Moda Fabrics Wool Penny Rug Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Wool Penny Rug Quilt – Free Downloadable PDF Pattern

This Wool Penny Rug pattern from Moda Fabrics, designed by Minick & Simpson, is a charming intermediate-level quilting project that results in a finished decorative rug measuring 16" x 27". Featuring a classic Americana aesthetic, the design showcases a central vase motif surrounded by flowers, leaves, berries, a flag with stars and stripes, and the signature penny rug "tongue" border. This is a free downloadable PDF pattern, making it an accessible project for quilters looking to explore traditional wool appliqué work.

About Penny Rugs and Wool Appliqué

Penny rugs are a beloved American folk art tradition dating back to the 19th century. Historically crafted from recycled wool scraps, they feature layered felt or wool circles — called "pennies" — stitched onto a backing with decorative embroidery stitches. The technique combines wool appliqué with hand embroidery, creating richly textured, heirloom-quality pieces. The tongue border, a hallmark of the penny rug style, consists of rounded scalloped shapes attached around the perimeter of the rug, adding a decorative and tactile edge finish.

Design Details and Motifs

The design centers on a patriotic, folk-inspired composition that includes:

• A central vase worked in blue wool
• Flowers in assorted red wools with tan wool flower centers
• Leaves in assorted blue and green-toned wools
• Berries in red wool
• A flag with a blue canton, red and tan stripes, a flagpole, and stars
• A tongue border cut from the black wool background fabric

The featured fabric collection used in this pattern is Independence Trail Wools by Minick & Simpson, a curated line of wool fabrics designed to coordinate beautifully for exactly this type of appliqué work. The specific wool colorways referenced include black (54811-30), blue (54811-22), assorted reds (54811-14, 54811-15, 54811-16), blue-green (54811-20), assorted blues (54811-29, 54811-33), tan (54811-27), and tan stripe (54811-3).

Materials Required

Wool Fabrics

• Background and Tongues: 16" x 30" of black wool (54811-30)
• Vase and Flag Canton: 10" square of blue wool (54811-22)
• Flowers, Flag Stripes, and Berries: 12" total of assorted red wools (54811-14, 54811-15, 54811-16)
• Leaves, Flagpole, and Stars: 14" x 14" rectangle of blue wool (54811-20)
• Leaves: 6" square total of assorted blue wools (54811-29, 54811-33)
• Flower Centers: 3" square of tan wool (54811-27)
• Flag Stripes: 5" x 9" rectangle of tan wool (54811-3)

Additional Supplies

• Freezer paper for tracing and cutting wool appliqué shapes accurately
• A stapler for temporarily adhering wool shapes to the background before stitching
• Hand embroidery needle and thread or wool thread for finishing stitches
• Iron for adhering freezer paper templates to wool

Construction Techniques

The construction method used in this pattern is a classic freezer paper wool appliqué technique, which ensures clean, precise edges on every cut shape. The process