Moda Fabrics Printemps Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Printemps Quilt Pattern Summary

The Moda Fabrics Printemps Quilt is a stunning 75" x 75" finished quilt pattern available as a free downloadable PDF, designed by Moda Fabrics. Rated as an intermediate difficulty project, this design combines two beloved traditional quilting techniques — English Paper Piecing (EPP) and Dresden Plate blocks — into a single cohesive and elegant quilt. The result is a sophisticated, heirloom-quality piece that rewards quilters who are comfortable with precision cutting, curved piecing, and hand stitching.

About the Printemps Quilt Design

The name Printemps — French for "spring" — evokes the fresh, floral aesthetic of this quilt. It features 9 large Dresden Plate blocks, each set on a generous background square and enhanced with a hand-pieced hexagon center. The combination of the radiating Dresden Plate blades with the delicate honeycomb hexagon centers gives this quilt a vintage, garden-inspired charm that is both classic and visually striking.

Quilt Construction Overview

Construction throughout this pattern uses a standard ¼" seam allowance, and pressing directions are indicated by arrows within the pattern instructions. The quilt is built in clearly defined stages, moving from the smallest pieced units outward to the full quilt assembly with sashing and binding.

Step 1: Hexagon Centers (English Paper Piecing)

The hexagon centers are created using the traditional English Paper Piecing method, a hand-sewing technique in which fabric is wrapped and basted around paper templates to achieve precise, crisp hexagon shapes. These are then joined together by hand using an overcast stitch — a technique where the needle passes over the edge of two fabric pieces held together, creating a nearly invisible seam on the front of the work.

• A total of 171 assorted cream hexagons are made using 1" hexagon papers (sold separately as a hexagon papers package)
• 19 hexagons are joined together to form each individual center unit
• A total of 9 hexagon center units are made — one for each Dresden Plate block
• Once joined, the paper templates are removed before the centers are appliquéd onto the Dresden Plate blocks

English Paper Piecing is a portable, hand-friendly technique that is ideal for achieving the precise angles required by hexagon shapes. Using cream fabric throughout the hexagon centers creates a soft, neutral focal point that allows the printed Dresden blades to radiate outward dramatically.

Step 2: Dresden Plate Blades

The iconic Dresden Plate is a classic American quilt block featuring wedge-shaped "blades" arranged in a circular or fan formation. In the Printemps pattern, each plate is made up of multiple fabric blades cut using a Dresden ruler, a specialty quilting ruler designed specifically to cut the tapered wedge shape accurately and consistently.

• Blades are cut from 8 assorted print fabrics, with 2 strips of 6½" × width of fabric cut from each print
• A total of 16 strips yield 180 blades in total across all 9 blocks
• To cut the blades, a 6½" × width of fabric strip is folded in half, and the widest part (top) of the Dresden ruler is aligned with the strip edge before cutting; the ruler is then rotated and cut again to produce the tapered blade shape
• The variety of 8 prints creates the scrappy, multi-toned look characteristic of a traditional Dresden Plate

Step 3: Dresden Plate Background Squares

Each of the 9 Dresden Plate blocks is set onto a large background square cut from a Dresden Plate Background fabric:

• 5 strips of 21½" × width of fabric are cut from the background fabric
• From these strips, 9 squares measuring 21½" × 21½" are cut — one per