This quilt pattern and tutorial sews up fast and makes use of 10″ pre-cut squares (or layer cakes). If you like this project you may also love this free hexagon quilt pattern.
In my opinion, there are two types of quilts that are the simplest and easiest for beginners to sew. A simple patchwork quilt and a simple strips quilt.
After you’ve tackled one of those quilt projects, you may be ready to move on to something with a bit more detail.
Table of Contents
I designed this Layer Cake Lap quilt pattern for just such an occasion. It’s still simple to construct and beginner-friendly, but it adds a bit of piecing for a bit more detail and dimension.
A “Layer Cake” is a term used by Moda Fabrics which refers to a stack of 10″ pre-cut squares all from the same fabric line. Most companies call these fabric stacks a “10” pre-cut stack” and most stacks contain 42 pieces of fabric.
Snuggly Layer Cake Throw Quilt Pattern
Supplies
- 1 10″ Precut Stack of Fabric (sometimes called a Layer Cake)
- ½ yard fabric for binding
- Cotton Batting (I use quilters’ dream cotton)
- 2 yds Minky for Backing
- Thread to match the backing fabric
- Optional: Applique letters or machine embroidery
Cutting Instructions
Block size before finishing: 8 ¾″ X 8 ¾″.
Finished quilt size: 41 ¾″ x 58 ¼″
- Sort your pre-cut pieces into piles based on the predominant color. It is essential to pick out all of your pieces before you start cutting. Otherwise, you won’t have enough of each color to complete the pattern. The colors I chose were pinks, creams, yellows, blues, greens.
- Save one piece that you really like (one with a large or unique print) for your center block.
- Set aside 6 each of 3 different colors for your strip blocks.
Also:
- Set aside 8 blocks of one of your other colors (blue in my case). These will not get cut.
- Set aside 8 blocks of your last color (green in my example); these will also not get cut.
Take your 3 strip colors and begin cutting the layer cake pieces into strips. Cut them to three strips 3 ¼″ wide (leave them 10″ tall for now).
When you are done you should have:
- 18 pink strips
- 18 creams strips
- 18 yellow strips.
Construction Steps
1. Construct the Strip Blocks
With the cream in the center, begin sewing the 3 colored strips together, taking care to vary the patterns not to have 2 blocks the same.
Press your seams to one side.
2. Trim the Blocks
Trim your entire block to 8 ¾″ x 8 ¾″, making sure to keep the center strip centered as you cut.
Repeat until you have 18 sewn blocks.
Take 8 blue blocks and trim them to 8 ¾″ x 8 ¾″. Do the same for your 8 green blocks and center feature blocks.
If desired, add an applique or machine embroidered name to the center of your center feature piece.
3. Assemble
Begin sewing the blocks into rows using the diagram below.
Press seams to one side, alternating each row (for example, press the seams of all of the odd rows to the right and the seams of all the even rows to the left).
When your quilt top is assembled, cut a piece of cotton batting and your backing fabric about 3″ wider on each side than your quilt top. Using basting spray, assemble your quilt “sandwich.”
With a fabric pen/pencil (something that will wash off), draw diagonal lines on the quilt top according to the diagram above (the dashed lines are your stitching lines).
I chose to use a thread that would match the backing fabric but contrast the top of the quilt.
First, using a walking foot, quilt a stitch in the ditch down the long side on each side of the center column, then once down the short side on both sides of the center row. This will stabilize your quilt to help prevent stretching as you finish quilting it.
Stitch in the ditch the remaining rows/columns of the quilt. (you are quilting around each square).
Then quilt along the diagonal lines you drew.
Meghan says
Oh I want to win this, but I don’t have any craft or DIY projects to link to. Sigh.
Ashleigh says
Melissa- Thanks for the pattern. I am very excited to make this. I just have a little question. I have never sewn with minky before. Is it hard? Are there any tips you have? Does it go through your machine just like any other fabric? I’m just a little intimidated by that, if you could calm my nerves or give me a tip, that would be so fab!
Jennifer says
I love your model!!!!
Anna says
cute cute, can’t wait to take a peek at the quilt!
Melissa Stramel says
Hi Melissa! I just saw you on Jennifer Paganelli’s blog! What an honor. The quilt is cute.
EvaBabeDesigns says
You made an excellent choice in fabrics and color combos on both your quilt and hand bag! Nicely done!
Mama Lusco says
Very pretty!
Julie says
LOVE this bag!
P.S. the link doesn’t work to the pattern, but I found it 🙂
Darcy says
I love that fabric for the March bag, I have my pattern already now I just the fabric!!! Any tips on sewing with minky??? Whenever I do it always changes shape, my next project is to make this quilt for my kids, and I love them minky idea?? Thanks
darcyrios@gmail.com
Life in Rehab says
I love the bag. I think I’ll be whipping that up with my daughter this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Katie says
Do you have any tips on accurately finding 1/3″ on a quilting ruler that is marked in eighths?
Thanks,
Katie
Yes, once you find the 1/3” mark, use some painters tape to mark it on your quilt ruler, then you’ll be sure to have an accurate measurement for each cut.
Kimberly says
Hey,
I am thinking of embarking on making my first quilt and i love the simplicity of the squares- nothing extravagant, but i want to use my own fabric. Do you have any measurements if i was to choose my own fabric instead of buying a pack like you did here? I was trying to follow along with your handmade christmas gifts and i liked the one you did for your youngest daughter with the 6′ squares, but i am just not sure on how much fabric, or batting or binding and i cant find any simple patterns that end up like that- any help is much appreciated!
Kim
Hi!
Yes, the squares are cut into 10” x 10” squares. You can get 12 10” squares per 1 yard of fabric. I hope that helps!
Carri says
I know this must be a “duh” question, but to cut a 10×10 square to 9×9, you are taking 1/2 inch off the top and the side, right? This will be my first quilt, and I am just trying to walk through in my head how this works! Thanks so much!
Molly Darnell says
How did you bind this quilt and what is binding width? What is the final size, as well as seam widths?
I am making one for my middle granddaughter.
Thanks for your help!
Chandra says
How did you bind this quilt? Binding width..? final quilt size? It wasn’t in the written instructions
Thanks
Maureen Paul says
What size is the finished quilt?
Wendy says
What size is the finished quilt?
Kristi Hatanaka says
Hi!
I love your quilt!! I was wondering where you purchased it? 🙂 I want to make this as my first quilt!! Thanks!!
It’s so old (from 2009), I don’t remember I’m sorry!
Kristi Hatanaka says
** purchased the fabric! Was it a set?
Paula Hodge says
I’m with some others. Nothing was said about the binding. How did you do the binding and what width did you use?