Free Easy Layer Cake Baby Quilt pattern

I have another free quilt pattern for you all today!  And this time it’s an easy beginner friendly layer cake baby quilt 🙂

Baby quilts are quickly becoming a favorite of mine because they are quick, they are easy to handle in the sewing machine and they are super cute!   Anything shrunk down is cute… am I right?!

Baby quilts are a great place to start as a newer quilter.  I highly recommend making a baby sized quilt as your first quilt. 

I used a craftsy exclusive fabric line for this quilt.  Craftsy is no longer selling fabric.  It’s such a bright and happy fabric line.   Perfect for a baby quilt!  Find the rest of the resources to make this quilt below.

This layer cake is no longer available but find a similar one here. 

This free layer cake baby quilt is beginner friendly.   As a beginner, you will need a few tools and supplies to get started in quilting.  Below is the list of supplies used for this quilt.

Simple Layer Cake Baby Quilt
30 blocks
Measures 40″ x 48″

Supply List

• 10in squares layer cake precut
• 2 1/2 yards of backing fabric
• batting 
• 5/8 yards white or neutral background fabric
• Quilt Ruler
• Cutting Mat
• Rotary Cutter
• Pins
• Thread
• Your sewing machine

This layer cake baby quilt has simple quilt blocks that go together quickly.  Quilts that use precuts are great for beginners because all of the fabrics are perfectly mixed and matched for you. 

 

Free Layer Cake Baby quilt pattern

This baby quilt uses a layer cake. A layer cake is a set of 10 inch squares from a fabric line. Usually the layer cake has at least two of every single print in a fabric line.

Most layer cakes have 42 ten inch squares. Some only have 20. It does vary so be sure to watch for that!

Layer cakes are a really affordable way to use all of the fabrics in a fabric line.

Choose thirty 10 inch squares

Choose your favorite 30 prints from the layer cake. The remaining 10 inch squares can be used as a scrappy binding for this baby quilt.

Cut the background fabric

From your white or neutral background fabric, cut x2- 8.5 inch x width of fabric strips. From those strips, cut x56- 1.5 in x 8.5 in pieces. Cut an additional x4- 1.5in x 8.5in rectangles from the left over fabric.

Cut the layer cake

Now it’s time to cut the layer cake fabrics. From each layer cake, cut three 2.5 inch x 8.5 inch pieces.

Assemble the blocks

Next we will assemble the blocks. You will need the layer cake pieces and two background pieces.

Start by sewing a background piece right sides together with the first layer cake piece using a 1/4 inch seam. And then continue sewing each piece together to make your block.

You can press your seams to the dark fabric as you go or sew all of your pieces first and then press. I tend to wait to press so long as I won’t be sewing through any seams.

Press your seams to the darker fabric as shown below.

You have your first quilt block! Each block should measure 8.5 inches square. Now repeat these steps to make 24 more.

Lay out your blocks and find the arrangement of the blocks you like best. I used to tape a piece of cotton batting to the wall to layout my quilt tops. The quilt blocks will cling to the cotton batting.

You can also lay them out on the floor.

Assemble the quilt top

Once you have made all of your quilt blocks, assemble the quilt top in rows rotating each block so that the lines go horizontal, vertical, horizontal, etc…

Start by placing your blocks right sides together and pinning the edge you will be sewing. Sew 1/4 inch on that edge.

Continue adding each block in the row. Press each rows seams in opposite directions. When you press each row in opposite directions, the seams will nest together.

Now sew your rows together by placing your rows right sides together and pinning at each seam as shown below.

Pressing seams open or to the side

I should note that I pressed my seams open for this quilt. Pressing to the side or open is a personal preference. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Seams are stronger when pressed to the side and in some cases can nest together improving accuracy. I tend to press open so my quilt tops are extremely flat but this then requires more pinning and possibly weaker seams.

Continue sewing your rows together until you have a completed quilt top! Nicely done!

Make a scrappy binding

Use the leftover layer cake pieces to make a scrappy binding! Cut three 2.5 in x 10 in pieces from each of the leftover layer cakes.

Sew those pieces together at random end to end.

Fold in half lengthwise and press to make your double fold binding.

Easy Machine quilting tutorial

Ready for quilting?! This multi zig zag quilting tutorial will walk you through quilting your baby quilt using your machine and a walking foot. This method is a really beginner friendly quilting option.