Riley Blake Polka Dot Patch - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Polka Dot Patch Quilt – Free Downloadable PDF Pattern Summary

The Polka Dot Patch is a charming and colorful quilt pattern designed by The RBD Designers for Riley Blake Designs, available as a free downloadable PDF. The finished quilt measures 40" x 46", making it an ideal lap quilt, baby quilt, or decorative throw. Rated as advanced in difficulty, this pattern is best suited for quilters who already have a solid foundation in quilting techniques and terminology, though the block construction itself is straightforward and rewarding for those ready to take on a multi-fabric project.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a finished quilt measuring 40" x 46", constructed from 30 Polka Dot Blocks, each finishing at 6" x 6". The overall design celebrates the playful, graphic appeal of polka dot prints in a rainbow of coordinating colors, combining pieced patchwork with a touch of appliqué at the center of each block. The result is a lively, visually dynamic quilt that showcases Riley Blake's iconic dot fabric collections.

Block Construction – The Polka Dot Patch Block

Each of the 30 blocks is built around a Four-Patch Unit combined with a central appliquéd square. Understanding the construction of each block is key to completing this project successfully.

Four-Patch Unit

The foundation of every block is a classic Four-Patch Unit, one of the most fundamental and versatile structures in quilting. To create these units, a 3½" strip of clean white solid fabric is sewn to a 3½" strip of an assorted medium polka dot print. These strip sets are then cross-cut into 3½" segments, and two segments are sewn together to form each Four-Patch Unit. The pattern specifies the following number of segments to cut per color:

• 8 aqua segments
• 6 navy segments
• 8 green segments
• 6 gray segments
• 6 yellow segments
• 6 orange segments
• 8 hot pink segments
• 6 red segments
• 6 lavender segments

These segments are combined to produce a total of 30 Four-Patch Units, one for each finished block.

Appliqué Center Square

Once the Four-Patch Units are assembled, a 2" finished square cut from a small polka dot print in the corresponding color is appliquéd to the center of each block. The pattern invites quilters to use their favorite method of appliqué, leaving room for personal preference — whether that is fusible web appliqué, needle-turn appliqué, or another hand or machine technique. This small but impactful detail adds a layered, dimensional quality to each block and ties the small-scale and medium-scale dot prints together beautifully.

Techniques Used

• Strip piecing – Sewing long strips of fabric together before cross-cutting into segments, an efficient and accurate method for creating consistent units
• Four-Patch block construction – A classic quilting technique combining two two-patch segments to form a four-square unit
• Appliqué – Attaching a shaped fabric piece (here, a small square) onto a background block; quilters may use their preferred method
• Accurate ¼" seam allowances – All measurements in this pattern include a standard ¼" seam allowance, which must be maintained consistently for blocks to finish at the correct 6" x 6" size
• Sewing with right sides together – The standard quilting convention used throughout unless otherwise noted
• Binding – The quilt is finished with a traditional bound edge

Stitches and Sewing Methods

• Straight stitch – Used throughout for all piecing seams on