Riley Blake Sparkles - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Sparkles Quilt Pattern by DooHikey Designs – Free Downloadable PDF

The Riley Blake Sparkles pattern by DooHikey Designs is a free, downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed to create a cheerful and colorful 42" x 49" throw quilt. Featuring a finished block size of 7" x 7", this intermediate-level quilting project combines pieced setting blocks with charming appliquéd rainbow blocks for a whimsical, eye-catching result. The pattern is built around the beloved Rainbows & Unicorns Collection from Riley Blake Designs, making it a perfect showcase for those bright, playful prints.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a lap-sized or throw quilt measuring 42 inches wide by 49 inches tall. The finished quilt is assembled from 42 blocks total, arranged in 7 rows of 6 blocks. The design alternates between two block types: Setting Blocks cut from a solid pink main fabric and Rainbow Blocks cut from a vintage white solid, onto which colorful appliquéd rainbow motifs are fused and stitched. The result is a lively, structured layout with pops of rainbow color distributed evenly across a clean, light background.

Techniques Used

• Fusible web appliqué – The pattern relies on Heat n Bond Lite fusible web to adhere appliqué pieces to the Rainbow Blocks. Templates labeled B, C, D, and E are traced onto the smooth side of the Heat n Bond Lite, ironed onto the wrong side of assorted print squares, and then cut out. Because the templates have already been reversed in the pattern, quilters can trace and apply them directly without additional mirroring steps.
• Rotary cutting and strip piecing – Setting Blocks and Rainbow Blocks are cut efficiently by first cutting 5 strips measuring 7½" x width of fabric (WOF) from both the pink main and the vintage white solid, then sub-cutting those strips into 7½" x 7½" squares.
• Block layout and row assembly – Blocks are arranged with careful reference to the quilt photo for proper placement of Setting Blocks and Rainbow Blocks, then sewn into rows before rows are joined to complete the quilt center.
• Quilt sandwich construction – The finished quilt top is layered with batting and backing fabric, then quilted and bound using a standard quilt finishing process.
• Binding – The pattern encourages using a favorite fabric from the Rainbows & Unicorns Collection for the binding, tying the finished edges back to the overall design theme.

Stitches and Sewing Details

• All piecing is sewn with a standard ¼" seam allowance, which is already included in all cutting measurements.
• Seams are sewn with right sides together throughout, following conventional quilting construction.
• Appliqué pieces adhered with Heat n Bond Lite are typically finished with a blanket stitch, satin stitch, or straight stitch around the edges — a standard approach when working with fusible web appliqué at an intermediate skill level.

Materials Required

• Rainbows & Unicorns 10-inch Stacker (SKU: 10-3710-21) – one stacker pack of assorted 10-inch print squares used for the appliqué template pieces
• 1⅛ yards of pink main fabric (C3710 Pink) for the Setting Blocks
• 1⅛ yards of vintage white solid (C100-04 Vintage White) for the Rainbow Block backgrounds
• 2⅝ yards of Heat n Bond Lite fusible web for appliqué preparation — 21 of each template shape are traced and applied
• ⅝ yard of binding fabric, recommended from the Rainbows & Unicorns Collection
• 2¾ yards of backing fabric
• Batting sized appropriately for a 42" x