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    Home » Quilts

    Free Baby Quilt Patterns featuring simple Turnstile Quilt Blocks!

    Updated: Jul 8, 2021 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 47 Comments

    Don’t you just love projects that are so simple that you can make them in a day? This Turnstile Quilt block baby quilt is one of those projects!  It’s so quick to sew that I ended up making two. It would make a great beginner quilt project. Keep reading to find out more about this and a few other free baby quilt patterns!

    Turnstile Baby Quilt
    Table of Contents
    • How to Get the Baby Quilt Pattern
    • Turnstile Block Free Baby Quilt Pattern
    • Supplies
    • Assembly Instructions

    Many of you may know that I’m a twin mom.  My twins (boy/girl) are now 16 so we are pretty far in our life from the “baby” stage but I still have not forgotten the joys and challenges that come with taking care of two babies at the same time.  

    Our twins came after a few years of struggling to get pregnant. Our oldest was 5 years old when we were right in the “throws” of the struggle and I think was about to disown us if we didn’t get her a younger brother or sister soon.

    Little did she know that a brother AND a sister were on their way and she would remark at a later point in her childhood that they, “ruined her life”.  Thankfully they are all older now, and no one thinks anyone “ruined their life” anymore.

    How to Get the Baby Quilt Pattern

    Option 1:

    You can now purchase this tutorial in PRINTABLE PDF version, with 2 of our most popular Baby Quilt Patterns!

    To purchase in our SHOP!

    Option 2: Read the Tutorial off of this website

    Turnstile Block Free Baby Quilt Pattern

    A friend of mine recently welcomed twin girls after years of struggle.  To celebrate, I did what I know how to do best, make something. I stitched up two simple baby quilts using my Wonderland Two line of fabrics.

    Pink and white baby quilt

    The quilts were super simple to piece, so making two at once was not a big deal. I debated about making the quilts EXACTLY alike and decided not to. Having twins myself I know that sometimes you need CLEAR boundaries of what belongs to who.

    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.

    Instead, I made the quilts mirror images of each other. One was white with pink blocks and the other was pink with white blocks. I then also backed them in opposite colors of the bunny print from the line.

    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.

    (one of my twins, now an expert “quilt holder”)

    I love how they turned out!

    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.
    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.
    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.

    The pink quilt doesn’t photograph quite as well as the white quilt (I think the camera is confused by the pink background) so you can’t quite see all the detail in the quilting and the blocks, but it features many of the “sparkle” prints from the line and I think it’s just right for a baby girl!

    Do you want to make a quilt?

    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.

    Here’s what you’ll need- Quilt measures approx. 45″ x 45″ when finished and the instructions are for ONE quilt.

    Supplies

    • 9 Fat Quarters of Fabric for Blocks
    • 2 Yards of Fabric for Background
    • ½ Yard Fabric for Binding
    • 3 Yards of Fabric for Backing

    Cutting Directions:

    • CUT for EACH BLOCK (there are 9 blocks in the quilt):
    • 9 x 9 square of fabric cut from the print fabric
    • 9 x 9 square of fabric cut from the background fabric
    • Two 8 ½″ x 8 ½″ squares of fabric cut from the background fabric
    • Cut backing fabric into two pieces 54 x width of the fabric and sew them together along the 54″ sides using a ½″ seam allowance. This will become your quilt backing.

    Assembly Instructions

    Note: Due to some confusion with the block construction, I’ve added photos of each step of the block construction. To make it easier to see the instructions, I’ve created them from smaller squares using a stripe fabric so you can see the direction of the blocks easier. Just know that your squares will be larger, the smaller squares in the photos are for illustrative purposes only.

    The January Block of the Month on polkadotchair.com - Learn how to make a simple turnstile quilt block - complete one quilt block each month to make yourself a quilt!

    Begin by making two HST from the 9×9 pieces of fabric. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the 9×9 background fabric. Lay it right sides facing with the 9×9 print fabric. Stitch ¼″ off each side of the line.  

    Use a rotary cutter to cut the blocks in half along the line you drew. Press (for more help with making HST see THIS post or THIS post)

    The January Block of the Month on polkadotchair.com - Learn how to make a simple turnstile quilt block - complete one quilt block each month to make yourself a quilt!

    Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of both of the 8 ½″ squares cut from your background fabric.  

    Layer one square on top of one of the sewn HST so that the diagonal lines are facing in opposite directions. In the above illustration, I’ve adjusted the opacity of the top fabric a bit so you can see how the squares line up on top of each other.

    Stitch ¼″ on each side of the line you drew. Cut along the line and square up the blocks to 8″ x 8″. Repeat for the other HST and background fabric.

    You will now have 4 blocks. Line up as shown in the diagram above. Stitch the squares together in the top row, then stitch the squares in the bottom row. Press seams and stitch two rows together.

    Repeat until you have sewn 9 blocks.

    Stitch the blocks together into 3 rows of 3 blocks.

    Finishing:

    Quilt and bind as desired

    Just a quick reminder: This project along with ALL of the other projects on this blog are offered to you for free. The only thing that I ask is that you do not use them for any commercial purpose.  If you have a shop, this is not meant to be a pattern for you to use in your store. It’s meant to help build the online community of people who all LOVE quilting.  Please respect that so that I can go on sharing these projects for everyone.  If you have a shop and want to kit this quilt, just shoot me an email and I’ll send you a PDF with a unique url to include in the kit taking your customers to the directions online. 

    If you liked this baby quilt pattern then you may also enjoy these free quilt patterns and tutorials!

    Snuggle Bunny Quilt Pattern by Amanda of JediCraftGirl.com - a free Spring Mini Quilt Pattern !

    Snuggle Bunny Quilt Pattern by Amanda of Jedi Craft Girl

    Quilt Block of the Month series on polkadotchair.com - create a quilt in 12 easy steps!

    Polka Dot Chair Block of the Month Sampler Quilt

    Free baby quilt patterns including this one for a simple baby quilt made using a Turnstile Quilt block! So easy you could make it in a day.

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    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bonnie Stalker says

      June 09, 2017 at 4:15 pm

      Your quilts are lovely. I wish I had the patience and skill to try one. But, I will have to settle for admiring others’ work.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        July 09, 2017 at 5:45 am

        You know what Bonnie, if you can sew a straight line you can quilt. It’s that simple. Why sit on the sidelines girl! I’ve nearly finished a pinwheel quilt like this lovely little pink one and it really is simple. Why don’t you have a go, you’ve got nothing to lose and you will be truly happy with what you have sewn.

        Reply
        • Mary says

          October 26, 2020 at 9:29 pm

          I’ve looked all over your website for the Free Baby Quilt Patterns featuring simple Turnstile Quilt Blocks and can’t find them. Can you help me find them?

          Reply
          • Melissa Mortenson says

            October 29, 2020 at 8:21 am

            You’re on the page with the pattern. The directions are right here.

            Reply
    2. Sarah Helene says

      June 09, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      Pretty in PINK! Looks perfect — love the quilting design. So, thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    3. Little Quiltsong says

      June 09, 2017 at 7:42 pm

      They are both lovely! Love the quilting you did on them!

      Reply
    4. Carlotta says

      June 10, 2017 at 9:12 am

      Melissa, those quilts are absolutely the cutest ever! Your friend may not know how fortunate she is to get such a nice personal gift!!!!! I have needed to make 3 small(a little bigger than baby size) quilts for my granddaughters for a while now, but couldn’t decide a pattern & then when I decide a pattern, I have to figure how big each square has to be. I think I’ll be able to use your pattern perfectly. Thanks for sharing. Your fabrics are are so fun & cute!

      Reply
    5. Nikita says

      June 10, 2017 at 9:15 am

      Awesome pattern and beautiful quilts! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    6. Christine Sherman says

      June 10, 2017 at 10:10 am

      This is so pretty! Sometimes simple is the best! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    7. Gretchen Morris says

      June 10, 2017 at 2:44 pm

      Are your blocks 15″ square?

      Reply
    8. Ivory says

      June 10, 2017 at 9:41 pm

      So beautiful, I just wish I knew how to sew like this.

      Reply
    9. erin says

      June 11, 2017 at 10:03 am

      they are so cute!!!

      Reply
    10. Kimberley says

      June 13, 2017 at 9:52 am

      I couldn’t find the separate page with the instructions. Could this be made with a layer cake as well?

      Reply
    11. Ezgi says

      June 13, 2017 at 9:53 am

      They are so adorable.. I love it !!

      Reply
    12. Pat says

      July 09, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      I love your beautiful work I started quilting about ayear ago and just finished my 7 quilt. I can’t wait to try these patterns

      Reply
    13. Connie says

      July 12, 2017 at 11:18 am

      These are so adorable! Then again, I am a sucker for anything in pink. Thanks for this simple but elegant quilt pattern.

      Reply
    14. Shelley Fratianni says

      July 22, 2017 at 6:27 pm

      Your photo above the statement “You now have 4 blocks” is incorrect. I can make a pinwheel with the 4 blocks I have made, following your directions exactly, but they are not formatted exactly as shown in your photo.

      Top left in your photo shows white background half-triangle top left and the ‘split’ half-triangle with white to left and print to right is the only one that is correct. Your top right photo shows white background half-triangle top right corner ad the ‘split half-triangle with white at top and print bottom–there is no such piece. Both the bottom blocks are also misrepresented in where is the long seam splitting the white half-triangle and the white/print half-triangle.

      Anyone who has made a pinwheel previously, or if you just look to see the pinwheel pattern, you can figure out how to get a pinwheel. Since all the background fabric is one fabric, this should not present a problem for the overall design but will be very misleading for ‘visual’ learners looking to lay out the pieces exactly as in your photo.

      Just thought you might want to know about this confusion since the directions call for following the photo. As long as they get the print part in right direction, it will make a pinwheel!

      Anyway, I love the pattern and cannot wait to see what my finished product will look like. Thanks so much for the free pattern.

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        July 27, 2017 at 1:56 pm

        I think it’s just confusing since the illustrations are solid colors and the fabrics are directional. It’s correct, the blocks are just rotated in the last photo to get the layout correct. If the illustrations had print fabrics then you’d see the changes.

        Reply
      • Dianne says

        June 08, 2018 at 5:16 pm

        Thank you for your explanation. I was having trouble getting the blocks to line up right but figured it out after reading your instructions.

        Reply
      • Sandra Smelcer says

        August 26, 2018 at 7:15 pm

        Yes, I agree the photo is very confusing! I even ripped out the squares to come up with the correct layout. It is impossible to get that layout with the pinwheels you make. I am a visual person so I thought for sure I was doing something wrong! Very cute quilt and I am going to just have to remake the first square I did to reflect the correct layout going forward.

        Reply
        • Melissa Mortenson says

          August 26, 2018 at 7:30 pm

          It’s not impossible. I’ve made several of these blocks. You can see more examples here: https://www.polkadotchair.com/january-block-of-the-month-turnstile-quilt-block/2/ You need to ROTATE your blocks. If you are using directional fabric then the direction of the fabric will be rotated on the blocks.

          Reply
          • Ladonna says

            July 28, 2022 at 6:05 pm

            Melissa:
            Can you tell me what the quilting pattern name is and where I can purchase it?

            Thank you

            Reply
            • Melissa Mortenson says

              August 08, 2022 at 10:45 pm

              The directions are in this blog post

    15. Debbie Coveduck says

      July 26, 2017 at 9:19 pm

      I just happened upon your blog, and I’m so happy that I did – these “twin quilts” are darling! I have three children as well (young adults, now). So I have bookmarked these directions, and I hope to be able to create these treasures for future grandbabies!!

      Reply
    16. Elaine Griglione says

      September 01, 2017 at 10:02 pm

      Love these Quilts!!!

      Reply
    17. MaryLou Cady says

      September 05, 2017 at 10:00 pm

      What is paper piecing? I love your quilts I have been looking for a baby quilt, there are sure a lot of butt ugly ones out there. Could I make this in flannel so it will be soft & cuddly? Thanks so much.

      Mary Lou Cady

      Reply
    18. Barbara C Jordon says

      September 10, 2017 at 6:12 pm

      These quilts are so cute what was the fabric line again and where can I get it

      Reply
    19. Toni Clark says

      February 08, 2018 at 8:52 am

      Your Wonderland fabric is one of my all time favorite…I just love the gold and the pink and the bunny and have made mini quilts for all my grandaughters doll beds and they are adorable. Now I am working on a baby quilt. Thank you for being so creative and sharing your free patterns for those of us retiree’s on a budget. Happy Spring

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        February 09, 2018 at 2:55 pm

        Oh thank you so much. I love the Wonderland fabrics too! I have a soft spot for pink for sure!

        Reply
    20. Teresa E Brown says

      April 21, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      These are lovely, I cant wait to make one.. Thank you so much for the free pattern!!!

      Reply
    21. Ruth says

      June 03, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      I was so happy to find this tutorial! I love this pattern! I have one question. Which way did you press your seam allowances? I am in the process of making it for my upcoming granddaughter. I have finished three blocks and have pressed the seams three different ways. What do you suggest?

      Reply
    22. Dianne says

      June 08, 2018 at 4:26 pm

      On the turnstile quilt block I am having trouble getting the 4 blocks to make the turnstile. On your diagram the print block ends up on the same side on all four blocks but when you stitch and cut as per the instructions the print block is on opposite side for two of the blocks. I bought the pattern download from you but sure wish I would have tried it from the free instructions before spending the money. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong?

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        June 11, 2018 at 1:28 pm

        If you notice my quilt in the example, my bunnies are not all facing the same direction. They are rotated.
        The diagram is with solid fabrics, which is why I think some were confused.

        Reply
    23. Amanda says

      September 29, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      This quilt is gorgeous. Quick question, do you not use wadding or anything in between the front and back fabrics?

      Reply
    24. Samantha says

      February 17, 2019 at 10:42 am

      Wondering if you made the stuffed bunny in this picture? If so do you have the pattern?

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        February 19, 2019 at 1:12 pm

        It’s purchased. I didn’t make it

        Reply
    25. Jennifer says

      May 14, 2019 at 8:04 pm

      Thank you for this! I was looking for a patter for my first quilt and I believe this is it!

      Reply
    26. Alpha Devoss says

      March 08, 2020 at 11:57 pm

      Hello! Thank you for this great idea for a baby quilt. Recently found out I am going to be a grandma so finding you blog was quite fortuitous. May I ask where you got the stick hung pattern for the quilt? Thank you in advance.

      Reply
    27. Sara Edwards says

      May 18, 2020 at 10:57 pm

      I loved the pinwheel quilts! It’s especially fun to see the two different versions. I got inspired and made one with batik pinwheels and a low volume background. It turned out well but next time I think I will cut all the squares out at 9” and make HSTs with the originally 8.5” background fabrics before putting them on top of the other HSTs. That way the assorted background pieces are all 1/4 square triangles.

      Reply
    28. Karen says

      June 27, 2020 at 12:58 am

      Your pattern is darling–as are your line of fabrics! Thanks for sharing! Any tips on how the seams should be pressed? There is SO much bulk in the very center where all those seams converge. I’ve tried pressing to one side and pressing them all open and it still feels bulky. Just wondering what the designer did 😀

      Reply
    29. Julie says

      October 02, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      I’m about to try this quilt but I’m confused how you get a 45″ x 45″ quilt when only using 3 finished squares across and down and you only start with 9″ square before cutting and sewing the triangles together which makes the squares even smaller than the 9″ in the end? 9 x 9 is only 27 and then take 1/4″ seams into consideration??? Am I thinking incorrectly?

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        October 04, 2020 at 9:11 am

        Each FINISHED block is made up of 4 squares that are 9″ each.

        Reply
    30. julie says

      October 02, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      ah ha, I figured it out!!! But I had to piece it together using construction paper to see how those triangles end up making one huge square!! cool, sorry for my ignorance.

      Reply
    31. Charlene says

      March 07, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      Beautiful. I am making memory quilts and this pinwheel on point is perfect!

      Reply
    32. Bonnie Stalker says

      September 22, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      I purchased this pattern 2 years ago, and finally I’m brave enough to try it. I was just curious. Do you remember what background fabric you used? I never would have thought to use anything other than solid white. Your quilts are adorable. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    33. Jade says

      November 13, 2022 at 8:09 am

      Thank you for this pattern. I whipped up one for a baby shower this weekend. It turned out so wonderfully. Your directions were clear and concise. Thanks again.

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        November 13, 2022 at 7:41 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply

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    Hello! It’s nice to meet you.

    I’m Melissa. I like to design things, like fabric, printables, and projects.

    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

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