Free Sunny Skies Quilt Pattern

Pattern Description:

The Sunny Skies Quilt is a cheerful design that combines bold 16-patch blocks with striking “V” blocks, creating movement and pops of color across the quilt top. 

Made with a jelly roll and easy half-square triangles, it finishes at 58″ × 74″. Perfect for confident beginners, this pattern is fun, versatile, and brightens any space.

Materials Needed & Measurements:

Materials Needed:

• 2½” Print Strips: 1 full roll (jelly roll)
• Gray Fabric: 1 yard
• White Fabric: 1 yard
• Border Fabric: 1¼ yards
• Binding Fabric: ¾ yard
• Backing Fabric: 3¾ yards (pieced with horizontal seams)

Cutting Measurements:

• Gray Fabric:
  • Cut (3) strips, each 10″ wide across the width of fabric (WOF)
  • Subcut into (12) squares, each 10″ × 10″
• White Fabric:
  • Cut (3) strips, each 10″ wide across WOF
  • Subcut into (12) squares, each 10″ × 10″
• Border Fabric:
  • Cut (7) strips, each 5½” wide across WOF
  • Piece together for outer borders
• Binding Fabric:
  • Cut 2½” strips across WOF
  • Join end-to-end for binding strip
• Backing Fabric:
  • 3¾ yards, joined with horizontal seam(s)

Stitches & Abbreviations Used:

• ¼” seam → Standard seam allowance for piecing quilt blocks.
• ½” seam allowance → Used when sewing backing pieces together.
• WOF (Width of Fabric) → Usable width of fabric after selvages are removed.
• RST (Right Sides Together) → Placing fabrics with the printed sides facing each other before sewing.
• WST (Wrong Sides Together) → Placing fabrics with the back sides facing each other.
• Unfinished size → Block measurement before being sewn into the quilt.
• Finished size → Block measurement after being sewn into the quilt.
• Strip set → Two or more long strips sewn together side by side, later subcut into segments.
• 4-patch unit → Small block made from four equal squares.
• 8-patch block → Block formed by joining two 4-patch units.
• 16-patch block → Block made by combining four 4-patch units.
• HST (Half-Square Triangle) → A square made by sewing and cutting across two triangles.
• Diagonal unit → Pair of HSTs forming a slanted design.
• Reverse diagonal unit → Pair of HSTs angled in the opposite direction.
• V block → A block created by joining one diagonal and one reverse diagonal unit.
• Plus sign method → Technique for joining binding strips diagonally.
• Miter corners → Folding and sewing technique to create neat, angled quilt corners.

Instructions for Making the Sunny Skies Quilt Pattern:

Cutting the Fabric

• Gray Fabric: Cut (3) strips, 10″ wide across the width of fabric (WOF). Subcut into (12) squares, 10″ × 10″.
• White Fabric: Cut (3) strips, 10″ wide across WOF. Subcut into (12) squares, 10″ × 10″.
• Border Fabric: Cut (7) strips, 5½” wide across WOF. Piece together later for borders.
• Binding Fabric: Cut 2½” wide strips across WOF. Join them into one long strip.

Making the 4-Patch & 16-Patch Blocks

• Select 24 print strips (2½” wide from your roll).
• Sew them into 12 pairs of strips.
• Cross-cut the pairs into 5″ segments.
• Join 8 of these segments together to make one long strip.
• Use the “fold-and-cut” method to create 4-patch units from the long strip. Each strip will yield 7 units plus 2 leftover segments, which can be sewn into one more unit.
• Combine 4 of these 4-patches to make a 16-patch block. You’ll need 18 total.
  • Block size: 8½” unfinished (8″ finished).

Making the Half-Square Triangle (HST) Blocks

• On the back of each white 10″ square, draw two diagonal lines corner to corner.
• Place one white square right sides together (RST) with one gray square.
• Sew a ¼” seam on both sides of each drawn line.
• Cut vertically, horizontally, and along both diagonals – this yields 8 HST units.
• Press seams toward the darker fabric. Trim to 4½” square.
• Sew HSTs into units:
  • Diagonal Unit → Make 24.
  • Reverse Diagonal Unit → Make 24.
• Pair one diagonal + one reverse diagonal to form a “V” block. Make 17 total.
  • Block size: 8½” unfinished (8″ finished).

Quilt Layout & Assembly

• Arrange your 16-patch blocks and V blocks following the quilt diagram.
• Sew blocks into rows, then sew rows together to complete the quilt top.

Adding Borders

• Measure the quilt top length in 3 places. Use the average to cut side borders.
• Sew border strips together if needed and attach them to both sides.
• Repeat the process for top and bottom borders.

Finishing

• Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing.
• Quilt as desired (straight-line quilting or free-motion).
• Bind using your prepared 2½” binding strips.
  • Join strips end-to-end with diagonal seams.
  • Sew to the quilt front using ¼” seam allowance.
  • Fold around to the back and hand-stitch or machine-stitch in place.

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