Baby Blanket Free Quilt Pattern

I love baby blankets, and I especially love DIY projects for it. When it comes to quilting a pattern for a baby, it feels very special and fulfilling.

This is even more fulfilling when you’re gifting this pattern to a loved one and watching how they light up when they are handed this sentimental present!

This beautiful free quilt design and pattern that you see below is perfect for a newborn. It’s more of a challenging pattern because there’s a lot of layers to it. So I would consider this pattern to be for more intermediate level quilters.

However the instructions below give you a clear step-by-step process for this pattern, so it shouldn’t be difficult to complete if you follow it properly.

On another note, before we get started with the pattern, if you’re looking for a new quilting machine, we did an in depth review on 8 of the best quilt machines that I know you’ll love!

Materials Needed for the Baby Blanket Quilt Pattern

• Sewing machine Rotary cutter Cutting mat Sewing thread Ruler
• Sewing pins
• Iron
• Bias tape
• Quilt batting
• Fabric for backing
• 3 different printed fabrics
• 4 different plan fabrics
• Cartoon character fabric (optional)

Finished Quilt Size

30” wide by 30” long.

Finished Block Size

10” x 10”

Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Note: This pattern requires a basic knowledge of quilting technique and terminology. The quilt and block diagrams portrayed are virtual images. The layout and look of your project may differ when using actual fabric.

Cutting Requirements

Please read instructions first before cutting.

Seam allowances are 0.19” all around.

Measurements

Fabric Requirements

Cutting Requirements

Please read instructions first before cutting.

Seam allowances are 0.19” all around.

Printed Fabric 1

Lavender
Cut 9 pieces

Printed Fabric 2

White
Cut 72 pieces

Printed Fabric 3

Sky Blue
Cut 9 pieces

Plan Fabric 1

Purple
Cut 36 pieces

Plan Fabric 2

Yellow
Cut 108 pieces

Plan Fabric 3

Green
Cut 108 pieces

Plan Fabric 4

Pink
Cut 108 pieces

Plan Fabric 5

Blue
Cut 108 pieces

Quilt Assembly

Refer to the quilt photo for placement of fabrics.

Sewing Instructions

Take the printed fabric 1, fold it twice. Press the fabric to form a + sign (this process is to find the middle point and for better alignment).

Take the printed fabric 3, pin it on the middle of the 1st fabric.

Tuck in the seam allowances and sew all the edges.

Now take the printed fabric 2. Pin the pieces all around the printed fabric 3.

Sew all the edges and press the seams.

Take plan fabric 1 and 2. Put the fabric 2 pieces onto the fabric 1 on the markings.

Tuck the seam allowances and pin the pieces. Sew along the edges and press the seams.

This is now called piece 2.

Repeat the same process for piece 3, 4 and 5.

Take piece 2, place it along the boundries of printed fabric 2.

Tuck all the seam allowances and pin them.

Sew along the edges and press the seams.

Repeat the same process for the piece 3, 4 and 5.

Make sure to press all the seams.

Repeat the whole process 9 times. When 9 pieces are complete, sew them together side by side. Press the seams.

This piece is now called the quilt top.

Optional Step

Take the cartoon character fabric of your choice. Cut out the characters, leaving the seam allowances.

Pin them between the plan fabric pieces, tucking in the seam allowances.

Sew along the edges and press the seams.

The finished quilt top will look like the below image, after sewing the characters.

Finish Quilt

To finish the quilt, you’ll need quilt top, batting and fabric for backing (same size as the quilt top).

Assemble The Quilt Layers

Prepare the quilt sandwich (marked quilt top, batting, and backing).

Pin them together.

Set Up Machine

Remove presser foot and install a walking foot. Add a new machine needle, and thread the machine and bobbin with 50-weight, 100% cotton thread.

Use a quilt-sandwich swatch to test thread/needle/tension combination and stitch length.

Begin Quilting

For quilting, it’s the best option to choose wavy lines because stitching continuous wavy lines in a free-form manner gives a sense of movement across the quilt and sharply contrasts the linear design of the Log Cabin blocks.

Stitch faster than you normally would to achieve smoother curves. Stitching slower will result in more jagged lines.

Practicing on a sample piece will help you get the rhythm. Because this design is free-form, you control the depth and length of the curves.

Begin stitching on one edge, working horizontally from one edge of the quilt to the other.

Follow the red arrow shown in the diagram.

BabyQuilt InstructionsPivot and repeat step 1 to stitch another curved line next to the one just quilted.

Follow the red arrow shown in the diagram.

Use a different color thread (optional).

Continue stitching to complete free-motion quilting design. Baste the remaining unstitched edges.

Binding

To finish the quilt, take the bias binding tape and bind all the outer edges.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for sharing your precious quilt time with me! I hope you were able to quilt this blanket seamlessly and really enjoy it! I really love the design of this pattern and how adorable it will be to gift it for a newborn baby.

Make sure to join our email list as we share new free patterns every month and provide you with new insights and reviews for sewing and quilt machines.

Keep sewing delightful,

Meghan