Riley Blake Ava Kate - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Ava Kate Quilt Pattern by Carina Gardner – Free Downloadable PDF

The Ava Kate quilt pattern is a stunning 70" x 70" finished quilt designed by Carina Gardner for Riley Blake Designs. Released in 2021, this advanced-level quilting pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF and showcases a sophisticated interplay of cross blocks and setting squares arranged in a bold, graphic layout. The finished block size is 8½" x 8½", and the overall design is built from a combination of pieced cross blocks and solid accent squares that create a striking, structured quilt top.

What Is Being Made

The Ava Kate pattern produces a square lap or throw quilt measuring 70 inches by 70 inches. The design is centered around 25 Cross Blocks interspersed with setting squares, all framed by carefully cut triangles that create smooth diagonal lines and a polished, cohesive surface. The result is a quilt with a strong geometric presence that balances printed fabric with solid neutrals for maximum visual impact.

Materials Required

Fabric

• 1 Ava Kate 10" Stacker (colorway 10-10530-42) – a pre-cut bundle of 10-inch squares from Riley Blake Designs, used for the cross blocks and setting squares
• 1¼ yards Black Main (C10530 Black) – used as a contrasting background element
• 2¾ yards Putty Solid (C120 Putty) – the primary background and setting fabric throughout the quilt
• ⅝ yard Binding fabric – cut into 8 strips at 2¼" x width of fabric

Tools and Notions

• Standard quilting rulers, rotary cutter, and cutting mat for precise cuts
• Sewing machine capable of consistent ¼" seam allowances
• Pressing tools for seam management throughout block assembly

Techniques Used

This pattern is rated advanced, meaning quilters should arrive with a solid foundation in quilting terminology and construction methods. Several intermediate-to-advanced piecing techniques are employed throughout:

• Half-square triangle (HST) construction – squares are cut on one diagonal to yield two triangles, which are then sewn together with right sides facing to form precise triangle units
• Quarter-square triangle (QST) construction – squares are cut on both diagonals to yield four triangles per square, used extensively for background and accent units
• Unit piecing – individual triangle and square components are assembled into labeled sub-units (such as Unit A) before being joined into complete blocks, requiring careful organization and labeling of cut pieces
• Strip cutting and sub-cutting – fabric is first cut into strips at specific widths across the width of fabric (WOF), then sub-cut into squares or rectangles that are subsequently cut into triangles
• Right-sides-together sewing – all seams are sewn with right sides together unless the pattern specifically states otherwise
• Pressing as you go – the pattern directs quilters to press seams at each stage, following the quilt photo as a guide for press direction
• Block organization and set management – pieces cut from each 10-inch stacker square are kept together as matched sets to maintain print cohesion across the finished quilt

Stitches and Piecing Details

The Ava Kate quilt relies entirely on straight-line machine stitching with a consistent ¼-inch seam allowance included in all measurements. There is no appliqué, embroidery, or curved piecing involved. The precision of the seam allowance is critical given the number of triangle units throughout the design — even small deviations can affect how points align across the finished quilt top.

Block Breakdown

Cross Blocks – Make 25

Each Cross Block is assembled from