Riley Blake Simply Sparkle - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Simply Sparkle Quilt Pattern – Free Downloadable PDF by Jen Allyson

The Riley Blake Simply Sparkle pattern is a free downloadable PDF designed by Jen Allyson for Riley Blake Designs. It produces a finished quilt measuring 58½" x 72", making it a generously sized throw or lap quilt ideal for everyday use, gifting, or showcasing a favorite fabric collection. The design is rated intermediate difficulty, meaning it is well-suited for quilters who are comfortable with basic patchwork construction and ready to work with a larger, more structured layout.

What Is Being Made

Simply Sparkle is a patchwork throw quilt built entirely from uniform square blocks. Each finished block measures 4½" x 4½", and the quilt center is assembled from a grid of 16 rows of 13 squares, for a total of 208 squares used in the layout. The repetitive square format allows the fabrics themselves to create visual movement and sparkle across the surface of the quilt, giving the design its name. The overall effect is a classic, clean, and colorful quilt top that lets the fabric collection take center stage.

Techniques Used

• Patchwork piecing: The entire quilt center is constructed by sewing pre-cut 5-inch squares together in a straight grid arrangement, making this an excellent project for practicing consistent seam allowances and row alignment.
• Row-by-row assembly: Squares are laid out and sewn into 16 individual rows before the rows are joined together, a foundational quilting technique that helps manage a large number of pieces in an organized way.
• Quilt sandwich layering: Once the quilt top is complete, it is layered with batting and a backing fabric to create the three-layer quilt sandwich, which is then quilted and finished.
• Binding: The quilt is finished with a traditional binding applied around the outer edges to enclose and protect the raw edges of the quilt sandwich.

Stitches and Sewing Details

All seams throughout the Simply Sparkle quilt are sewn with a ¼" seam allowance, which is the standard for quilting and ensures that the finished block size is accurate. All pieces are sewn with right sides together unless otherwise noted in the pattern. Consistent, accurate seaming is especially important in a grid-based design like this one, where small variations can accumulate across many rows and affect the overall squareness of the finished quilt.

Materials and Fabric Requirements

The Simply Sparkle pattern is specifically designed to work with pre-cut 5-inch fabric squares, making it a fast and beginner-friendly cutting experience. The required materials include:

• 5 Yes, Please 5-Inch Stackers (product code 5-6550-42) from Riley Blake Designs – these are pre-cut packs of 5" x 5" squares from the Yes, Please collection, providing a coordinated mix of prints and colors ready to sew.
• 5/8 yard (60 cm) of fabric for binding – Jen Allyson recommends choosing a favorite Riley Blake fabric from the Yes, Please collection to coordinate with the quilt top.
• Batting and backing fabric are also required to complete the quilt sandwich, though specific yardage for these is not detailed in the pattern excerpt.

About the Yes, Please Collection and Pre-Cut Stackers

The Yes, Please collection by Riley Blake Designs is the featured fabric line for this pattern. The 5-Inch Stackers format is a popular pre-cut option in the quilting world, offering a convenient bundle of coordinated squares that eliminate the need for individual cutting and color selection. Using five full stacker packs provides ample variety and ensures the sparkle effect of the finished quilt is maximized through color and print contrast. Note that two squares will not be used from the total available in the packs, so there is a small amount of leftover fabric.

Pattern Notes and Recommendations

Jen Allyson encourages quilters to have fun with color placement and enjoy the creative process of arranging the squares before sewing. Because the layout is a simple