Riley Blake Bowtie Bash - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Bowtie Bash Quilt Pattern by Erin Turner – Free Downloadable PDF

The Bowtie Bash is a classic patchwork quilt pattern designed by Erin Turner and released as a free downloadable PDF through Riley Blake Designs. The finished quilt measures a generous 64" x 73", making it a comfortable lap or throw size suitable for everyday use. The design is built entirely from 8" x 8" Bowtie Blocks, a timeless and beloved quilt block that creates a charming, graphic effect when arranged across the quilt top. A total of 56 Bowtie Blocks are assembled to complete this project.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a full patchwork quilt featuring a traditional Bowtie block layout set with posts and sashing. The structured grid of bowtie shapes, separated by sashing strips and corner posts, gives the quilt a classic menswear-inspired aesthetic that is both bold and sophisticated. The pattern is noted as requiring a basic knowledge of quilting technique and terminology, making it well suited to confident beginners and intermediate quilters alike.

Design and Fabric Requirements

The fabric palette is drawn from a coordinated menswear-inspired collection. The primary fabric requirement is:

• 1 Menswear Fat Quarter Stack (FQ-4790-15) – the source of all assorted print fabrics used in the bowtie units
• 1½ yards of brown houndstooth (C4792 Brown) – used for sashing rectangles and block construction
• 2 yards of tan houndstooth (C4792 Tan) – used for background squares within each block and for sashing posts
• ¾ yard for binding
• 4½ yards for backing

The assorted prints from the Fat Quarter Stack include a rich variety of menswear-style fabrics: black main, gray main, tan main, brown check, gray check, red check, brown houndstooth, gray houndstooth, brown plaid, gray plaid, tan plaid, brown zigzag, gray zigzag, and red zigzag. This variety of prints ensures visual interest and movement across the quilt surface.

Cutting Requirements

Precise cutting is essential to the success of this pattern. The key cuts include:

• 4½" x 4½" squares cut from each of the assorted prints in specified quantities – these form the main body of each Bowtie Block
• 2" x 2" squares cut from assorted prints – these smaller squares are used to create the distinctive angled "knot" of the bowtie shape
• 4½" x 4½" squares from the tan houndstooth – serving as the background units within each block
• 1½" x 8½" rectangles from brown houndstooth – used as sashing strips between blocks
• 1½" x 1½" squares from tan houndstooth – used as corner posts in the sashing rows

Note: The pattern advises measuring through the center of the quilt before cutting sashing pieces, as seam allowances may vary.

Techniques Used

The Bowtie Bash pattern employs several core quilting techniques that are fundamental to traditional patchwork construction:

• Diagonal seam construction (folded corner technique): A 2" x 2" assorted print square has a diagonal line drawn from corner to corner on the wrong side. It is then placed on the corner of a 4½" x 4½" tan houndstooth square, sewn on the drawn line, trimmed with a ¼" seam allowance, and pressed open to create Unit A. Two Unit A pieces are made per block.
• Four-patch block assembly: Each Bowtie Block is completed by sewing together 2 Unit A pieces and 2 assorted print 4½" x 4½" squares into a four-patch arrangement, producing the recognizable bowtie silhouette.
• Posts and sashing construction: