As a fairly new quilter I am always on the lookout for quilt patterns and designs with two purposes in mind. The first thing I look for in a quilt pattern is its ability to increase my quilting skills while not overwhelming me. The second feature I want from a quilt pattern is simplicity because I know I must first conquer the basics before moving on to more complex designs.

With those two thoughts in mind I created a small collection of quilt patterns and tutorials for beginners. The designs meet my two main criteria of being simple but still allow for skill building. If you are a quilting newbie or someone who needs to advance your skills then I believe several of these patterns and tutorials will be ideal.

I’ve broken down the patterns into four different categories so it will be easier to scroll through to the ones that have the most value to you.

Disclosure: The patterns below contain affiliate links. 

Free Projects:

1. Star Gazing

If you look carefully, this design uses the half square triangle which is a building block to many quilt designs. Conquer this technique and you will be on your way to becoming a quilting rock star. Note: I will be talking all about half square triangles in an upcoming post!

2. Off The Rails

While this design may appear complex, it’s really a series of rectangles. I also like that the design uses neutrals with a splash of color. This is excellent for learning how to work with neutral fabrics and solids.

3. Foundation Paper-Pieced Fox

Its no secret that one of my favorite woodland creatures is the fox so I’m naturally drawn to this design. That thought aside, if you want to try your hand at foundation paper piecing then this pattern would be a great place to start. I like how the design allows you to stop with one block or continue to create an entire quilt.

4. Soft and Colorful Baby Blanket

One of my first successful quilt projects was a baby blanket similar to this one. I think this is an excellent place to start if you’ve never pieced a project before. The pattern calls for minky fabric on the back. If you decide to do this be sure to use a walking foot when connecting the front and back. Minky can be a little shifty.

Craftsy Projects:

5. On a Jelly Roll

This design uses a jelly roll pre-cut which removes the work of cutting out all of the pieces. Scroll through all of the photos to see how amazing this design really is. I’m a huge fan of Cheryl Brickey’s work. Her designs are always clever and well thought out.

6.Rainbow Diamonds Baby Quilt

I like this quilt for two reasons: It uses half square triangles to create the design and the rainbow colors are perfect for either a baby boy or baby girl. It’s both simple and beautiful.

7. Division Quilt Pattern

I believe this pattern is ideal for someone working on skill building. Another feature is the quilt’s modern design. If you’re wanting to dip your toes into the modern quilt movement then this pattern would be great. The pattern is ‘jelly roll friendly’ but still comes with fabric requirements.

8. Tiny Geese Keychain

Technically, this is not a quilt; however, it is great pattern for using up some of those teeny-tiny scraps. The pattern uses the paper piecing technique which would be for skill building.

9. Charming Geese Bag

This pattern is designed around a pre-cut Moda Charm Pack. It’s ideal for building patchwork skills but not so difficult because it incorporates the pre-cut Charm Pack.

Creativebug Projects:

Creativebug is similar to the Craftsy platform but operates differently. They charge members $4.95 a month; however you can cancel at any time. The membership fee allows you to access over 600 of their classes anytime. Each month that you subscribe, you will receive one token to save the class of your choice to your personal library. Classes added to your library never expire, even if you cancel your subscription.

In our family, we like to give short subscriptions as gifts.

10. Quilted Pot Holders

Perfect for the absolute quilting beginner. You will learn patchwork techniques, binding, and quilting. I did something similar for one of my first quilting projects.

11. Improvisational Patchwork

One of the main-stays of modern quilting is called improvisational piecing. If you want to learn this cornerstone of modern quilting, then this class would be an excellent option.

12. Modern Log Cabin Quilting

This is a fresh look at traditional log cabin piecing. The four-part class includes instructions on making a pillow, a baby quilt, a table runner, and tote bag. By the time you’ve completed the course you would have developed some serious piecing skills.

Various Tips for Quilting Beginners:

13. Quilting Tools 101

You want to start quilting but you don’t know where to begin, and walking down the quilting aisle can be a little daunting to a new quilter. This class dispels the mystery and gives you sound advice for which tools work best for new quilters.

14. How to Attach Bias Tape

Attaching binding is a quilting fundamental, however, it can be one of the scariest steps in learning to quilt. This class removes the mystery and teaches how to bind your quilts like a pro.