Moda Fabrics Bartholo-Meow's Reef Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Bartholo-Meow's Reef Quilt Pattern by Moda Fabrics – Free Downloadable PDF

The Bartholo-Meow's Reef Quilt is a charming nautical-themed quilt designed by Tim and Beck for Moda Fabrics. This intermediate-level quilting pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF and produces a finished quilt measuring 44½" x 44" — a versatile size suitable for a lap quilt, baby quilt, or decorative wall hanging. The design is built around a repeating sailboat block arranged in a structured grid, giving the finished piece a playful, coastal feel that ties in beautifully with the Bartholo-Meow's Reef fabric collection by Tim and Beck for Moda.

What Is Being Made

This pattern instructs quilters in constructing a sailboat block quilt composed of 15 individual boat blocks arranged in 5 rows of 3 boats each. The boats are separated by background sashing strips and framed with a simple border, creating a clean, structured layout. The finished quilt is 44½" x 44", making it a near-square design with strong visual symmetry.

Quilt Construction and Techniques

The pattern uses a distinctive and clever slice-and-sew technique to construct each sailboat block. A slice is defined in the pattern as one of 42 pre-cut 10" triangles, which form the sails and masts of the boats. The construction process for each individual boat block involves several precise steps:

• Triangle piecing: An 8" background triangle is sewn to the 10" sides of a slice triangle to form the sail unit. This technique requires careful alignment of bias edges and is one reason the pattern is rated intermediate difficulty.
• Block trimming: The pieced unit is trimmed down to a precise 12" x 7" rectangle before being cut into two sections — a 12" x 5" sail section and a 12" x 2" hull section — ensuring consistency across all 15 blocks.
• Strip piecing: A 12" x 1½" background rectangle is added to the sail section to create the mast area, and the block is then further cut and reassembled to complete the boat unit.
• Sashing and row assembly: Completed boat blocks are arranged in rows and separated by 2½" x 6½" sashing strips. Rows are then joined with 2½" x 39" horizontal background strips, creating the characteristic striped, nautical layout.
• Border application: A simple straight-cut border is applied to finish the quilt top. Side borders measure 3½" x 38½", while top and bottom borders measure 3½" x 45", added in sequence to square up the quilt.
• Layering, quilting, and binding: The pattern concludes with standard finishing instructions — layering the quilt top with batting and backing, quilting as desired, and binding with the designated binding fabric.

Stitches and Quilting Methods

As a quilting pattern, the primary construction method relies on straight-stitch machine sewing used throughout the block assembly, sashing, and border steps. The pattern calls for precise pressing at each stage to ensure flat, accurate seams. The finishing step references free-motion or straight-line quilting (quilted as desired), giving the maker creative freedom in the final quilting design. The binding is applied using a standard double-fold binding technique, a fundamental quilting finishing method.

Materials and Fabric Requirements

The pattern is designed to showcase the Bartholo-Meow's Reef fabric collection by Tim and Beck for Moda. The required materials are as follows:

• Boat sails and masts: 1 slice — equivalent to 42 pre-cut 10" triangles from the featured Bartholo-Meow's Reef fabric
• Background fabric: