If you’re a fan of modern quilts that pack a punch, you’re not alone! Here at Gathered, we love pretty patchwork, and we’re all about sharing that passion with all of you lovely quilters.
If there’s one thing that can make an awesome quilt pattern even better… it’s when it’s free! Save those pennies for future fabric shopping sprees, as we have plenty of fantastic free modern quilt patterns for you to explore.
In this round-up, we’ve got everything from tried-and-tested traditional quilt blocks to classic techniques like Half-square and Corner-square Triangles!
Whether you’re into modern minimalist quilts with simple piecing, or you’d like to make a showstopping graphic quilt to display in your home, we’re certain we’ve got a free modern quilt pattern that’ll tickle your fancy.
If you’re new to quilting, we’ve got you covered: check out our Beginner’s Guide to Quilting, as well as our How to Use a Sewing Machine tutorial.
Explore these 21 free modern quilt patterns
1. Ombre quilt
Celebrate the birth of a new baby with this blue-tiful ombre quilt! Create the simple patchwork design by piecing together hexagons in shades of aqua, turquoise and cerulean and decorate with weather-themed embroidery for added cuteness. This sweet and soothing quilt would make a fantastic keepsake!
- Head over to our free ombre quilt pattern here on Gathered.
2. Sugar Skull quilt by Natalie Santini
Sew Natalie Santini's Sugar Skull quilt and add a piece of pixel patchwork art to any room! This pixel quilt is the perfect balance of spooky and sweet with its dramatic graphic design and delicious candy colour palette.
- Check out Natalie's free sugar skull quilt pattern here on Gathered.
3. Apple mini quilt by Kate Basti
Take a bite out of your fabric stash and use up scraps for this scrumptious contemporary design!
Master foundation paper piecing and use this clever technique to sew colourful apples in vibrant solids. We're sure this adorable mini quilt will become the apple of your eye!
- Find Kate Basti's free apple quilt pattern here on Gathered.
4. Contemporary patchwork quilt by Lynne Goldsworthy
This scandi-inspired quilt has us all starry-eyed with its dazzling star blocks in colourful small-scale prints.
Lynne Goldsworthy gives the traditional morning star quilt block a modern twist by pairing it with a minimalistic, frosty white background that will have you dreaming of snowy Nordic winters.
- Head over to Lynne's free contemporary patchwork quilt pattern here on Gathered.
5. Easy baby quilt by Lou Orth
This funky baby quilt is quick to make and will add a splash of colour to your little one's bedroom. Simply cut your favourite solid fabrics into half-rectangle triangles and then piece them together to create this striking geometric design!
- Find this easy baby quilt pattern here on Gathered.
6. Double Wedding Ring quilt
This bold and bright quilt is a fabulous example of modern traditionalism, reimagining the classic Double Wedding Ring design with a playful, contemporary colour palette.
Try your hand at curved piecing and treat a pair of newlyweds to this thoughtful handmade gift they'll treasure forever!
- This free Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern can be found here on Gathered.
7. Gingerbread mini quilt by Gracey Larson
Give your Christmas decor a refresh by making this sugary-sweet Gingerbread house mini quilt! Use traditional piecing to assemble this adorable seasonal design, then hang it up to spread festive cheer! We'll definitely be adding the pretty pastel fabrics in Gracey's design to our Christmas Wishlist this year!
- Learn how to make Gracey's Gingerbread Mini Quilt here on Gathered.
8. Under The Sea quilt tote bag by Jo Avery
As the last modern quilt pick was Christmas-themed, it's only right that we share a summer project too! Jo Avery has created the perfect summer bag with a soothing sea-themed design that will transport you to an idyllic island surrounded by crystal-clear water. Sew this dreamy tote bag and take it to the beach, or fill it with all your precious quilting supplies!
- Find Jo's Under The Sea tote bag pattern here on Gathered.
9. Snuggle Bunny by Kate Webber
This bunny baby quilt by Kate Webber is oh-so-cute and the perfect snuggle companion for tiny tots.
Expand your quilting repertoire and learn a range of essential quilting techniques such as appliqué, foundation paper piecing and how to sew half-square triangles. This sweet quilt is guaranteed to make your kids very hoppy!
- Find the Snuggle Bunny pattern here on Gathered.
10. Modern Mint quilt by Lou Orth
Check out this vision in grey, mint and mauve! This free modern quilt by Lou Orth keeps things minty fresh with simple Half-square Triangles and a calming colour palette.
- Head over to Lou’s free modern mini quilt pattern here on Gathered.
11. Clamshell Cuties by Jo Carter
Forget man’s best friend – cute clamshell quilts are officially a quilter’s best friend! This free clamshell pattern isn’t just adorable; it also lets you practise a new technique! We guarantee that paper-piecing scallops are about to become your new fave.
- Learn how to sew clamshell quilts with animal details here on Gathered.
- For bonus animal templates, buy our Clamshell Cuties bundle on Etsy which includes clamshell templates for lions, bears, rabbits, owls and raccoons (oh my!).
12. Playful Pinwheels quilt by Julie Ritter
This joyful Pinwheel quilt is sure to put your head in a spin! Mix an assortment of print scraps with a crisp white background fabric for this modern Half-square Triangle pattern.
- Enjoy the free pinwheel quilt pattern here on Gathered.
13. Modern Dresden quilt by Sarah Griffiths
LP&Q’s Senior Technical Editor and resident quilty expert Sarah Griffiths gives you the low-down on how to sew Dresden Plates into a beautiful, modern quilt in this free pattern!
Raid your stash for colourful prints to make your very own version of this fat quarter-friendly, scrap-happy make.
- Find the free Dresden quilt pattern here on Gathered.
14. Mountain Sunset quilt by Gracey Larson
Get straight to the point with this bold quilt in bright solids, geometric shapes and plenty of easy Corner-Square Triangles!
This free modern quilt pattern uses entirely traditional piecing to create this incredible mountain. It will leave you with a stunning end result that would make a fantastic statement wall hanging.
- Learn how to make a mountain quilt here on Gathered.
15. Modern Sunrise mini quilt by Nicole Calver
Combine warm peach tones with cool greens and low volume background prints to make your very own modern geometric quilt!
This magnificent mini measures just 24 inches square when finished, making it a perfect free modern quilt pattern for beginner quilters.
- Find this modern geometric quilt pattern here on Gathered.
Looking for more cute quilt round-ups?
If you’re a fan of cats and cute quilts, look no further. We’ve rounded up all the best Cat quilt patterns so you can transform your furry friend into a fabric masterpiece!
16. Hi Hexie quilt by Jenny Woodward
All hail the humble triangle! Jenny’s design gives simple rows of triangles a clever twist. She places pops of colour against crisp white backing fabric to create a large-scale hexagon effect.
- This free hexie triangles quilt pattern can be found here on Gathered.
17. Rainbow quilt by Sarah Ashford
No need to look for your next colourful quilt somewhere over the rainbow… we’ve got one for you right here!
This eye-catching free modern quilt pattern is great for patchwork beginners as it’s a pixel quilt. All you need to cut are simple squares of plain fabrics to piece up the quilt top!
- Learn to make this clever rainbow pixel quilt here on Gathered.
18. Scrappy Triangle mini quilt by Karen Lewis
Time for another stash-buster: dig out colourful offcuts and leftover triangles from your fabric collection for this scrappy Half-rectangle Triangle mini quilt!
It’s the perfect free modern quilt pattern to showcase a wide variety of colours and prints which you haven’t yet found a use for.
- Find this free Half-rectangle Triangle quilt pattern here on Gathered.
19. Pretty Gingham quilt by Stephanie Kendron
Give your nursery a beautiful blue update with this free, beginner-friendly baby quilt pattern. Stitch easy-piece patchwork squares in sweet gingham prints and matching solids for a quick win!
- Find this easy patchwork baby quilt pattern here on Gathered.
20. Easy Strip quilt by Karen Lewis
Make the most of simple fabric strips with this free modern quilt pattern! This beginner-friendly tutorial shows you how to combine scrap strips into an eye-catching, abstract quilt.
- Find the easy stripe quilt pattern here on Gathered.
21. Pumpkin Patch quilt by Amanda McCabe
Stitching this autumnal make will have you yearning for crunchy red and orange leaves, scary movies and warming cups of coffee…!
Amanda’s modern graphic mini quilt puts a fun twist on the traditional Log Cabin block with pumpkin blocks in rich ombre shades of orange and blue.
- Find the free pumpkin quilt pattern here on Gathered.
Get started on your next quilting project!
One of the things we love most about quilting is the variety of the craft. Once you’ve had your fill of traditional piecing and classic quilt blocks, you can check out new and exciting techniques which yield incredible results, such as paper piecing! Lucky for us, this list has a little bit of everything.
No matter your quilty preferences, we hope you’ve found a free modern quilt pattern in this list that’s just right for you.
Discover more free quilt patterns with Gathered
This list is only the beginning: Gathered has a huge selection of free quilting patterns for you to play around with. Browse through to find your next project!
