Robert Kaufman Broken Chevron - Downloadable PDF

Robert Kaufman Broken Chevron Quilt Pattern by Elise Lea – Free Downloadable PDF

The Broken Chevron is a free downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed by Elise Lea for Robert Kaufman Fabrics, released under the Just Kisses collection in 2023. The finished quilt measures 58" x 66" and is rated Beginner difficulty, making it an excellent project for quilters who are building their foundational skills while still producing a visually striking, modern geometric design.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a lap-sized quilt measuring 58 inches wide by 66 inches tall. The design features a broken chevron layout — a contemporary take on the classic zigzag or herringbone quilt pattern. Rather than continuous, uninterrupted V-shapes, the "broken" variation introduces intentional interruptions in the chevron lines, creating a dynamic, graphic effect. The quilt incorporates a rich, warm palette of earthy and neutral tones, anchored by a generous Snow (off-white) background fabric and accented with a curated range of browns, terracottas, and deep jewel tones.

Techniques Used

• Half-Square Triangles (HSTs): The core building block of the broken chevron design. HSTs are created by pairing squares of two different fabrics, sewing diagonally, and trimming to produce two mirror-image triangle units. This technique is fundamental to chevron and diagonal quilt designs.
• Strip piecing and subcut method: Fabric is cut into width-of-fabric (WOF) strips and then subcutted into squares, an efficient approach that minimizes waste and speeds up cutting.
• Sewing strips end-to-end: Multiple border strips are sewn together lengthwise before being trimmed to the exact required border lengths, a standard technique for achieving long, continuous border pieces from standard yardage.
• Multi-border construction: The quilt features at least three distinct borders (Border 1, Border 2, and Border 3) in varying widths, each framing the central chevron design and adding visual structure and dimension.
• Pressing seams open: The pattern instructs quilters to press seam allowances open unless otherwise noted, which reduces bulk at seam intersections and helps the finished quilt lie flat — especially important when working with many HST units.
• Accurate quarter-inch seam allowances: All seams are sewn at a consistent 1/4" seam allowance, the quilting standard, ensuring all pieces align correctly when assembled.

Stitches and Sewing Details

• Straight stitch: Used throughout for all piecing, strip joining, and border attachment — the standard stitch for quilting on a sewing machine.
• Diagonal stitching: Required for constructing the half-square triangle units, where a line is sewn corner to corner across a square before trimming.

Fabrics and Materials

The pattern is designed to use Robert Kaufman Fabrics solids, all 42" wide. A total of twelve fabric colors (labeled A through L) plus a binding fabric are called for. The fabrics and their SKUs are as follows:

• Fabric A – Snow (K001-1339): 2-5/8 yards — the dominant background fabric, used for HSTs, border pieces, and setting squares
• Fabric B – Coffee (K001-1083): 1/4 yard (also used for binding)
• Fabric C – Espresso (K001-1136): 1/4 yard
• Fabric D – Raisin (K001-1469): 1/4 yard
• Fabric E – Mahogany (K001-1215): 1/4 yard
• Fabric F – Brick (K001-1042): 1/4 yard
• Fabric G – Paprika (K001-150): 1/4 yard
• Fabric H – Terracotta (K001-482): 1/4 yard