Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt Pattern

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a super simple squares quilt pattern. I don’t want to have to think too hard, I just want to sew something pretty. This Sweet and Simple Squares baby quilt pattern will give you exactly what it advertises: a lovely, easy baby quilt pattern.

Ready to hear more? I have the complete baby size Sweet and Simple Squares quilt here for you in this free tutorial, as well as an option for the expanded (8 sizes!) PDF pattern in the shop.

Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt Pattern

This super simple squares quilt finishes at approximately 36½” x 50″. (I love this width for a baby quilt because it can be backed with yardage – no pieced backing required, yay!)

This is a simple quilt pattern using 5 inch squares and gradation to add a bit of pizazz. Gradation is where the colour appears to change across the quilt due to the layout of the fabric.

As you can see in my baby quilt example, the quilt has a fairly strong coral diagonal across the quilt. The colour then becomes pink either side of the coral, and finally peters out into yellow/gold.

Fabric Requirements for Simple Squares Quilt Pattern

As I mentioned before, this baby quilt pattern is made from 3 main colours (coral, pink and yellow in this case). Here’s the number of squares required for each colour family.

• Coral (centre): (24) 5″ squares
• Pink (inner): (32) 5″ squares
• Yellow (corners): (32) 5″ squares

Now let’s talk some more about how to cut those squares.

Make a scrappy simple squares quilt

These basic square numbers are all you need if you’re creating your baby quilt from scraps. Just find 3 colour families that you like the look of together, then cut the required amount of squares from each family.

Make a simple squares quilt from FQs

To get a good variety of fabrics across all the parts of the quilt I recommend the following number of different fabrics:

• Coral family: Three fabrics (1a, 1b, 1c)
• Pink family: Four fabrics (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d)
• Yellow family: Four fabrics (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d)

That’s a total of 11 different fabrics so you can make this baby quilt with 11 FQs. You’ll need:

• 3 coral FQs
• 4 pink FQs
• 4 yellow FQs

Cut (8) 5″ squares from each FQ to give the totals squares mentioned above (24, 32, 32). Your cutting requirements for each FQ will look like this (below):

Two 5″ rows which are then cut into (4) 5″ squares per row.

You can see you only use up slightly more than half of the FQ, so there’s plenty left to use in a scrappy binding if you like.

Make a Simple Squares Quilt from yardage

This is how I actually made my version. I rarely purchase FQs and prefer to stash half yards and full yard cuts of fabric.

This pattern is so easy to use with yardage! All you need to do is cut a single 5″ row and then subcut that row to give (8) 5″ squares.

So if, like me, you stash half yard cuts, just choose 11 fabrics and cut a strip off each of them. This pattern is also great for using up those partially used yardage cuts (or larger scraps). If you can get a 5″ WOF strip out of it then you’re in business.

If you’ve made a few quilts before and are comfortable doing so, you can stack your yardage (or FQs for that matter) and cut several fabrics at the one time. With a nice fresh blade in your rotary cutter, you’ll be able to cut 3 or 4 fabrics at the same time, which speeds things up considerably.

Make a Simple Squares Quilt from charm squares

If you are a hoarder of charm square packs then this pattern could be useful! Charm squares are 5″ squares. Charm square packs have 40 to 42 squares, so you’ll need 3 charm square packs to be able to get enough (88 squares) for the quilt.

Make a Simple Squares Quilt from a layer cake

A layer cake is a pack of 40 to 42 10″ squares. More than enough to sew this baby quilt. Each 10″ layer cake square can be cut to give (4) 5″ squares. So here’s what you’d need to sew the quilt:

• Coral family: 6 layer cake squares cut to give (24) 5″ squares
• Pink family: 8 layer cake squares cut to give (32) 5″ squares
• Yellow family: 8 layer cake squares cut to give (32) 5″ squares

A note on choosing charm packs and layer cakes

When it comes to using charm packs or layer cakes, take a good look at the fabric line you choose. Some have a lot of different colours, but there are many collections that have just 3-4 main colours, which works really well with this baby quilt pattern. Here are some examples I found at the Fat Quarter Shop:

Halloween? This Bad to The Bone fabric line is perfect in black, orange and bone. (Charm packs here, layer cakes here.)

This Zen Chic collection is fab – it could be a yellow, grey and white combo OR a pink, grey and white combo. Very flexible. (Charm packs here, layer cakes here.)

This modern Moda collection by Aneela Hoey has some beautiful colours. (Charm packs here, layer cakes here.)

Christmas baby? I love this Holiday Flourish fabric in blues and silver-grey. (Charm packs here, layer cakes here.) Or there’s this modern red and green Figtree and Co fabric line which offers both white or light tan as neutrals. (Charm packs here, layer cakes here.)

Just use a mix

This is one of my favourite ways to make a quilt. I check out my scrap pile first for the larger, longer scraps that I know I can get 5″ squares from. Then I supplement it with smaller scraps, lone charm squares or layer cake rejects. Finally, I fill any holes with fabric from stash.

I’ve just gone through my fabric stash and scrap pile looking for fabric for a blue/green version. I thought I might go with navy, green and white:

But in the end I decided on navy, green and light blue:

If you’re finding it hard to meet the square quotas with a single colour, don’t sweat it. A couple of different colours here and there to meet your quotas will just add more spice

Okay – back to the quilt pattern

Now you’ve chosen your (at least) 11 fabrics, or scraps, and cut your required squares. (To recap – coral: [24] 5″ squares, pink: [32] 5″ squares and yellow: [32] 5″ squares.

Simple Squares Quilt Pattern Baby Quilt Layout

The layout for the 3 coral fabrics (1a, 1b, 1c), 4 pink fabrics (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) and 4 yellow fabrics (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) are as follows.

If you’re using scraps, just evenly disperse the squares each colour family in a manner that’s pleasing to the eye.

Here’s how my navy, green and light blue would play out:

Sew Your Simple Squares Quilt Together

To form your quilt top, sew all the squares in each row together. Press the seams in the first row to the right, and press the seams in the second row to the left. Continue on pressing the seams in subsequent rows to alternate sides.

Next you can sew your rows together. As we’ve pressed the seams in adjacent rows to alternate sides, the seams will nest together nicely. You might like to pin your seams before sewing to ensure they’re perfectly aligned. (Or you might just ride over those suckers bareback and let the devil sort them out. It probably depend how late at night you’re sewing!)

Once all your rows are sewn together, give yourself a pat on the back for completing a super simple squares quilt, with a lovely colour-wash effect.

Quilting Your Simple Squares Quilt

This quilt is a perfect candidate for some straight line quilting. All those patchwork square corners and seams are guidelines for stitching so you won’t have to draw any on the quilt. You can find my comprehensive guide to easy straight line quilting designs on the blog. I think a simple corner-to-corner crosshatch would look fantastic on this quilt.

For my version I actually did some diagonal organic waves. This is essentially the same as diagonal straight line quilting, using the corners of the patchwork squares as the guide. However, instead of heading straight from corner to corner, I added a wave into the stitching line, just by moving the quilt around. I used my walking foot for the quilting – it was very quick and easy.

I commenced quilting on top of the coral fabric section and then moved out to either edge. My first few lines were with a small amount of coral thread (I just wanted to finish off the spool). Then I switched to a soft yellow thread for the rest of the quilting.

Backing and Binding

The backing for my Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt Pattern was a fun honeycomb print fabric that I had in my stash. I used a mustard coloured Anna Maria Horner print for the binding. The binding was attached with my machine and then hand sewn down.

Don’t forget, if you used FQs you’ll have enough left over to cut a scrappy binding that perfectly matches your quilt top. If you’d rather attach your quilt binding with a zigzag machine stitch, I have a tutorial for that on the blog too.

There you have it! A simple quilt pattern using 5 inch squares to create a super simple squares quilt. Definitely an easy quilt to make in a day (for a last minute handmade baby gift).

I hope this free baby quilt tutorial will encourage you to get into your stash and scraps to create some fun colour-wash quilts of your own. That fabric deserves to live its best life as a vehicle for cuddles, right?

As always, don’t forget to show me what you make (tag me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or just email me.)

Sweet and Simple Squares PDF Quilt Pattern

If you like the look of a colour-wash quilt and would like to make this quilt in larger sizes, I have you covered! Announcing the Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt Pattern, with 8 quilt sizes.

I have gone and done all the working out for you – how many fabrics of each colour, how to cut them, and all the layout diagrams for 8 quilt sizes in total. (I may have gotten a little carried away.????)

All the details…

The total fabric requirements and sizes of the quilts are as follows:

• Baby quilt (this tutorial): 36½” x 50″ (11 FQs)
• Small throw quilt: 54½” x 72½” (16 FQs)
• Large throw quilt: 64½” x 80½” (20 FQs)
• Small picnic (or lap) quilt: 63½” square (17 FQs)
• Large picnic (or lap) quilt: 80½” square (25 FQs)
• Twin quilt: 64½” x 88½” (22 FQs)
• Queen quilt: 96½” square (36 FQs)
• King quilt: 112½” x 96½” (42 FQs)

Basically, I thought this would make a very cute picnic rug, so I threw those sizes in. They could also be used as lap quilts (small and large) too, if you prefer yours in a square shape rather than rectangular. I like the square lap quilts for sitting on the couch with someone and the rectangular lap quilts when I’m napping on the couch. There’s a quilt for everything!

Some points to note about this quilt pattern:

So if you’d love to make a Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt in all manner of sizes and get your stash working for you, come over to the shop and grab yourself a copy of the pattern!

Buy the Sweet and Simple Squares Quilt Pattern PDF here.

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