Little Kisses: Free Quilt Pattern for Fat Quarters

Sew a fast and easy throw quilt to show how much you love someone! This free quilt pattern teaches you how to make 9-patch blocks and turn them on point to make simple x’s. It’s perfect for using fat quarters from your fabric stash.

You’ll love the simple design of this quilt that is fat quarter and beginner friendly! Throw quilts like this are easier to quilt on a home sewing machine when compared to bed quilts, and they are so much fun to snuggle up with on the couch.

I chose fat quarters from Liberty of London’s ‘Londons Calling’ collection that is available at Duckadilly.com.

The Little Kisses Quilt Pattern contains 36 blocks. Each block is 10” x 10” wide after sewing. There is one narrow border, which makes the finished size of this throw quilt approximately 64” x 64”.

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The free Little Kisses Quilt Pattern is included in the blog post below and is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The PDF download is inexpensive and optional. Did you know you can get ALL the Optimized for Printing PDF files organized in a library for you to access anytime you want? Check it out.

What is a fat quarter?

I’m glad you asked! A normal quarter yard of fabric (cut the traditional way from the bolt) is
9” tall by 42” wide (or more, depending on the width of fabric). To understand a fat quarter, imagine taking a yard of fabric and cutting it in half widthwise first, and then lengthwise to make four pieces of fabric. Each piece of fabric is then 18” tall by 20-22” wide.

Little Kisses Free Quilt Pattern

This free quilt pattern includes instructions for 10” x 10” (finished) blocks. This quilt has 36 easy quilt blocks, which is why it is so quick to sew!

The finished throw quilt is approximately 64” x 64”. It’s perfect for snuggling on the couch, providing extra warmth on cold nights, or making into a large baby quilt.

You will need:

• 9 coordinating fat quarters of fabric
• 2 3/8 yards of background fabric
• a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler, and cutting mat
• sewing machine
• thread (I suggest thread matching the lighter fabric)
• ironing board and iron

To sew the quilt top into a finished quilt, you will also need:

• 3 3/4 yards of backing fabric (or enough to piece together a 67” x 67” or larger quilt back)
• a piece of quilt batting at least 67” x 67”
• 1/2 yard of fabric for the binding

Cutting:

Important note: These cutting layouts show the fabric unfolded.

From each fat quarter fabric, cut:

• 4 squares 7” x 7”
• 12 squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
• 2 strips 2 1/2” x 6 1/2”

From the background fabric, cut:

• 36 squares 7” x 7”
• 18 strips 2 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 72 squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
• 6 strips 2 1/2” x width of fabric (for the border)

Quilt Piecing

Use a 1/4’’ seam allowance and a regular stitch length such as 2 – 2.5.

How to Sew the Little Kisses Blocks

1. Sew a 2 1/2” print fabric square to either side of a 2 1/2” background fabric square. Press the seams toward the darker fabrics. This is Unit A.

Make 4 Unit A pieces from each of the 9 different fat quarter fabrics. You’ll make 36 total.

2. Sew a 2 1/2” background fabric square to either side of a 2 1/2” print fabric square. Press the seams toward the darker fabrics. This is Unit B.

Make 4 Unit B pieces from each of the 9 different fat quarter fabrics. You’ll make 36 total.

3. Sew a Unit A piece to both long edges of a background fabric 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” strip. Make 2 matching pieces from each fat quarter fabric.

4. Sew a Unit B piece to both long edges of a print fabric 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” strip. Make sure that all the print fabrics are from the same fat quarter. Make 2 matching pieces from each fat quarter fabric.

5. Cut all of the 7” triangles in half diagonally. You will have:

• 72 print fabric triangles (8 from each fat quarter)
• 72 background fabric triangles

6. Sew a fabric triangle to one side of a square, making sure that triangle matches the fabric in the corners of the square. Open and press.

7. Sew a matching fabric triangle to the opposite side of the square. Open and press.

8. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim away the extra fabric at the top and bottom of the piece. Use the unsewn edges of the square as your guide.

9. Sew a matching fabric triangle to the top side of the square. Open and press.

10. Sew a matching fabric triangle to the bottom side of the square. Open and press.

Repeat to make 36 blocks:

• 18 blocks that are mostly print fabric
• 18 blocks that are mostly background fabric

Trim and square up each block to 10 1/2”, if desired.

Assemble the Little Kisses Quilt Pattern

1. Sew four matching blocks together in an alternating pattern as shown above to make a large block.

Repeat to make 9 large blocks.

2. Lay the 9 large blocks on a bed or on the floor to help find a pleasing arrangement. Sew the 9 large blocks together in 3 rows. Then sew the three rows together.

Make and Sew the Quilt Borders

1. Piece together the six 2 1/2” x width of fabric border strips to make one long strip. Press the seams open. Cut the border pieces from this long strip.

2. The expected length of the side border pieces is 60 1/2”. I highly recommend measuring the quilt top and cutting all border pieces to the correct size. See how to cut the correct size quilt borders. Measure your quilt and cut two strips for the side border pieces. Attach the side border pieces.

3. The expected length of the top and bottom border pieces is 64 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom border. Attach the top and bottom border pieces.

Finishing the Little Kisses Quilt Pattern

1. Cut or piece together a 67” x 67” piece of quilt backing fabric and make a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting, and top.

2. Baste together with fusible batting, pins or basting spray.

3. Quilt as desired. Straight line quilting or cross hatch quilting with your walking foot would be fast and easy. Trim away the extra batting and backing.

4. Depending on your fabric width, you will likely need 6 strips of fabric for the binding. Cut 2 1/2” tall (or desired height) binding strips. Sew the binding strips together and bind using your favorite method. This is my favorite quilt binding method.

xoxo,