Moda Fabrics Atelier Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Atelier Quilt Pattern Summary

The Moda Fabrics Atelier Quilt is a downloadable PDF quilting pattern designed by Moda Fabrics, rated at an intermediate difficulty level and available as a free download. The finished quilt measures a generous 68" x 84", making it a substantial throw or bed quilt suitable for everyday use or as a striking decorative piece.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pieced quilt built around a dynamic interplay of dark and light fabrics arranged into distinct block types. The overall design relies on careful contrast between fabric values — darks and lights — to create visual movement and depth across the quilt surface. The finished piece incorporates a flange detail and a wide border, giving it a polished, structured appearance reminiscent of classic atelier-style design sensibility.

Block Designs and Construction

The Atelier Quilt is constructed from several distinct block types, each combining one dark fabric and one light fabric to achieve the pattern's signature contrast-driven aesthetic.

• Dark Block: Each Dark Block is assembled using 1 dark 8½" square paired with 4 dark 5¼" Quarter Square Triangles (QSTs) and 12 light 5¼" QSTs. Four units are pieced by joining 3 light QSTs and 1 dark QST together, and these units are then added to the four sides of the central 8½" square. A total of 6 Dark Blocks are made for the quilt.
• Dark Side Block: The Dark Side Block is a variation designed for the edges of the quilt layout. Each block uses 1 dark 8½" square, 3 dark 5¼" QSTs, and 9 light 5¼" QSTs. Three pieced units are constructed and attached to three sides of the central square. A total of 10 Dark Side Blocks are made.

The use of multiple block variations — full blocks for the quilt interior and side blocks for the perimeter — is a hallmark of intermediate-level quilting, as it requires the quilter to keep track of orientation and placement throughout the assembly process.

Key Techniques Used

• Quarter Square Triangle (QST) cutting and piecing: The primary piecing technique throughout this pattern. Squares measuring 5¼" are cut twice on the diagonal to yield four quarter square triangles per square. This method produces bias edges, so the pattern recommends using spray starch and pressing before cutting to stabilize the fabric and maintain accuracy.
• Precise pressing: The pattern instructs quilters to press seams in the direction of the arrows provided in the diagrams, a critical step for achieving flat, well-aligned blocks and reducing bulk at seam intersections.
• Strip piecing for borders, flange, and binding: Long continuous strips are created by sewing individual width-of-fabric strips end to end before cutting to the required lengths, an efficient and accurate method for creating borders and finishing elements.
• Flange construction: A flange — a narrow folded fabric border inserted between the quilt top and the outer border — adds a refined, layered visual detail. The flange strips are cut at 1¼" wide and trimmed to specific lengths before being attached.
• Bordered finishing: Wide 6½" border strips frame the completed quilt top, cut and joined from width-of-fabric strips and then trimmed to fit the quilt's dimensions precisely.

Stitches and Sewing Specifications

• All seams are sewn using a standard ¼" seam allowance, which is the quilting industry standard and essential for block accuracy at this scale.
• Construction is done entirely with straight-stitch machine sewing, as is typical for quilted patchwork of this complexity.

Materials and Fabric Requirements

The Atelier Quilt is a fabric-forward project that makes excellent use of a curated fabric collection or a coordinated selection of prints and solids. The pattern calls for a combination of fat