Moda Fabrics FIreFLies Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics FireFlies Quilt – Downloadable PDF Pattern Summary

The FireFlies Quilt is a free downloadable PDF pattern designed by Sarah Watts and published by Moda Fabrics. This project is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent choice for quilters who are comfortable with precise cutting and piecing but are ready to work with more complex layout arrangements, including a feature panel fabric. The finished quilt incorporates a striking combination of panel-based design and coordinating solid or print fabrics, resulting in a visually dynamic piece that showcases the Ruby Star Society RS2011 collection by Sarah Watts.

What Is Being Made

This pattern instructs quilters in constructing a panel-centered quilt that frames and complements a printed fabric panel with carefully measured border and sashing strips. The design balances the bold graphic energy of the panel with supporting fabrics that unify the overall composition. The result is a finished quilt suitable for display, gifting, or everyday use.

Fabrics and Materials Used

The pattern calls for specific Moda Fabrics prints from the Ruby Star Society line by Sarah Watts. The key fabrics referenced in the cutting instructions are:

• RS2013-11M – The primary feature panel fabric, which serves as the visual centerpiece of the quilt. This panel is cut from the selvage up in a series of precisely measured horizontal strips of varying heights.
• RS2014-13M (Fabric A) – A coordinating print used for larger border and sashing strips, including wide horizontal bands and square accent pieces.
• RS2005-33M (Fabric B) – A second coordinating fabric used for narrower sashing strips, small rectangles, and square units that frame and separate the panel sections.

As is standard for quilting projects, materials will also include quilting cotton for backing and binding, quilt batting of your preferred loft and fiber content, and coordinating cotton thread for piecing and quilting. A rotary cutter, cutting mat, and quilting ruler are essential tools for achieving the precise cuts this pattern requires.

Cutting Techniques

A significant portion of this pattern's intermediate-level complexity lies in its precise and methodical cutting process. Quilters are instructed to work carefully and systematically, with a specific recommendation to label all pieces with their sizes as they are cut to avoid confusion during assembly — a best practice that reflects the pattern's attention to detail.

Panel Cutting

The RS2013-11M panel requires a particularly careful approach. Quilters must first trim the selvage from the bottom edge, following the line of selvage color as a guide. From there, the panel is cut from the bottom upward in a series of horizontal strips of varying heights, including:

• One strip at 15¼"
• One strip at 4½"
• Four strips at 3½"
• Two strips at 2½"
• Two strips at 1½"

This directional, bottom-up cutting method is intentional and ensures that the panel's printed imagery is preserved and positioned correctly within the finished quilt layout.

Fabric A (RS2014-13M) Cutting

Fabric A is cut into 4½" x width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, which are then subcutted into a combination of long border strips and square units:

• Two strips trimmed to 36¼" x 4½"
• Two pieces cut to 24½" x 4½"
• Four squares at 4½" x 4½"

Fabric B (RS2005-33M) Cutting

Fabric B is cut into both 4½" WOF strips and 1½" WOF strips, yielding a variety of sashing and accent pieces:

• Four squares at 4½" x 4