Riley Blake Little Doll - Downloadable PDF

Riley Blake Little Doll Quilt – Pattern Summary

The Little Doll pattern, designed by Carly Griffith and published by Riley Blake Designs, is a downloadable PDF quilting pattern available as a free project sheet. The finished quilt measures a square 42½" x 42½", making it an ideal lap quilt or a charming decorative throw. This is classified as an advanced-level quilting project, meaning it is best suited for quilters who already have a solid understanding of quilting terminology, precise cutting, and accurate piecing techniques.

What Is Being Made

The Little Doll quilt is a patchwork quilt built around a repeating Chain Block design. Each Chain Block finishes at 10" x 10", and the full quilt is constructed from 9 Chain Blocks arranged in a pleasing layout. The overall effect of the Chain Block pattern creates an interlocking, lattice-like visual rhythm across the quilt surface — a classic quilting aesthetic that rewards careful fabric placement and consistent piecing.

Block Construction and Design

Nine-Patch Center

At the heart of each Chain Block is a traditional Nine-Patch Center. This is assembled by sewing together 5 assorted print 2½" squares and 4 clean white solid 2½" squares in a classic nine-patch arrangement. The alternating placement of prints and white squares creates a checkerboard effect that anchors the block visually.

Unit A Construction

Surrounding the Nine-Patch Center are pieced units called Unit A. Each Unit A is made by sewing an assorted print 2½" square to each side of a clean white solid 2½" x 6½" rectangle. Two Unit A pieces are made for each block. These units, combined with two additional clean white solid 2½" x 6½" rectangles, are then joined with the Nine-Patch Center — following the quilt photo for fabric placement — to complete each full Chain Block. This process is repeated to make all 9 Chain Blocks required for the quilt.

Quilting Techniques Used

• Nine-Patch piecing – a foundational patchwork technique involving the assembly of nine equal squares into a block unit
• Strip and unit piecing – constructing Unit A by joining squares to rectangles before assembling the full block
• Precise rotary cutting – all pieces require accurate cutting to maintain the ¼" seam allowance throughout
• Right-sides-together sewing – all seams are sewn with fabric right sides facing, a standard quilting construction method
• Block repetition and layout – 9 identical Chain Blocks are arranged with attention to fabric placement as referenced in the quilt photo
• Border and binding application – the pattern includes border pieces (with a note to measure through the quilt center before cutting) and a separate binding

Stitches and Seam Allowances

All piecing is done with a consistent ¼" seam allowance, which is the standard in quilting and critical for blocks to align correctly across the quilt top. Quilters are advised to read all instructions before cutting, as seam allowances can affect border measurements. Straight-stitch machine sewing is the primary construction method used throughout.

Fabric and Materials

The Little Doll pattern is designed around a specific palette of Riley Blake Designs fabrics, each identified by their collection codes. The fabric requirements include a carefully curated mix of prints and solids:

• ¾ yard of cream main (C3310 Cream)
• 1/8 yard each of purple main (C3310 Purple), aqua floral (C3311 Aqua), green floral (C3311 Green), aqua sprout (C3312 Aqua), green dots (C3313 Green), green garden (C3314 Green), and purple garden (C