Riley Blake In the Meadow - Downloadable PDF

In the Meadow Quilt Pattern by Erin Turner for Riley Blake / Penny Rose Fabrics

In the Meadow is a downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed by Erin Turner and published by Riley Blake Designs under the Penny Rose Fabrics label. This free, intermediate-level pattern produces a finished quilt measuring 63 inches wide by 68 inches tall, making it a generous lap quilt or throw that is ideal for showcasing a coordinated fabric collection.

About the Design

The In the Meadow quilt is built around a large central rectangle surrounded by four successive borders, creating a framed, medallion-style composition. The design is elegantly straightforward in structure, allowing the carefully chosen fabrics from the Meadow Collection by Penny Rose Fabrics to take center stage. The layered border treatment gives the finished quilt a sense of depth and visual movement, drawing the eye inward toward the central fabric panel. Because the layout relies on precise border measurements and fabric placement, the pattern is rated as intermediate in difficulty, meaning quilters should have a basic working knowledge of quilting techniques and terminology before beginning.

Construction Techniques

This pattern uses classic quilting construction methods throughout. Key techniques include:

• Straight-line piecing with a consistent ¼-inch seam allowance, which is standard in patchwork quilting and essential for accurate block and border alignment.
• Medallion-style quilt assembly, where a central fabric rectangle is framed by multiple successive borders sewn in sequence.
• Measuring through the quilt center before cutting border strips, an important technique that compensates for any variance in seam allowances and ensures the finished quilt lies flat without rippling or distortion.
• Joining strips end to end when additional length is needed for border pieces, a practical piecing method for working with width-of-fabric (WOF) cuts.
• Sewing side borders before top and bottom borders on each round, which is the conventional approach for adding multiple borders in sequence.
• Quilt sandwich layering, which involves assembling the quilt top, batting, and backing before finishing.
• Binding the finished quilt using a coordinating fabric from the Meadow Collection.

Quilt Structure and Border Details

The quilt begins with a large central rectangle cut at 35½ inches wide by 40½ inches tall from the blue main fabric. Four borders are then added in succession, each expanding the quilt's dimensions:

• Border 1 — Side borders at 40½ inches; top and bottom borders at 37½ inches. Cut from light blue leaves fabric (C4495 Light Blue) using 1½-inch-wide strips.
• Border 2 — Side borders at 42½ inches; top and bottom borders at 45½ inches. Cut from blue stripe fabric (C4493 Blue) using 4½-inch-wide strips.
• Border 3 — Side borders at 50½ inches; top and bottom borders at 47½ inches. Also cut from light blue leaves fabric (C4495 Light Blue) using 1½-inch-wide strips, echoing Border 1 for a cohesive framing effect.
• Border 4 — Side borders at 52½ inches; top and bottom borders at 63½ inches. Cut from light blue butterfly fabric (C4492 Light Blue) using wide 8½-inch strips, creating a bold outer frame that brings the quilt to its full finished size.

Fabric Requirements and Materials

This pattern is designed specifically for use with the Meadow Collection by Penny Rose Fabrics. The following fabric colorways and quantities are required:

• Blue Main (C4490 Blue) — 1¼ yards (approximately 1.15 meters), used for the large central rectangle.
• Light Blue Butterfly (C4492 Light Blue) — 1⅝ yards (approximately 1.5 meters), used for the wide outer Border 4.
• Blue Stripe (C4493 Blue) — ¾