Riley Blake Christmas Layered Cake - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Christmas Layered Cake Quilt – Free Downloadable PDF Pattern

The Riley Blake Christmas Layered Cake is a free downloadable PDF quilting pattern from Riley Blake Designs that produces a finished quilt measuring 69" x 82" — a generous throw or lap quilt size perfect for holiday decorating or gifting. Rated as a beginner-friendly project, this pattern is an excellent introduction to quilting with pre-cut fabric collections, making it accessible to those just starting their quilting journey while still delivering a striking, festive result.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a Christmas-themed quilted blanket or throw featuring a dynamic layout of center blocks surrounded by large and small setting triangles, finished with a structured fabric border. The combination of square center blocks and on-point triangle settings gives the quilt a classic, timeless appearance with a holiday flair. The finished dimensions of 69" x 82" make it ideal as a cozy throw for a sofa, a bed accent, or a decorative holiday quilt to display throughout the Christmas season.

Design Layout and Construction

The quilt is constructed using three distinct structural elements that work together to create its overall design:

• Center Blocks: A total of 18 squares, each cut at 10" x 10", form the primary design field of the quilt. These can be cut directly from a Layered Cake pre-cut collection — a set of 10-inch squares — or cut individually from assorted coordinating fabrics. Using a Layered Cake simplifies the cutting process significantly, making this an especially approachable project for beginners.
• Large Setting Triangles: Cut from 14 5/8" x 14 5/8" squares that are then divided into fourths diagonally, yielding quarter-square triangles. Three squares are cut this way, producing 12 large triangles, of which 10 are used in the final layout. These triangles fill the spaces between the on-point center blocks.
• Small Corner Triangles: Cut from 7 5/8" x 7 5/8" squares divided in half diagonally, producing half-square triangles. Two squares yield four small triangles used at the outer corners of the quilt to complete the setting.
• Border: A single border frames the entire quilt. The top and bottom border strips are cut at 6 1/2" x 52 3/4", while the side border strips are cut at 6 1/2" x 54 1/4", providing a wide, bold frame that anchors the design.

Techniques Used

This pattern introduces and reinforces several core quilting techniques that are fundamental to the craft:

• Pre-cut fabric quilting: Designed for compatibility with a Layered Cake (10-inch pre-cut squares), this pattern demonstrates how pre-cuts can streamline the quilting process by eliminating much of the initial cutting work.
• On-point block setting: The center squares are set on point — rotated 45 degrees — a classic quilting arrangement that adds visual movement and elegance to the finished quilt.
• Quarter-square triangle cutting: Large triangles are created by cutting squares diagonally in both directions (into fourths), a technique that places the straight grain of the fabric along the outer edges of the quilt for stability.
• Half-square triangle cutting: Small corner triangles are made by cutting squares once diagonally, a foundational quilting skill used to fill in corner spaces in on-point layouts.
• Borders with varying strip lengths: Attaching borders with differentiated top/bottom and side measurements teaches proper border application technique to ensure a flat, well-proportioned finished quilt.
• Quilt backing and binding: The pattern includes requirements for backing and binding, covering the complete quilt finishing process.

Stitches and Quilting Methods

As a quilting pattern, the primary construction method relies on straight-stitch sewing using a standard sewing machine, joining fabric pieces with consistent seam allowances. Piecing the blocks, setting triangles, and borders together are all accomplished through straight seaming. The finished quilt top is then layered with batting and backing and quilted — either by hand or machine — before the binding