want to size the quilt up or down. You can leave off the trees completely for just a gnome quilt! Show me what you decided to do @sewcanshe over on Instagram. The quilt pictured finishes at 33″ square for a small crib size or wall hanging.
Quarter Log Cabins 3-Yard Quilt Pattern
I am captivated by this design! Choosing fabrics might be more difficult than actually sewing them together to make this stunning quilt. The Quarter Log Cabins quilt comes together to be 50″ x 60″ and only requires three yards of fabric.
The Easiest Queen-Size Quilt Pattern
If you are an ambitious beginner and want to start with a queen-size quilt (like I did!), this is the perfect pattern for you. The Fat Quarter Fancy Star Quilt has big, easy blocks to piece and can be sewn with scraps as easily as fat quarters. With the border its finished size is an 88″ square.
Easy Quilt-As-You-Go Quilt Pattern
This Quilt-As-You-Go Strip Quilt is great for sewing with a small sewing machine, and easy to size up or down. For this method you use 2 1/2” strips of fabric and batting strips instead of one large piece of batting for the entire quilt.
Pro Tip: A walking foot comes in handy for this project to help keep the layers even.
Warm and Cozy Rag Quilt Pattern
The nice thing about this free rag quilt pattern is that you don’t have to sew precise seam allowances, or cut lots of tiny pieces. I would recommend getting spring-loaded rag quilt scissors so your hands won’t cramp up. Finished size: 56″ x 63″
Autumn Woods Baby Quilt Pattern
This crib or lap size quilt is a perfect beginner quilt. There is no pattern for this quilt as Brandy just sewed squares together, but you can still check out her photos and her story to recreate the gorgeous quilt. This photo also shows a pretty and simple way of quilting that you can easily do on your own machine.
Mosaic Tiles Quilt Pattern
This beautiful three yard quilt will have you feeling confident. You will enjoy the process of watching the pattern come together as you combine your favorite prints (or even your scraps!). Finished size: 44″ x 54″
Diamond in a Square Quilt Pattern
Choose three fabrics and let’s get started with this Diamond in a Square quilt. It’s a nice lap size when it’s all complete. You will love watching the pattern come together. Tag me on Instagram @sewcanshe; I’d love to see your first quilt!
Starship Baby Quilt Pattern
Sew this Starship Quilt for a space lover or a sweet new baby. You can alter the feel of this quilt by changing the background to dark and shifting to cool colors. It’s pretty amazing how changing the colors alters the quilt completely. Finished size: 46″ square
Hello Neighbor Quilt Pattern
You will make 16 house blocks for this darling free Hello Neighbor Quilt. Will you make all the houses the same color? Use this as a throw or hang it on your wall to show off your most recent accomplishment. Happy Sewing!
More from SewCanShe:
DIY Storage: 25 Free Sewing Patterns for Bins, Baskets, Buckets, & Boxes
Piece Your Heart Out With 35 Cute Patchwork Patterns: All Free
Cutest List of All Time! 60 Delicious Table Runner Patterns
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂