Riley Blake Happy Trails - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Happy Trails Quilt Pattern by Doohikey Designs – Free Downloadable PDF

The Happy Trails pattern by Doohikey Designs is a charming intermediate-level quilt pattern designed exclusively around the Riley Blake fabric collection of the same name. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern guides quilters through constructing a finished quilt measuring 58" x 58", making it an ideal lap quilt or generous throw. The design is built around a repeating 8½" x 8½" finished block size and features a classic pieced trail-style layout that gives the quilt its name and its lively, dynamic visual movement.

About the Happy Trails Quilt Design

The Happy Trails quilt is a single cohesive design that uses a combination of pieced units to create the illusion of winding trails across the quilt surface. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, meaning it is best suited to quilters who are comfortable with basic patchwork but ready to tackle more involved unit construction, including working with setting triangles and strip-pieced segments. The finished result is a visually rich, scrappy-style quilt that showcases the playful prints of the Riley Blake Happy Trails fabric line.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a square lap quilt or throw measuring 58 inches by 58 inches. The quilt is composed of repeating trail blocks, each finishing at 8½" x 8½", set together to create the flowing trail effect. A border constructed from the brown main fabric (C2680 Brown) frames the quilt, with five strips cut at 6½" x width of fabric (WOF) used for this purpose.

Fabric Requirements and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically to coordinate with the Riley Blake Happy Trails fabric collection. The following fabrics are called for:

• 1¼ yards – Brown Main (C2680 Brown) – used extensively for the border and block construction
• 1/8 yard – Blue Friends (C2681 Blue) – a novelty print used in trail block units
• ¼ yard – Blue Circles (C2682 Blue) – a geometric print contributing to strip-pieced units
• 1/8 yard – Brown Circles (C2682 Brown) – a tonal companion to the blue circles print
• ¼ yard – Cream Circles (C2682 Cream) – used in strip-pieced segments and as a light contrast tone
• Additional fabrics referenced in the pattern include green dots, cream shade, slate shade, green plaid, blue plaid, orange stars, and brown argyle prints from the Riley Blake Happy Trails collection

As a quilting project, this pattern requires quilting cotton fabric, a rotary cutter, quilting ruler, and cutting mat for accurate cutting, and a sewing machine capable of consistent ¼" seam allowances. Backing fabric, batting, and binding yardage would be selected separately based on the quilter's preference.

Techniques Used

The Happy Trails pattern employs several core quilting techniques that make it a rewarding project for an intermediate quilter:

• Strip piecing – Multiple fabrics are sewn together in long strips, then cross-cut into uniform 2½" segments to create efficient, accurate patchwork units
• Setting triangles – Cream shade setting triangles are added to the ends and sides of strip-pieced segments to create the on-point, trail-like appearance of the blocks
• Unit construction – The blocks are assembled from three distinct sub-units, referred to in the pattern as Unit A, Unit B, and Unit C, each built using a different combination of fabrics and techniques
• Borders – A straightforward border application using long strips of the brown main fabric (C2680 Brown) finishes the quilt edges
• Pressing and seam management – All seams are sewn with right sides together, and the ¼" seam allowance