Riley Blake Jewel in the Night - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Jewel in the Night Quilt Pattern by Chelsea Andersen – Free Downloadable PDF

The Riley Blake Jewel in the Night quilt pattern, designed by Chelsea Andersen and available as a free downloadable PDF, produces a stunning finished quilt measuring 60 inches by 72 inches – a generous throw or lap quilt size perfect for showcasing bold, jewel-toned fabrics against a crisp white background. This is an intermediate-level quilting project that rewards makers who already have a foundational understanding of quilting techniques and terminology, making it an excellent next step for quilters ready to move beyond basic beginner blocks.

About the Jewel Block Design

The heart of this quilt is the Jewel Block, a repeating unit with a finished size of 10 inches by 10 inches. Each block is constructed as a unique combination of fabrics, meaning no two blocks are identical – a design approach that creates a rich, dynamic surface across the finished quilt. Quilters are directed to refer to the quilt photo for piece placement within each block, which encourages careful planning and fabric audition before sewing begins.

The interplay between assorted print fabrics and a clean white solid is central to the Jewel in the Night aesthetic. The contrast of vivid, jewel-like prints against the white creates the impression of glowing color set against a dark or neutral field – a classic and visually striking quilt design tradition.

Techniques Used

Half Square Triangles (HSTs)

The primary piecing technique in the Jewel in the Night pattern is the construction of Half Square Triangles (HSTs), one of the most fundamental and versatile units in quilting. The pattern uses the efficient two-at-a-time HST method:

• A diagonal line is drawn from corner to corner on the wrong side of the clean white solid 3-inch squares.
• The white squares are placed on top of the assorted print 3-inch squares, right sides together.
• Seams are sewn ¼ inch on each side of the drawn diagonal line.
• The paired squares are then cut along the drawn line to yield two Half Square Triangle units per pair.
• A total of 160 Half Square Triangles are produced through this process.
• Each HST is pressed and then squared up to 2½ inches to ensure consistent, accurate block assembly.

Squaring up HSTs is an important finishing step that removes any distortion introduced during pressing and ensures that all units are exactly the same size before they are sewn into blocks. This attention to precision is part of what places this pattern at the intermediate difficulty level.

Accurate Seam Allowances

All measurements in the Jewel in the Night pattern include a ¼-inch seam allowance, which is the standard seam allowance used throughout the quilting world. Maintaining a consistent and accurate ¼-inch seam is essential to ensuring that blocks come together at the correct finished size and that the overall quilt lies flat and square.

Right-Sides-Together Construction

The pattern specifies that all pieces are to be sewn with right sides together unless otherwise stated, following standard quilting construction convention. This ensures that seams are hidden on the interior of the quilt top.

Block Construction and Layout

Each Jewel Block incorporates a combination of:

• Half Square Triangle units squared up to 2½ inches, made from white solid and assorted print fabrics
• Clean white solid 2½-inch squares, positioned according to the block diagram
• Assorted print fabric pieces, varied from block to block to create the jewel-like effect

Because each block uses a different combination of fabrics, the pattern directs quilters to refer carefully to both the block diagram and the quilt photo throughout the construction process. This fabric-mixing approach is a hallmark of scrappy quilt design and is an excellent way to make use of a coordinating fabric collection or a curated selection of prints from the Riley Blake Designs fabric line.