Tutorials
8.17.2024I’m back with your next FREE quilt pattern, everyone! It’s Liz here and I get the pleasure of introducing you to the next quilt in our collaboration with Crochet.com, one of our 4 sister brands! I have a sneaking feeling you might like this one…
(And before you get mad that you have to read an entire blog post to get to the free pattern, I got you: Click here to go directly to the pattern download page!)
Crochet.com has launched their latest pattern book: Hooked on Quilting by While They Dream. A series of 5 crochet patterns that were heavily influenced by quilting designs, this book is a dreamy collection of blankets that range from beginner-friendly to intermediate. I couldn’t resist a collab with our friends over at Crochet.com, so I took 3 of their patterns and translated them into fabric designs!
Our second transformation: Cardinals!
A beginner-friendly granny square pattern by While They Dream, she drew inspiration from the vibrancy of these stunning birds.
The Cardinal is a symbol of love,
devotion, positive omens, and for some,
a wave “Hello” from a loved one who
has passed. A beautiful foundation for an even more beautiful design.
Onto the fun part for us quilters: How did I turn this design into a quilt pattern? And where can you download the FREE pattern?
Let’s look into this design:
Since While They Dream created the crochet blanket using granny squares, translating this to fabric was unbelievably easy. By treating each granny square as an individual block, I built this pattern on a simple grid.
The best part: grid sewing like this is great for beginners and a fantastic opportunity to practice simple sewing skills!
The hardest thing you’ll have to do for the Cardinals pattern? Matching up seams as you sew your rows together! Keep a keen eye on all those intersections and you can’t go wrong.
A very important note about this pattern: it was only designed to be one size to match the crochet blanket’s size. That said, this pattern would be VERY easy to upsize! Here’s how to do it:
- Each square, once sewn into the quilt, is 4″ x 4″. To upsize the entire quilt, just increase the block size until you’re happy!
- Let’s say you want your sewn-in blocks to be 5″ x 5″. That means your block’s cut size will be 5 ½” x 5 ½”.
- For your HSTs, remember to adjust the 2-at-a-time block’s cut size too. The original cut size for these blocks is 5″ x 5″, so for this upsize just increase that by 1″! Your new 2-at-a-time cut size will be 6″ x 6″.
- Speaking of HSTs, I like some extra room for trimming my 2-at-a-time method blocks. Most quilters say you can create 4″ x 4″ sewn-in HSTs using 2 squares cut to 4 ⅞” x 4 ⅞”. I’ll be honest with y’all, that extra ⅛” has saved my butt a few times after some wonky sewing. Choose what works best for you!
Now for some extra fun: Cardinals variations! This quilt can be tough to visualize in new colorways, since it relies heavily on the bird’s outlines. I created two simple, yet very different color variations to help you imagine the possibilities for this quilt. Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments below!
Cardinals come in a surprising array of colors (not just the stereotypical deep red!), so this variation pays homage to the softer, lighter hues of this adorable bird. Leaning into warmer tones and pastels, these colors are much softer than the original design.
Want to add a cool punch? Consider changing the gingham background to blues instead of greys for a more vibrant pop!
Background Fabrics:
- Chambray Tonal in Lt Grey
- Chambray Tonal in Lt Silver
- Chambray Tonal in Lt Ivory
Branch Fabrics:
- Faux Tweed in Fern
- Faux Tweed in Pistachio
Bird Fabrics:
- Faux Tweed in Chai
- Faux Tweed in Carnation
- Chambray Tonal in Lt Barn Red
- Chambray Tonal in Lt Black
- Faux Linen in Cantaloupe
- Faux Linen in Tomato
- Weathered Tonal in Terra Cotta
This color variation is based off of another bird that has a pointy, feathered head – the Blue Jay! I first saw a Blue Jay in person while visiting Vermont during fall, so this color variation is meant to evoke the warmer tones I remember from autumn.
Blue Jays aren’t typically the same colors evenly from top to bottom, so try playing around with the blue placements near the head and tail!
Background Fabrics:
- Mirage Tonal in Fawn
- Mirage Tonal in Taupe
- Mirage Tonal in Cream
Branch Fabrics:
- Faux Linen in Ochre
- Faux Linen in Bronze
Bird Fabrics:
- Solid in Black
- Solid in Admiral Blue
- Solid in True Blue
- Solid in Harbor
- Solid in Blue Jeans
- Solid in Blue Mist
- Weathered Tonal in Slate
I’ll be back in a week with your final free quilt pattern from this fabulous Crochet.com collab! Until then, click the link below to download Cardinals:
Thanks for joining me on this fun little quilty adventure and don’t forget to tag us on social media, so we can see your Cardinals quilts!
Happy sewing,
Liz 🩷
