Moda Fabrics Thicket Quilt - Downloadable PDF

Moda Fabrics Thicket Quilt Pattern Summary

The Moda Fabrics Thicket Quilt is a charming intermediate-level quilting project available as a free downloadable PDF from Moda Fabrics. The finished quilt measures 56" x 64", making it a generous lap or throw size that works beautifully as a decorative or functional piece. This pattern incorporates whimsical critter panel fabrics alongside coordinating pieced blocks, giving it a playful, nature-inspired aesthetic that is characteristic of the Thicket collection.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single pieced quilt top measuring 56 inches wide by 64 inches tall. The design features a combination of featured panel fabrics — including a large critter panel and a small critter panel — set alongside traditionally pieced blocks constructed from precut Layer Cake squares and background yardage. The result is a quilt that balances bold focal panels with structured, geometric piecing to frame and complement the printed imagery.

Design Structure and Layout

The quilt is built around two distinct panel elements:

• Large Critter Panel: Cut to a 16½" x 20½" unfinished rectangle, this panel serves as a prominent focal point within the quilt layout.
• Small Critter Panel: Cut into multiple 8½" x 10½" sections, these smaller panels are distributed across the quilt to carry the critter theme throughout the design.

Surrounding and complementing these panels are pieced blocks constructed from precisely cut strips and rectangles. The piecing creates a structured framework that draws the eye toward the illustrated panels while adding visual texture and movement across the quilt surface.

Techniques Used

This pattern is rated intermediate difficulty, meaning it is best suited for quilters who are comfortable with basic quilting skills and ready to work with multiple fabric types and cutting requirements simultaneously. Key techniques include:

• Strip piecing: Numerous strips are cut at consistent widths — primarily 2 inches — and sewn together or sub-cut into smaller units to build the block components efficiently.
• Precise rotary cutting: The pattern requires careful cutting of a wide variety of rectangle sizes, including 2" x 10", 2" x 5½", 2" x 5", 2½" x 10", 1½" x 8½", and 2" x 5" pieces, among others. Accuracy in cutting is essential for blocks to align correctly during assembly.
• Panel fussy cutting: The large and small critter panels must be trimmed to specific unfinished dimensions, requiring careful centering and squaring of the printed motifs.
• Border application: The quilt features 4½"-wide borders cut from background fabric strips sewn end-to-end, then trimmed to 4½" x 56½" lengths and applied to the quilt top to frame the finished design.
• Binding construction: A traditional double-fold binding is created from 2½"-wide strips sewn end-to-end and applied around the perimeter of the finished quilt.

Stitches and Sewing Methods

As a quilting pattern, the Thicket Quilt relies on standard quilting construction stitches and methods:

• Straight stitch piecing: All block assembly, strip joining, and border attachment are completed using a consistent straight stitch, typically sewn with a ¼" seam allowance standard in quilting.
• End-to-end strip joining: Multiple fabric strips are joined end-to-end using diagonal or straight seams to create long continuous strips for borders and binding.
• Quilting stitches: While the PDF focuses on quilt top construction, the finished top would traditionally be completed with quilting stitches through the top, batting, and backing layers — either by hand or machine.

Materials Required

Fabric

• Layer Cakes (10" pre