Riley Blake Flora - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Flora Quilt Pattern by Cyndi Walker – Downloadable PDF Summary

About This Pattern

The Riley Blake Flora quilt pattern, designed by Cyndi Walker, is a free downloadable PDF pattern available from Riley Blake Designs. Rated as intermediate in difficulty, this charming quilting project produces a finished quilt measuring 48" x 48" — a versatile square size perfect as a lap quilt, throw, or decorative accent. The design is built around a repeating Flora Block, each finishing at 9" x 9", arranged in a classic four-by-four grid layout for a total of 16 blocks.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a square patchwork quilt blanket or throw with a structured, geometric floral aesthetic. The Flora Block design features an on-point center square surrounded by half square triangles arranged in a pinwheel-style formation, giving the finished quilt a lively, dimensional look. The careful placement of specific fabrics — particularly the blue and brown petit floral prints at the outer corners of each block — creates visual rhythm and cohesion across the entire quilt top.

Techniques Used

• Half Square Triangle (HST) construction: The foundation technique of this pattern. A diagonal line is drawn on the wrong side of cream polka dot squares, which are then paired with assorted print squares, sewn a quarter inch on either side of the line, and cut apart to yield two HSTs per pair. A total of 256 half square triangles are made for the quilt top.
• Trimming to size: After pressing, each HST is trimmed to an accurate 2¾" square, ensuring consistent block assembly and crisp points throughout.
• On-point square placement: Within each Flora Block, a center square is set on point, framed by the surrounding HST units — a classic technique that adds visual interest without requiring complex diagonal piecing of the block itself.
• Row-by-row quilt assembly: Blocks are laid out in 4 rows of 4 blocks, sewn into rows, and then rows are joined to complete the quilt center — a straightforward and reliable construction method well suited to intermediate quilters.
• Border construction with measured cutting: The pattern advises measuring through the center of the quilt before cutting borders, a best-practice technique that prevents wavy or ill-fitting borders — an important skill for intermediate-level quilters to develop.
• Binding application: A traditional bound edge finish is included, requiring a dedicated half yard of binding fabric.

Stitches and Sewing Details

• Quarter-inch seam allowance is used throughout the pattern, which is the quilting industry standard.
• All pieces are sewn with right sides together unless otherwise noted.
• Seams on HSTs are pressed toward the printed fabric to reduce bulk and help seams nest cleanly during block assembly.
• Seam allowances may vary in certain sections, and the pattern specifically instructs quilters to check the Riley Blake Designs website for any revisions before beginning.

Fabrics and Materials

This pattern is designed specifically around the Riley Blake Flora fabric collection, featuring a coordinated palette of prints across multiple colorways. The fabrics referenced in the pattern include:

• C4500 – Main fabric in Caramel (1/8 yard) and Cream (1 yard)
• C4501 – Floral print in Cream, Green, and Tomato (1/8 yard each)
• C4502 – Bandana print in Caramel, Cream, and Tomato (1/8 yard each)
• C4503 – Petit floral in Blue and Brown (¼ yard each), and Coral (1/8 yard)
• C4504 – Trellis print in