Riley Blake Flamingo - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Flamingo Quilt Pattern by The Quilted Fish – Pattern Summary

The Flamingo pattern by The Quilted Fish is a downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed for intermediate quilters. It produces a stunning 59½" x 59½" square throw quilt built around a bold panel-centered design featuring the beloved Riley Blake Lula Magnolia Collection. This free pattern is a wonderful introduction to structured panel quilting with sashing, posts, and layered borders — techniques that give the finished quilt a polished, professional appearance.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a square lap or throw quilt measuring 59½" x 59½". The quilt is built around a panel-centered layout using large 16" x 16" finished blocks cut directly from the Riley Blake blue panel (P3772 Blue). These statement blocks are framed with sashing strips and cornerstones (posts), then surrounded by two distinct borders to bring the quilt to its final size. The flamingo and floral motifs of the Lula Magnolia Collection give this quilt a cheerful, nature-inspired aesthetic with a tropical feel.

Design Structure and Layout

The quilt center is organized into rows A and B, which are assembled separately and then sewn together to complete the central design. The layout uses:

• Four 16½" x 16½" panel squares cut from the blue panel fabric as the center blocks
• Sashing strips cut at 5" x 16½" (12 rectangles total) to frame and separate the blocks
• Post squares (cornerstones) cut from the Lula Magnolia 5-inch Stacker, using specific prints including blue fern, blue scallop, blue flamingo, gray flamingo, orange floral, orange fern, orange scallop, blue night, and blue main

This classic sashing-and-post construction is a hallmark of traditional quilting. The posts add visual interest at the intersections of sashing strips and allow the quilter to introduce a variety of coordinating prints in small doses, making excellent use of a precut stacker.

Borders

Two borders frame the quilt center, each adding dimension and color contrast:

• Border 1 is a narrow accent border cut from green lattice fabric (C3774 Green), using 1½"-wide strips sewn width of fabric. Side borders measure 46" and top and bottom borders measure 48". This thin border acts as a visual pause between the busy quilt center and the wider outer border.
• Border 2 is a wider outer border that brings the quilt to its full 59½" size. Side borders measure 48" and top and bottom borders measure 60". Border strips are sewn end to end as needed to achieve the required lengths.

A key technique emphasized in the pattern is measuring through the center of the quilt before cutting border strips, rather than measuring along the edges. This best practice prevents wavy or distorted borders and ensures the finished quilt lies flat.

Techniques Used

• Panel cutting – Precisely cutting large motif squares from a printed panel fabric
• Sashing and post construction – Framing blocks with rectangular sashing strips and square cornerstones for a structured grid layout
• Row assembly – Organizing blocks and sashing into rows before joining rows together
• Border application – Attaching side borders first, then top and bottom borders, with strips joined end to end when extra length is needed
• Quilt sandwich layering – Layering the quilt top, batting, and backing in preparation for quilting
• Binding – Finishing the quilt edges with binding cut from a coordinating Riley Blake Lula Magnolia Collection fabric

Stitches and Sewing Details

• All piecing is done with a standard ¼" seam allowance, which is the industry standard for quilting
• All pieces are sewn with right sides together unless otherwise noted