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Sundance Quilt; A Free Squash Blossom Quilt Pattern

Are you looking for a simple quilt pattern to start? Then you may like this Sundance Quilt Tutorial. It’s a quick quilt to stitch up as it’s just one giant Squash Blossom Quilt Block!

A free quilt pattern for a squash blossom quilt. A southwest style simple quilt pattern and free tutorial. #freequiltpattern #quilts #quilting #southweststyle #southwest #squashblossom

I feel like I should subtitle this post, “and now for something completely different!” — The projects on the blog go, pink, pink, pink, mint, gold, pink, pink then RED and GRAY LOL!! I definitely have a color scheme that I like to stick to but was excited for this project to work on something a little bit different.

Southwest Inspired Quilt Pattern

Last December (as in, 3 weeks ago) I was absolutely and completely stumped as to what to get my in-laws for Christmas. I’ve been stumped before, but have always managed to find something for them.

This year I started thinking about it in October and tried not to worry, assuming that something would come to me by December, but it didn’t. I’d been toying around with the idea to make them a quilt for a year or two, but kept telling myself “don’t be crazy Melissa and try to make a quilt during December.”

I don’t always handle holiday stress well *wink*.  I finally reached the conclusion on about December 15th that I had NO idea at all what to get them so I should just make a quilt.

A free quilt pattern for a squash blossom quilt. A southwest style simple quilt pattern and free tutorial. #freequiltpattern #quilts #quilting #southweststyle #southwest #squashblossom

My inlaws have a home in Utah near Sundance.  They love to visit it as often as they have the opportunity. The inside of the home is decorated in a southwest style, with rich woods, deep reds and lots of neutrals. 

We’ve stayed at the house before and I always thought that the couch in the living room could use a quilt. The last time we stayed my kids fought over the throw blanket all week and it drove me bananas! (They eventually pulled the quilt off of a bed that wasn’t being used and parked it in the living room for the week, don’t tell my mother-in-law *wink*).

Since I was limited on time, I knew that if I made them a quilt it needed to be a simple pattern. I also knew that their tastes were pretty sophisticated and thought that a quilt in all solid fabrics would be the best way to go.

A free quilt pattern for a squash blossom quilt. A southwest style simple quilt pattern and free tutorial. #freequiltpattern #quilts #quilting #southweststyle #southwest #squashblossom

I managed to stitch up this quilt and quilt it MYSELF on my home machine in a matter of days (I used a ruler to help keep my curves even). It was finished just in time to send it to Utah before Christmas (they were at the house for Christmas, we stayed in Kentucky).

About the Squash Blossom Quilt Block

After I finished the quilt, I took it outside and snapped a few photos. I originally thought that I’d just post a photo of it and say “it’s just a big squash blossom quilt block” you can figure out how to make it.  Then I remembered, the last time I did that. Let’s just say I was answering a million questions via email for weeks.

This quilt is very simple, it is based on a squash blossom quilt block. It’s actually one giant quilt block with borders on the top and bottom to make it a bit longer. Before I get to the tutorial, let me say, I didn’t “invent” this, and I’m not claiming I did. I’ve seen other many other giant squash blossom quilts floating around. 

I am writing a tutorial for the quilt the way I made it, in case you’d like to make one yourself.  If you’d like a more detailed quilt pattern or one with a larger variety of blocks, you can easily find many variations of online.

Okay, are you ready to start?

Squash Blossom Quilt Pattern

58” x 74”

Before you get started you’re going to need (contains affiliate links):

Quilt Supplies

Yardage:

1 1/2 Yards Riley Blake Confetti Cottons; Charcoal

2 yards Riley Blake Confetti Cottons; Putty

3/4 yards Riley Blake Confetti Cottons: Cranberry

Binding: 5/8 Yard 

Backing: 5 yards. 

Basic Quilting Supplies

Cutting Directions

From Gray Fabric (Riley Blake Charcoal):

8 pieces 9 1/2” x 9 1/2”

8 pieces 10” x 10”

4 pieces 2 1/2” x 29 1/2”

From Ivory Solid Fabric (Riley Blake Putty):

12 pieces 9 1/2” x 9 1/2”

6 pieces 10” x 10”

4 pieces 1 1/2” x 29 1/2”

4 pieces 4 1/2” x 29 1/2”

From Red Fabric (Riley Blake Cranberry):

2 pieces 10” x 10”

4 pieces 2 1/2” x 29 1/2”

Construction

All seams are 1/4″.

This quilt uses Half Square Triangles. I’ve covered how to make them in detail here.

If you’re not super familiar with how to construct a Half Square Triangle you can CLICK here for a detailed tutorial.

Step One:

Using the six 10” x 10” square of ivory fabric and 6 of the 10” x 10” square of gray fabric, create 12 Ivory and Gray Half Square Triangles (HST’s).

Trim and square up to 9 1/2” x 9 1/2”

Using 2 of the 10” x 10” squares of gray fabric and the two 10” x 10 squares of red fabric, create 4 Half Square Triangles.

Trim and square up to 9 1/2” x 9 1/2”

To assemble the quilt:

Begin assembling the quilt by rows according to the diagram below. 

A free quilt pattern for a squash blossom quilt. A southwest style simple quilt pattern and free tutorial. #freequiltpattern #quilts #quilting #southweststyle #southwest #squashblossom

Lay out all of the blocks in row 1 and stitch together.

Repeat with rows 2-6.

Press the seams of the odd rows to the left and the even rows to the right.

Stitch row 1 to row 2, row 3 to row 3 etc.

Press seams to one side.

To create top and bottom borders:

Stitch two 4 1/2” x 29 1/2” ivory pieces together along the 4 1/2” sides. Press seams to one side.

Repeat.

Stitch two 1 1/2” x 29 1/2” ivory pieces together, right sides facing along 1 1/2” sides. Press seams to one side.

Repeat.

Stitch two 2 1/2” x 29 1/2” gray pieces together along the 2 1/2” sides. Press seams to one side.

Repeat.

Stitch two 2 1/2” x 29 1/2” red pieces together along the 2 1/2” sides. Press seams to one side.

Repeat.

Stitch one  4 1/2” ivory row to one 2 1/2” wide red row.  Press. Being careful not to distort the seams as you press.

Stitch the 1 1/2” ivory row to the red row. Press.

Stitch the 2 1/2” gray row to the ivory row.  Press.

Stitch the top of the quilt. The wide ivory row will be on the bottom, and the gray row will be on the top.

Repeat, and stitch to the bottom of the quilt. This time the ivory row will be on the top and the gray row will be on the bottom. Refer to the photo of the finished quilt as needed.

That’s it! Pretty simple huh! If you leave the borders off of this quilt it’s the perfect size for a baby quilt.  Wouldn’t it be cute stitched up in blues or pinks?

A free quilt pattern for a squash blossom quilt. A southwest style simple quilt pattern and free tutorial. #freequiltpattern #quilts #quilting #southweststyle #southwest #squashblossom

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15 Comments

  1. This would be a great scrappy quilt square, just reducing the size of pattern. Thank you for sharing your work! I now have my next project.

  2. Can you give us more information on the rulers you used for the quilting? I want to do more quilting on my machine, but I don’t know how rulers work like this. Thank you for sharing you’re beautiful quilt.
    Melissa

  3. This is awesome! I plan on making this for my first quilt. Just 2 questions:
    1. Should I prewash fabric?
    2. How do you top stitchbthat beautiful design.
    Thank you for sharing this?

  4. Hello, This will be my second quilt, My first was a basic square 6″x6″ block in repeating solid colors and denim in king size. Anyhow I want to make a larger variation of this in 86″x106″ should I increase the square sizes by and inch or two? I also thought I could add a few colored borders around to gain space? I am not sure how to calculate this.? Any help would be appreciated.

  5. After seeing your picture of this quilt, I fell in love with it and last Saturday I pulled similar fabric colors from my stash and made this. I love how beautiful it looks, but the simplicity of making it really caught me. I make quilts for Quilts of Valor, Quilts for Kids and Quilts for Christ so I need quilts that stand out, but are also easy to put together. Now I need to decide which organization to donate this one to. Knowing me, I’ll probably make all three organizations one. Thanks for inspiring! Wish I could post a pic of the quilt I made. I love it!

  6. Hello Melissa,
    I love this Quilt pattern. Is there anyway to get a printable version of it? I would be happy to pay for it!
    Many Thanks!

  7. Hello! Thank you for sharing this. It is my second. Quilt top ever, so forgive me if you cover this or if I am missing it, but can you give instruction for the binding and the measurements?

  8. beautiful. Did I miss how to print all these instructions?? Would like to have those for sometime in the future when I get around to making this. thanks. s

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