Riley Blake Classic Tea - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Classic Tea Quilt Pattern – Free Downloadable PDF by Emily Hayes

The Riley Blake Classic Tea is a free downloadable quilting pattern designed by Emily Hayes for Penny Rose Fabrics. It produces a stunning on-point lap or throw quilt with a finished size of 60¾" x 76¼", making it a generous project suitable for display or everyday use. The design features a classic diagonal setting with sashing, posts, and setting triangles that give the finished quilt an elegant, heirloom-inspired appearance. This pattern is intended for quilters who already have a basic knowledge of quilting technique and terminology, making it an ideal next step for confident beginners or a satisfying project for intermediate and experienced quilters.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a lap-to-throw sized patchwork quilt measuring approximately 60¾" by 76¼". The quilt is built around 9" x 9" finished blocks set on the diagonal, framed by sashing strips, corner posts, and setting triangles. The on-point layout gives the quilt a sophisticated, rotated appearance that adds visual movement and elegance to a relatively straightforward block construction. Two borders surround the quilt center, adding both framing detail and additional size.

Fabrics and Materials Required

This pattern is designed specifically to showcase fabrics from the Olivia Collection by Penny Rose Fabrics, a Riley Blake Designs brand. The required fabrics include a carefully coordinated palette of prints:

• Blue Main (C4240 Blue) – 7/8 yard (85 cm), used for the primary quilt blocks
• Blue Roses (C4241 Blue) – 3/8 yard (35 cm)
• Teal Floral (C4242 Teal) – 1¼ yards (1.15 m), the largest yardage among the feature prints
• Blue Scroll (C4243 Blue) – 5/8 yard (60 cm)
• Cream Scroll (C4243 Cream) – 1⅞ yards (1.75 m), the dominant background fabric used for sashing, setting triangles, and negative space
• Green Petals (C4244 Green) – 5/8 yard (60 cm)
• Binding fabric – 5/8 yard (60 cm), recommended from the Olivia Collection
• Backing fabric – 4 yards (3.7 m)

The generous use of Cream Scroll as the background fabric gives the quilt an airy, vintage feel, while the coordinated blues, teals, and greens of the Olivia Collection create a cohesive and classic color story reminiscent of traditional English floral quilts.

Quilting Techniques Used

The Classic Tea pattern draws on several foundational and intermediate quilting techniques:

• On-point (diagonal) setting – Blocks are rotated 45 degrees and set on the diagonal, requiring the use of setting triangles and corner triangles to complete the quilt center. This is one of the most visually striking traditional quilt layouts.
• Sashing and posts – Strips of fabric separate individual blocks, and small square posts sit at the intersections of sashing strips, adding structure and a secondary design element to the quilt top.
• Setting and corner triangles – These are intentionally cut larger than needed to allow the quilter to square up the quilt center accurately. The pattern instructs quilters to leave 1¾" of cream scroll beyond the blue main block points on all sides when squaring up.
• Diagonal row assembly – Rather than sewing rows horizontally, the quilt center is assembled by sewing rows together on the diagonal, which is characteristic of on-point quilt construction.
• Bordered quilt construction – Two separate border rounds frame the quilt center, each requiring the quilter to measure through the center of the quilt before cutting, a best practice that