I’ve been on a kick with baby quilts lately. I’ve put together a free baby quilt pattern that’s totally doable for beginners and intermediate quilters, too!
This baby quilt tutorial uses charm squares (5″ x 5″ precut squares, which you can also cut from other fabric in your stash) and crisp, white sashing, for an effect that looks like a lattice fence, with pops of bright color popping through! I chose “jungle colors” with a pop of brightness to match a baby boy’s nursery, but you can customize this pattern and colors to fit the size and look of your preferred quilt. Bright, monochromatic (all one color) prints look great with this quilt pattern, and the white lattice really brightens up whatever colors you choose.
I hope you enjoy this free baby quilt pattern! Let’s get started.
Finished Quilt Size: Approx. 40″ x 48″
Materials:
– 40 fabric squares 5″ x 5″ (5 each of 8 assorted prints)
– 1 3/4 yards of white fabric for sashing, corner and side triangles and border
– 3/8 yard of binding fabric
– 1 1/2 yards backing fabric
– 44″ x 52″ batting
Cutting Instructions:
– Cut 10 strips 1 1/2″ x WOF (width of fabric / selvage to selvage) for sashing (the lattice).
– Cut 4 white squares 9″, and cut each in half TWICE diagonally to make 16 quarter-square triangles.
– Cut 1 white square 7 1/2″, and cut in half ONCE diagonally to make 2 half-square triangles.
– Cut 4 strips 3 1/2″ x WOF for borders.
– Cut 5 strips 2 1/2″ x WOF for binding.
All seams are 1/4″ and pressed open, unless otherwise noted.
1) Chain stitch your charm squares to the white sashing strips, sewing them onto the white strip one after another. Don’t worry about leaving much space between them, because you will later cut them apart. Leave 8 squares without a white strip. You should be able to sew 8 squares each onto 4 strips, for a total of 32 squares with a border, and 8 squares without a border strip.
2) Cut apart the charm squares, trimming the white side borders equal with the sides of the square.
3) Arrange your charm squares on point (like a diamond) in a color arrangement that’s pleasing to you, with the white stripes resting between adjacent blocks. If you used a design wall to arrange the blocks, you can refer to a photo for block orientation. Arrange the squares without the stripes toward the ends of the rows, as pictured.
4) Stitch together the rows as pictured:
Row 1: 2 squares / 1 strip
Row 2: 4 squares / 3 strips
Row 3: 6 squares / 5 strips
Row 4: 8 squares / 7 strips
* NOTE: In photo above, rows 4 and 5 are shown next to each other, but in the finished quilt they are offset by one block. See the very first photo in the post (also shown here) to see how rows 4 and 5 are sewn together. If you arrange them side by side, you’ll get a square quilt. If you shift them one block length apart, you’ll get a rectangular quilt.
Row 5: 8 squares / 7 strips
Row 6: 6 squares / 5 strips
Row 7: 4 squares / 3 strips
Row 8: 2 squares / 1 strip
5) Arrange the white half-square triangles at the ends of each row, to make the quilt rectangular in shape. The long side of each triangle should face out toward the border of the quilt top. Stitch the triangles to the rows.
6) Place the larger triangles in opposite corners of the quilt, with the long side of the triangles facing the pairs of two squares. Stitch the triangles to the two wide corners.
7) Trim the sides of the corner triangles even with a ruler and rotary cutter.
8 ) Lay out your remaining sashing strips between each row, and stitch to between neighboring rows to join them. Sew the longer strips first. Trim the excess sashing strips and join them to other strips to get the length you need. (Note: the photo above shows rows 4 and 5 next to each other, rather than offset as they should be for a rectangular quilt.)
9) Continue adding sashing strips to the rows, pressing your seams as you go. I pressed the seams open, which gives this quilt a crisp, clean look with sharp angles.
10) Add a 3 1/2″ border to the left and right sides of your quilt. Trim off the excess. Add a 3 1/2″ border to the top and bottom of your quilt. Trim. Press the seams toward the border.
11) Baste and quilt your baby quilt. Trim the borders even around the edges of the quilt, measuring 3″ from the seam. Sew on binding.
I chose wide, wavy lines and a slight woodgrain pattern for quilting this baby quilt. I would have added an extra layer of quilting between each of the wavy lines to make it tighter and more textured, but I ran out of white thread and was on a deadline. I am excited that this quilt gets to stay in the family! It’s fun to sew for people you know, isn’t it?
I hope you enjoyed this free baby quilt pattern and photo tutorial. If you make this or any projects from Craft Buds, we’d love to see them in the Craft Buds Flickr group!
Thank you so much! I love this. I have a charm pack I have been waiting to use and this is perfect for it!!
I love the Jungle Lattice Baby Quilt. I have so much stash of kid’s prints that will go nicely in this pattern
Great use for charm squares there, I might use this to whip up a couple of charity quilts at some point
Great pattern. I usually buy at least 4 or 5 of the same charm packs, but I have some singletons, so this pattern will be perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Found your blog through pinterest. This quilt is just so precious! I see charm packs at Big Lots (and have bought quite a few). This will be a great use for them.
Nessa–you said you found quilt packs at Big Lots–is that the large discount store here in California? If so which store did you find them in and what part of the store–I am located in San Diego
Great tutorial ! Thank you.
Hello! I love the pattern – thank you. I also LOVE the colors. They are the colors we are doing for our nursery. What charm pack did you use?? Thanks!
I Kristen! Lindsay’s been busy so I’ll answer what I can. She used fabrics from a few different lines (info on how to cut charm squares is here), but here are the ones I recognize. White background, orange flowers: Michael Miller Madrona Road Wild Carrot Tangerine, Orange with white crosshatch: Michael Miller Madrona Road Haystack Tangerine, Gray with black buds: Flea Market Fancy Legacy Collection Eyelet Grey, Green with white/brown leaves: Flea Market Fancy Legacy Collection Leaf & Dot Green, White circles on lime background: Metro Living Retro Circles on Green by Kaufman Fabric in Chartreuse. That still leaves a few fabrics but that’ll at least get you started!
Thank you Mary! That definately helps me get started and certainly can fill in the rest.
hi. I do like your quilt. v much. which is why I’ve just followed the pattern. and then looked back. Different finished photo, to the pattern? or am I going crazy….? Am slightly irritated to have ended up with a square quilt, but will get over it. Lovely pattern, v easy to follow and quick to complete, but your photos are misleading, in the least offensive way possible. xx
Hi Laura! I’ve studied the pattern, and I can see what you are saying. It’s all in the way you sew together rows 4 and 5. If side by side (like the photos), it will be a square shape, and if you sew them slightly askew, it will be oblong. Does that sound correct to you? If so, I’ll add a note to update the pattern! I’m counting 40 squares in each, and you are correct that my photos of the layout look more square than oblong.
hi there,
fantastic work. very easy yet very attractive. I have been reserving a charm pack for vry long time and im happy that today i have a project too. . my daughter would feel happy. .
with love from india. .
I wish I’d read all the comments before I put the blocks together. I followed the layout shown at the top of page 6 and ended with a square quilt.
Also, no mention is made of trimming and squaring the quilt before adding the borders. This might be helpful for novice quilters.
Thanks Liz! I’ve been meaning to update this post for ages, but your comment reminded me. I apologize for the misleading photos. I’ve updated the post with text early on that I think will help others with assembly.
Look carefully at the picture following instruction #11. I think the first row has one not two blocks.
The instructions for cutting the white squares have the measurements switched. It should read ‘cut 4 white squares 7 1/2″ .. cut twice and 1 white square 9″ block cut in half’. Didn’t realize this until I sewed a the corner on. The other triangles can be cut down by 3/4″.
So glad I read your comment. I am putting together the quilt and realize how big all the triangles are and was perplexed how to join them, now I know to cut off 3/4″ off each. Directions for this quilt are very unclear and I am an experienced quilter!
6) Place the larger rectangles in opposite corners of the quilt, Should be larger triangles.
Thanks so much for this pattern. I have not quilted very much, nor have I sewn very much for a long time. But I have followed your directions and am pleased with how everything is turning out.
Is there any way you can publish the pattern so that I can print it out?
I have tried copy and paste but it doesn’t work.
I have lots of patterned baby fabric and this is the pattern that I have been searching for that will really work and work very well. Thank you!
Hi Sara, thanks for checking! Sorry it’s taken some time to get back to you. We don’t have any plans to format this as a printable pattern. Another option besides copy/paste is to use your mouse to highlight the text and photos, then go to Print and choose “Selection Only” (you may have to open a “More Options” menu to see it). I just tried this and it worked for me to print just the text and photos and not the rest of the website. Hope this helps!