Simple Square Blocks Quilt Pattern (free pdf pattern)

The Simple Square Blocks Quilt is a fast and free quilt pattern. The pattern is beginner-friendly and a perfect project for those new to quilting or just looking for a project that can be finished in a short amount of time. Perfect for precuts, you’ll love the simplicity of this easy pattern. 

Grab your copy today!

Simple Square Blocks Quilt Pattern

The Simple Square Blocks Quilt pattern is a fun way to showcase your favorite set of holiday fabrics. Designed for layer cake precuts, you will have so much fun piecing the quilt together.

Quilt Details

• The Simple Square Blocks Quilt is made up of patterned “square blocks” surrounded by solid sashing and borders. 
• The quilt pattern comes in 3 sizes, throw (60 by 69 inches), twin (72 by 91 inches), and full (83.5 by 91 inches).

Square Blocks Quilt Color Variations

I made today’s version with holiday fabrics, but you can use any layer cake or color variation you like! Valentine’s, rainbow, fall colors, you can even remove the sashing for an entirely different look!

Fabric Used in the Simple Square Blocks Quilt

In my quilt, I used a layer cake called Holly Holiday from Riley Blake. (It’s still available on Amazon for quick delivery or the Fat Quarter Shop!)

What drew me to this particular fabric set was the greens, reds, black, and of course pink fabric prints, and also that there were plenty of low volume (white background) prints to set off the bright holiday colors.

Quilting options

There are so many ways this square blocks quilt can be quilted. I am in a hurry to get mine done, (I want it finished before December starts) so I plan to do a very simple free-motion design, similar to the quilting design in the left image below. I do not plan to use a ruler to keep the lines straight.

If you are quilting on a home sewing machine a great option would be to stitch in the ditch or a simple cross-hatch pattern similar to the image on the right.

Where Do I Get the Pattern Template?

The link for the free Square Blocks Quilt pattern / template is under the materials needed section. Click the link, add the pattern to your cart and check out. (takes about 15 seconds for the process.) A copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.

Ready to make the quilt?

Read on for the fabric amounts, sewing instructions, and printablable templates.

Square Blocks Quilt Pattern

Pattern Notes:

• wof = width of fabric.
• Scant 1/4 inch seam allowances used.
• RST = Right sides together.
• Chain piecing = The process of sewing blocks of fabric together without stopping between each one. The threads are clipped after all pieces are sewn. This saves time and thread.
• Press the seams to the colored fabric side.

Skill Level:

Beginner-friendly

Fabric Requirements:

If you want lots of various prints for your quilt I recommend using a layer cake as you will have 20 to 24 different prints to work with.

Throw:

• Patterned fabric: 30 – ten-inch squares
• Background fabric: 12 – ten-inch squares and 3/4 yard cut into ten 2.5 inches by WOF (or ten jelly roll strips)
• Backing: 4 1/4 yard (assuming 42-inch wide directional fabric)
• Binding: 5/8 yard (assuming 42-inch wide fabric and 2.75-inch wide binding)

Twin:

• Patterned fabric: 48 – ten-inch squares
• Background fabric: 17 – ten-inch squares and 1-1/3 yard cut into eighteen 2.5 inches by WOF (or 18 jelly roll strips)
• Backing: 5.5 yard
• Binding: 3/4 yard

Full:

• Patterned fabric: 56 – ten-inch squares
• Background fabric: 10 – ten-inch squares and 1-1/2 yard cut into twenty-one 2.5 inches by WOF (or 21 jelly roll strips)
• Backing: 8 yards
• Binding: 7/8 yard

Materials Needed for Throw Size Quilt

• Pattern
• Fabric
  • 30 -10 inch squares (or yardage cut in squares- see fabric requirements above)
  • 12 – solid 10 inch squares (or yardage cut in squares- see fabric requirements above)
  • 10 – 3/4 yard solid fabric cut into ten 2.5 inches by WOF (or ten jelly roll strips)
• Rotary Cutter and mat
• Ruler (If you want the use yardage for your quilt, this slotted ruler makes quick and easy work of cutting fabric into 2.5-inch strips.)
• Iron
• Basic quilting supplies

Sewing Instructions

Step 1: Cut Fabrics.

Cut all the patterned 10-inch squares/ layer cake squares in half.

Trim all the white 10-inch squares to 10 by 9.5 inches. (half an inch off one side.) 

Then cut all the white squares into four 9.5 by 2.5-inch strips.

Step 2: Sew Blocks.

Sew two random patterned rectangles together, using a scant quarter-inch seam allowance.

To speed up the sewing, I sorted my rectangles into colors, took the stacks to my sewing machine and chain pieced everything together.

Press the blocks and trim to 9.5 inches square.

Step 3: Sew Rows.

Once all your blocks are sewn together, pressed, and trimmed, you’ll want to lay them out on the floor or a design wall to determine the best way to assemble the blocks for color distribution. (I love my portable design wall for this.)

Working one row at a time, sew the 2.5 inch strips in between each block. I found it best to line up the blocks in a row, sack the stips on top, then stack the squares up in order of how they will be sewn. (You can see this in action in the video I made for this pattern.)

Once sewn, press the with the iron and repeat this process for the rest of the rows.

Step 4: Add Sashing between Rows

Grab the jelly roll strips (or yardage cut into strips) and sew together end to end. Trim the sewn strip so they are the same width as your rows. (You’ll find it takes about 1 and 1/3 of a jelly roll strip.)

You need 7 sashing strips for the throw-size quilt.

Sew a sashing strip in between each row, plus on the top and bottom of the quilt top. 

Press the seams flat, toward the colored fabric.

Step 5: Baste and quilt.

Make your quilt sandwich and quilt the simple square blocks quilt top as desired!

That’s it!

Enjoy making these quilts!

Did You Make Simple Square Blocks Quilt?

Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmompatterns! You can also share an image to my private Facebook sewing group!

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Yield: 1 quilt

Simple Square Blocks Quilt Sewing Instructions

Print

The Simple Square Blocks Quilt is a fast and free quilt pattern. The pattern is beginner-friendly and a perfect project for those new to quilting or just looking for a project that can be finished in a short amount of time. Perfect for precuts, you’ll love the simplicity of this easy pattern. 

Prep Time 1 hour

Active Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Difficulty easy

Materials

• Pattern
• Fabric
• 30 -10 inch squares (or yardage cut in squares- see fabric requirements above)
• 12 – solid 10 inch squares (or yardage cut in squares- see fabric requirements above)
• 10 – 3/4 yard solid fabric cut into ten 2.5 inches by WOF (or ten jelly roll strips)
• Rotary Cutter and mat
• Ruler (If you want the use yardage for your quilt, this slotted ruler makes quick and easy work of cutting fabric into 2.5-inch strips.)
• Iron
• Basic quilting supplies

Instructions

Step 1: Cut Fabrics.

1. Cut all the patterned 10-inch squares/ layer cake squares in half.
2. Trim all the white 10-inch squares to 10 by 9.5 inches. (half an inch off one side.) 
3. Then cut all the white squares into four 9.5 by 2.5-inch strips.

Step 2: Sew Blocks.

1. Sew two random patterned rectangles together, using a scant quarter-inch seam allowance.
2. To speed up the sewing, I sorted my rectangles into colors, took the stacks to my sewing machine and chain pieced everything together.
3. Press the blocks and trim to 9.5 inches square.

Step 3: Sew Rows.

1. Once all your blocks are sewn together, pressed, and trimmed, you'll want to lay them out on the floor or a design wall to determine the best way to assemble the blocks for color distribution. (I love my portable design wall for this.)
2. Working one row at a time, sew the 2.5 inch strips in between each block. I found it best to line up the blocks in a row, sack the stips on top, then stack the squares up in order of how they will be sewn. (You can see this in action in the video I made for this pattern.)
3. Once sewn, press the with the iron and repeat this process for the rest of the rows.

Step 4: Add Sashing between Rows

1. Grab the jelly roll strips (or yardage cut into strips) and sew together end to end. Trim the sewn strip so they are the same width as your rows. (You'll find it takes about 1 and 1/3 of a jelly roll strip.)
2. You need 7 sashing strips for the throw-size quilt.
3. Sew a sashing strip in between each row, plus on the top and bottom of the quilt top. 
4. Press the seams flat, toward the colored fabric.

Step 5: Baste and quilt.

1. Make your quilt sandwich and quilt the simple square blocks quilt top as desired!

 Q

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