Dinosaurs and construction sites: a perfect combination for kids room decor! Get this free dinosaur quilt pattern for a panel and fun dinosaur fabrics.
Blank Quilting is shipping to stores its Dino Punk fabric collection designed by Holly Glaspey. I love these fabrics! This collection features very original dinosaurs in a steampunk style and comes with a 24-inch panel and fabrics with gears, a patch design, treads, and a tool argyle. The quilt I designed for them measures 45-1/2” x 65-1/2” and the blocks finish at 5-1/2″.
The corner blocks are paper pieced then machine appliqued to the background fabric, although I do include a template in case you want to curve piece it. They have spokes with tire tracks and the ‘center’ of the wheel showcases a fun gear fabric. Yeah, I like to tie everything together when I design a quilt…
If you have not yet tried it, paper piecing is a great technique in a quilter’s arsenal. Here are three paper piecing tutorials I prepared to show you how easy it is: one is for curved paper piecing, one is for a video showing how to piece beautiful flowers, and the last one is for border blocks.
The basic steps for paper piecing are:
- Cut the fabrics about 1″ larger than the section where they will go. However, all patterns will give you the exact measurement for each piece.
- Place and pin the first fabric piece on the back of the paper template, with its wrong side touching the paper and its right side facing you, covering the first section of the design, usually labeled with A1 or some similar notation.
- Flip the paper so you see the front of the template, fold the template back on the line between the first and the second section, and trim the first piece of fabric 1/4″ away from the fold.
- Flip the paper back, align the next piece of fabric (right sides together) with the edge you just trimmed, pin, flip the paper back, and stitch on that first line. Your stitches need to be very small so they do not rip when you remove the paper at the end. Thus, change its length to 1.6 or 1.8.
- Finger press open, flip to the front of the template, trim as in step 3, and continue on.
- After all the sections have been added, press the block, and trim on the outside line of the template (the seam allowance line) and remove the paper.
You ask: what type of paper do I use? I have used many, but lately, I’ve been paper piecing the templates I print on the laser printer, so it is copy paper! It is super easy to rip. You can read more tips for successful paper piecing on this post.
Use the Stitch and Flip method to quickly make the other border blocks. So, once the corner blocks are done and you zip through these other blocks, the dinosaur quilt is just about ready!
Bright, vibrant colors are my favorite for kids quilts as it resembles the energy children already have within. For older children, this print may inspire them to draw their own dinosaurs using other tools and gears, or things they find around their house and yard. The print above would make awesome pillows to complement the dinosaur bedding.
Download this free dinosaur quilt pattern then go back to the Blank Quilting website, click the Free Projects tab, and discover a whole bunch of other great quilt patterns you can make.
I hope you liked beginning your week with a free quilt pattern! Enjoy your Monday,
