Riley Blake The Duke - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake The Duke Quilt Pattern

Project Overview

The Duke is a beginner-friendly downloadable PDF quilting pattern featuring the iconic John Wayne imagery and western-themed designs. This quilt celebrates the legendary actor through carefully curated fabric selections and a classic pieced construction method. The finished quilt measures 77½" x 85¼", making it an ideal size for a lap quilt or wall hanging that showcases the distinctive John Wayne Signature Image and related western motifs.

What Is Being Made

This project creates a complete quilt using a combination of pieced blocks and borders. The primary design element is the Star Block, which finishes at 8" square. These blocks are arranged and combined with border elements to create the full-sized quilt. The pattern incorporates multiple fabric prints featuring western landscapes, silhouettes, and accessories in a coordinated color palette of red, tan, blue, and yellow tones against putty-colored solid fabric.

Quilting Techniques Used

The Duke employs fundamental quilting construction methods suitable for beginners. The pattern uses the standard piecing technique where fabric pieces are sewn together with right sides facing to create blocks and larger quilt sections. The design relies on accurate cutting and precise seam allowances—specifically ¼" seam allowances throughout—to ensure blocks fit together properly. This straightforward approach makes the pattern accessible to quilters new to the craft while still creating a visually striking finished piece.

Fabric Cutting and Block Construction

The pattern requires cutting a total of 88 squares measuring 2½" x 2½" from putty solid fabric, along with 88 rectangles measuring 2½" x 4½" from the same putty solid. Additional 2½" squares are cut from various John Wayne-themed prints in the following quantities and colorways:

• 8 squares from red silhouettes
• 24 squares from tan silhouettes
• 8 squares from blue silhouettes
• 8 squares from red western landscape
• 16 squares from blue western landscape
• 16 squares from tan accessories
• 16 squares from yellow (accessories or additional design elements)

These pre-cut pieces are then sewn together following the pattern instructions to form the 8" finished Star Blocks, which serve as the foundation of the quilt design.

Materials and Supplies

This quilting project requires fabric in multiple coordinating prints and solids, with the putty solid serving as the background and foundation fabric. The pattern specifies Riley Blake Designs fabrics featuring official John Wayne imagery and western-themed prints. Standard quilting supplies needed include a rotary cutter, quilting ruler, and cutting mat for accurate fabric cutting. Quilters will also need thread for piecing and a sewing machine capable of maintaining consistent ¼" seam allowances. A design wall or large flat surface is helpful for arranging blocks before final assembly.

Difficulty Level and Suitability

Rated as a beginner project, The Duke is designed for quilters who have basic knowledge of fundamental quilting techniques. The pattern's straightforward block construction, simple cutting requirements, and clear assembly instructions make it an excellent choice for those new to quilting who want to create a substantial, impressive finished quilt. The use of pre-cut squares and rectangles further simplifies the process, allowing beginners to focus on accurate piecing and block assembly.

Pattern Format and Access

The Duke is available as a free downloadable PDF pattern through Riley Blake Designs. Quilters should visit www.rileyblakedesigns.com to access the complete pattern and check for any updates or revisions before beginning the project. This digital format allows for convenient access and printing at home.