Riley Blake Sing the Blues - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Sing the Blues Quilt Pattern by Carina Gardner – Free Downloadable PDF

The Riley Blake Sing the Blues pattern, designed by Carina Gardner and available as a free downloadable PDF from Riley Blake Designs, guides quilters through creating a stunning finished quilt measuring 58" x 70". This generously sized throw or bed quilt combines two classic patchwork block styles into a cohesive, visually striking design that celebrates cool blue tones and coordinating prints. Rated as a beginner-friendly project, it is an excellent choice for those who have a basic knowledge of quilting technique and terminology and are ready to build confidence with structured block construction.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a full-sized quilt measuring 58 inches by 70 inches, making it a versatile piece suitable as a lap quilt, throw, or light bed covering. The design is built from two distinct quilt block types that are repeated and arranged to create rhythm and visual movement across the quilt top. The finished result is a blue-palette quilt that draws on the Sing the Blues fabric collection by Riley Blake Designs.

Quilt Blocks Featured

SongBird Block

The SongBird Block finishes at 9" x 9" and is one of the two primary design elements in this quilt. A total of 16 SongBird Blocks are constructed — 8 in navy and 8 in clean white — creating a pleasing contrast that anchors the overall color story of the quilt.

Each SongBird Block is made by placing 3½" x 3½" squares of either navy solid or clean white solid fabric onto each corner of an assorted print 9½" square. A diagonal line is drawn from corner to corner on the wrong side of each small square before sewing, a technique that creates precise angled seams without templates. After stitching on the drawn line, the excess fabric is trimmed leaving a ¼" seam allowance, and the resulting triangle corners are pressed open. This method is a widely used quilting shortcut known as the stitch-and-flip or snowball corner technique, and it produces clean, consistent results ideal for beginner quilters.

Flying Geese Block

The second block type is the classic Flying Geese Block, which finishes at 6" x 9". The Flying Geese unit is one of the most recognizable motifs in traditional quilting, featuring a large central triangle flanked by two smaller background triangles to create the impression of geese in flight. This rectangular block pairs naturally with the square SongBird Blocks to build a dynamic, layered quilt layout.

Techniques Used

• Stitch-and-flip (snowball corner) technique: Used to create the angled corner units on the SongBird Blocks by sewing diagonally across small squares placed on the corners of a larger square, then trimming and pressing.
• Flying Geese construction: A foundational quilting technique producing rectangular units with a central triangle point, used extensively in traditional and modern quilt design.
• Accurate seam allowances: All measurements in this pattern include a ¼" seam allowance, and all sewing is done with right sides together — standard quilting practice essential for precise block assembly.
• Block repetition and layout: Repeating blocks in alternating colorways (navy and clean white) is a classic quilting design strategy that creates visual contrast and movement across the finished quilt top.
• Pressing: Pressing seams after each step is emphasized throughout, a key technique for achieving flat, accurate quilt blocks.

Stitches and Sewing Methods

• Straight stitch: The primary stitch used throughout, sewn on drawn diagonal lines for corner units and along standard seam lines for block assembly.
• Sewing with right sides together: The standard method for all seaming in this pattern, ensuring clean finished seams on the interior of the quilt top.

Materials and Fabric Requirements

This is a quilting pattern, so the primary materials are quilting cotton fabrics rather