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How to Finish Your Christmas Quilt; Festive Friends Quilt Along

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I’m happy to share the finishing instructions for our Christmas Sampler quilt! These block setting instructions would also be great for any quilt made using 12″ quilt blocks!

several colorful Christmas quilt blocks on white pinboard

Hi Friends! We’ve reached the end of our Festive Friends Quilt Along! I hope that you’ve enjoyed it. I’ve had a lot of fun sewing along with you and look forward to hosting the quilt along next year with a whole new set of friend quilt blocks!

I hoped to share a photo of my finished quilt with you today, but the flu has taken me down this week. I’m starting to feel better and hope to be able to share my quilt with you next week! I didn’t get any sewing time this week, as I was mostly lying in bed, LOL!

several colorful Christmas quilt blocks on white table

The block setting instructions for this quilt are a bit unique, and I think it’s a clever way to finish a sampler quilt.

As I mentioned, you could use these setting instructions to create other sampler quilts using 12″ quilt blocks (we have a bunch of free patterns in our archives). I plan to leave this blog post up on the site after the quilt along is over since it’s such a versatile quilt block layout.

Join our 2025 Christmas Block of the Month!

2025 Patreon Block of the Month WInter Version
2025 Patreon Block of the Month Christmas Version

If you enjoyed this quilt along, you may love our Patreon Group! My 2025 Quilt Block of the Month program is hosted there, and we are making a Christmas Quilt! Get a PDF Pattern and a video tutorial each month! Join today before the price increases in January

What is the Quilt Along?

The Festive Friends Quilt Along is a free quilting event hosted on the Polka Dot Chair. During the month of December, create a fun Christmas quilt with our free Christmas quilt block patterns. Between December 1st and 20th, visit our site to print one of the adorable Christmas quilt blocks (blocks will be posted throughout the month; full schedule below). But don’t delay because, like Cinderella, the patterns will disappear at midnight on December 31st 2024. Now that the quilt along is over the patterns have been moved to our shop. Watch for a NEW QUILT ALONG December 2025!

Where to Find the Pattern

You can read the directions on this blog post (we’ve included a print button at the bottom, or you can purchase a PDF in our shop).

Pattern Correction

UPDATE: There has been a correction to the pattern. The flying geese on the outside borders should be 5 1/2″ x 11″ FINISHED (6″ x 11 1/2″ before finishing). I’ve updated the directions with the proper cutting dimensions.

If you have already sewn your flying geese, you can trim them down from 6 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ to 6″ x 11 1/2″; you do not need to recut your fabric. Trim the fabric from the center out and only trim excess fabric from the bottom. The red line in the illustration represents where to cut to trim down the pieces.

flying geese cut down
diagram of a layout of a Christmas quilt

Sampler Quilt Block Setting Layout Pattern; Corrected

Melissa Mortenson
Use this free pattern for sashing and borders for twelve-inch quilt blocks to complete your Festive Friends quilt or any other quilt made using 12" quilt blocks.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Active Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours

Equipment

supplies

  • 1 Yard Bleached Denim Sparkler; Used for Background
  • 1/2 Yard Bear Lake Sparkler; Used for Cornerstones
  • 1 1/2 Yards White Fabric Sparkler; Used for borders and blocks
  • 1/2 Yard Red Fabric Sparkler
  • 1/4 Yard Black Fabric Sparkler
  • 1/4 Yard Daisy Fabric Sparkler
  • 1/4 Yard Riley Green Fabric Sparkler
  • 1/2 Yard Clover Fabric Sparkler
  • 1/2 Yard Pebble Fabric Sparkler or a color that reminds you of gingerbread
  • 1 Yard Songbird Fabric Sparkler; Used for Sashing
  • 1/2 Yard Fabric for Binding

These are the fabric requirements for the ENTIRE quilt

Instructions
 

Fabric Key & Cutting

  • Fabric Key for Pattern:
    Fabric A: White
    Fabric B: Clover (darker green)
    Fabric C: Black
    Fabric D: Daisy (dark yellow)
    Fabric E: Bleached Denim (pale minty blue)
    Fabric F: Pebble
    Fabric G: Red
    Fabric H: Songbird (minty blue)
    Fabric I: Riley Green (lighter green)
    Fabric J: Bear Lake (dark blue/green)
    Cut for Outside Border:
    From Fabric E (Bleached Denim):
    16 pieces 6” x 11 1/2”
    From Fabric A (White):
    36 pieces 6” x 6”
    Cut for Sashing:
    From Fabric H (Songbird):
    24 pieces 2 1/2” x 12 1/2”
    Cut for Cornerstones:
    From Fabric J (Bear Lake):
    16 pieces 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”

Step One: Construct Flying Geese for Outside Border

  • Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of two of the 6” x 6” pieces of Fabric A.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • As shown in the diagram, layer one of the squares on top of one of the 6” x 11 1/2” pieces of Fabric E.
  • Sew along the drawn line. Trim 1/4” on the outside of the sewn line.
  • Flip the fabric up and press.
  • As shown in the diagram, layer the other 6” x 6” Fabric A piece on top of the sewn piece.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • Sew along the drawn line. Trim 1/4” on the outside of the sewn line.
  • Flip the fabric up and press.
  • Repeat fifteen more times so that you have sixteen total sewn units.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua

Step Two: Blocks and Sashing

  • Sew the following pieces together in order to construct Row 1.
  • 2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Star Block (made with Fabric J)
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Snowman Block
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Star Block (made with Fabric D)
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • Sew the following pieces together in order to construct Row 2.
  • 2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Santa Block
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Bow Block
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Elf Block
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
  • Sew the following pieces together in order to construct Row 3.
  • 2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Star Block (made with Fabric B)
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Gingerbread Man Block
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    Star Block (made with Fabric G)
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece

Step Three: Cornerstones

  • Sew the following pieces together in order along the 2 1/2” sides.
  • 2 1/2” x 2 1/2” Fabric J
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    2 1/2” x 2 1/2” Fabric J
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    2 1/2” x 2 1/2” Fabric J
    2 1/2” x 12 1/2” Fabric H Piece
    2 1/2” x 2 1/2” Fabric J
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • Repeat three more times so that you have four total units.

Step Four: Center Quilt Assembly

  • Sew the following pieces together in order.
  • Sashing/Cornerstone Strip Created in Step Three
    Row 1
    Sashing/Cornerstone Strip Created in Step Three
    Row 2
    Sashing/Cornerstone Strip Created in Step Three
    Row 3
    Sashing/Cornerstone Strip Created in Step Three
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua

Step Five: Outside Border Assembly

  • Sew four of the flying geese units created in Step One together as shown.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • Repeat three more times so that you have four total units.
  • Sew one of these units to each side of the Center Quilt created in Step Four.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
  • Sew one 6 1/2” x 6 1/2” piece of Fabric A to both sides of the two remaining units.
  • Sew these units to the top and the bottom of the quilt to complete your quilt top.
    diagram of the assembly of a Christmas quilt using a variety of Christmas quilt blocks. colors are blue, red, gree, yellow & aqua
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Additional Blocks and Information

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