Moda Fabrics Ducks Fly Together Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Ducks Fly Together Quilt Pattern – Downloadable PDF Summary

The Ducks Fly Together quilt pattern by Moda Fabrics is a free, downloadable PDF designed for intermediate quilters. The finished quilt measures a generous 60 inches by 60 inches, making it a versatile lap or throw size. The design is built around a dynamic interplay of patterned fabric squares and a solid background, creating bold geometric shapes that visually "pop" when high-contrast fabrics are chosen. The name and overall aesthetic suggest a playful, nature-inspired theme that pairs beautifully with the featured fabric collection.

Fabric Collection and Materials

This pattern is specifically designed to showcase the Lakeside Story fabric collection by Moda Fabrics (SKU 13350LC), available as a convenient Layer Cake — a pre-cut bundle of 10-inch squares. For this project, 36 squares are selected from the Layer Cake and trimmed down to 5½-inch squares for use in half square triangles. Alternatively, quilters can substitute 36 individual 5½-inch fabric scraps, making this an excellent stash-busting project.

The background fabric is Bella Solids in Harbor (9900 329), also by Moda Fabrics, and requires 3 yards for the main body of the quilt. An additional ½ yard of the same Bella Solids Harbor fabric is used for the binding, creating a clean, cohesive finish. The use of a single solid background color is a classic quilting strategy that allows the printed Layer Cake fabrics to stand out dramatically.

Recommended Materials at a Glance

• 1 Layer Cake of Lakeside Story (13350LC) by Moda Fabrics, or 36 scraps cut to 5½ inches square
• 3 yards of Bella Solids in Harbor (9900 329) for background
• ½ yard of Bella Solids in Harbor (9900 329) for binding
• Standard quilting tools: rotary cutter, cutting mat, quilting ruler, sewing machine
• Thread in a neutral color to complement both the prints and the solid background

Techniques Used

The Ducks Fly Together pattern relies on several foundational and intermediate quilting techniques. The primary construction method involves half square triangles (HSTs), which are among the most versatile and widely used units in quilt making. HSTs are created by pairing two squares of fabric, sewing them together, and pressing open to form a two-color triangle unit. In this pattern, both the Layer Cake prints and the Bella Solids background are used to create these HST units from 5½-inch squares.

Beyond HSTs, the pattern also incorporates setting triangles — a technique used in quilts set on point or with diagonal arrangements. The background fabric is cut into 7⅝-inch squares, which are then cut on both diagonals to yield 32 quarter-square triangles used as side setting pieces. An additional 4⅛-inch square is cut on the diagonal once to create half-square setting triangles, likely used at the corners. This combination of setting triangles gives the quilt its structured, on-point visual energy.

The pattern also calls for rectangular units cut from the background fabric — specifically 5-inch by 14-inch and 5-inch by 9½-inch rectangles — as well as 5-inch squares cut on both diagonals. These pieces contribute to the overall block assembly and setting of the design, adding visual structure and framing to the pieced units.

A border is added using strips cut at 3½ inches wide across the width of fabric, finishing the quilt with a clean, traditional frame. The binding is cut in standard 2½-inch wide strips across the width of fabric — seven strips in total — which is then joined, pressed, and hand- or machine-stitched to enclose the raw edges of the quilt sandwich.

Cutting