Double Four Patch Quilt with Feature Fabric (Easy Quilt Pattern)

Make a quick and easy baby quilt with this pattern featuring a Double Four Patch Block.  This easy quilt pattern is perfect for a beginner quilter.  Even experienced quilters will enjoy this pattern as it goes together quickly!

This quilt is made by alternating double four patch blocks and feature fabric blocks.  If you have fabrics with a large print or motif, this quilt is perfect to feature the fabric. 

This Double Four Patch squares for this quilt were cut with an Accuquilt cutter.  If you have a Go! Qube, this is a perfect first quilt to make to try out your Qube.    

Don't worry if you don't have an Accuquilt cutter. We have instructions for rotary cutting the blocks also!

The Double Four Patch quilt pattern is made with four fabrics. A large print animal flannel fabric is used in the large blocks.  The yellow stars, solid tan, and brown fabrics, also in flannel, make up the double four patch blocks.  

We have made three of these quilts with different fabrics.  See photos throughout this tutorial for the different quilts.  Our quilts will be donated to Comfort Cases and given to a child in foster care.

Keep reading this post to learn how to make this quilt and watch our video tutorial below for more information.

WHAT YOU NEED for a Double four patch quilt

• 10 Double Four Patch Block - Light, Medium, and Dark Fabrics
  • Dark (larger section) - 3/4 yard
  • Light & Medium (four patch) - 1/3 yard each fabric
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 yard of fabric for large 10 1/2" blocks (large print or motif): 42" - 45" width of fabric.
• 1 1/2 yards of backing fabric 
• 1/2 yard binding fabric
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Walking Foot
• Scissor
• Accuquilt Go! Cutter with Qube (any size) (OPTIONAL) - Qube dies are marked with numbers on them.  I used a 10" Qube for this quilt.
  • Die 1 (small square) or GO! Square-5 1/2"
  • Die 2 (large square) or GO! Square-3"
• Rotary Cutter, Mat, and Ruler

Finished Quilt Size when using a 10" Finished Block:  40" x 50" (approx)

Fabric yardages given above are approximate and is calculated for a quilt with 10" finished block size.

INSTRUCTIONS For this easy quilt pattern

STEP 1: Make the Double four patch blocks

The double four patch blocks for this quilt were cut using an Accuquilt Go! fabric cutter but these blocks can also be cut easily using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat. 

For instructions on how to make the double four patch blocks, please click the link to go to our complete tutorial.  The tutorial includes both Accquilt and traditional cutting methods and full assembly instructions.

To make the quilt as shown, make 10 double four patch blocks. 

The double four patch block is also featured in the book Quilt in a Day by Eleanor Burns.  This book came free with the purchase of a Go! Qube.

My Go! Qube is a 10" finished block size Qube.  So, each block will be 10 1/2" square before it's sewn into the quilt.

This quilt can be made using any size Go! Qube, but keep in mind the fabric requirements will be different and your quilt size will change.

The final quilt size can be changed by adding or removing blocks. If you are making this quilt with a smaller Qube, more blocks can be added to make the quilt larger.

While cutting out the fabrics for the butterfly quilt, I did not have enough of the tulip fabric for the 40 squares.  I used some extra butterfly fabric, and fussy cut the remaining squares making sure a butterfly was in the center of each block.

These butterfly squares were sewn into the double four patch blocks and they will be surprises hidden throughout the quilt.

STEP 2: Feature Fabric Blocks

This double four patch quilt with feature fabric alternates between a double four patch block and the feature fabric block.  

The feature fabric blocks are cut at 10 1/2" square.  10 feature fabric blocks are needed for the quilt.

These blocks were using a rotary cutter and mat. If you need instructions for rotary cutting blocks, visit our tutorial, How to Cut Quilt Squares.

You can see the fabrics for the butterfly quilt are all cut below.  The fussy cut butterfly squares are shown below with the tulip fabric.

STEP 3: Lay out the quilt

Once you have the 10 double four patch and 10 feature fabric blocks ready, it's time to assemble the quilt top.

Lay the quilt blocks on the floor or design wall with four blocks across by five rows.  Alternate between the double four patch block and the feature fabric block.

The special blocks with the butterflies were evenly distributed throughout the quilt.  Closely look at the photo below and you will notice at least one block with a butterfly in each row.

Check the quilt block layout to make sure all of the blocks are facing the correct direction.  The butterfly fabric in this quilt is directional, so take care if there are any directional fabrics.

I like to take a photo of the quilt and look at it on a smartphone.  Sometimes this will reveal something in the photo that I missed when looking at the quilt laying on the floor.

STEP 3: Sew the quilt top together

Once satisfied with the look of the quilt blocks, start sewing the blocks into rows.  

Start with either the top or bottom row, sewing the blocks together across the whole row.  Place the first two blocks in the row with the right sides together and sew the seam.  Add the next block in that row and sew it to start making a strip or row of blocks.  Continue with the next one and so on until the whole row is sewn together.

Use a 1/4" seam allowance to sew the blocks together.  Press the seams in one direction.  Press the seams in the next row in the opposite direction.  Alternate the pressing direction back and forth for each row.

Once the blocks are sewn into rows.  Sew two rows together matching the seams.  If you pressed the seams in opposite directions for each row, the seams should interlock together, making it easier to match up.

Press the seams for each row to one side.

Step 4: Add borders (Optional)

To make the quilt larger, one or more borders can be added around the quilt.

This quilt would look nice with a small 1" border and then a larger 2" or 3" border.  Remember to cut your border fabric 1/2" wider than you want the border to be.  This will account for the seam allowance.

To miter the fabrics together for a border, check our tutorial on joining quilt binding strips.   

Sew the borders to the top and sides of the quilt.

Step 5: Quilt Layering and Pin Basting

Once the quilt top is sewn together, it's time to sew the quilt layers together. Cut a piece of batting and backing fabric 4" larger than the quilt top in both directions. 

Our quilts have a solid flannel as the batting.  Since our quilts are being donated to Comfort Cases, the flannel makes the quilt thinner and able to be rolled up into a backpack.

Use your preferred batting.  We usually prefer cotton batting for our quilts.

Since this quilt is 40" wide, the backing did not need to be pieced together.  To learn how to make a backing for a larger quilt, click the link.

Layer and pin baste your quilt to prepare it for quilting the layers.  We have a full video tutorial on this process so click the link to see the tutorial.

The quilt top, batting, and backing shown above are ready for quilting.  

Step 6: Quilting Ideas

There are many different options for quilting the layers together.  The quilt below was quilted with diagonal lines through the center of the blocks.  

For the butterfly quilt, an End-to-End design featuring butterflies was stitched with an embroidery machine.  This design is available from Designs by JuJu.  Find a link to the pattern at the end of this tutorial.

Use your imagination and creativity to choose a quilting pattern for your quilt.  It can be simple also!

Step 7: Binding the Quilt

The last step in this quilt is to add binding around the edge.  First, square up the quilt.  Hailey Stitches has a good tutorial if you need to know how to square a quilt.

For binding our quilts, we used our Quick Quilt Binding method. This is a no hand sewing required binding and one of my favorites for quick quilts.

Another nice binding is the Flange Binding.  I use this one for most of the quilts I make for myself or to give as gifts. 

The binding you pick depends on the look you would like to achieve.  I've used both of these in many quilts!  If you prefer a more traditional binding, we have a tutorial for that also through the link.

Finished Quilts

The quilts are now finished!  Below you can see photos of our finished double four patch with feature fabric quilts.  

I like how these quilts turned out and think a little boy or girl will enjoy having one of these for their own quilt.

The back of this quilt has another butterfly fabric I had in my stash!

Kate made the quilt below with some Littlest Pet Shop fabric for the feature fabric.  The double four patch blocks stand out more in this quilt with the light, medium and dark fabric.

The backing for this Littlest Pet Shop quilt is a soft flannel.  This will ensure the quilt is cuddly and warm.

We hope that you enjoyed learning how to make this Double Four Patch Quilt.  Let us know how you like it by commenting on the Youtube video.  

If you make a quilt from this tutorial, we would love to see it!  Share a photo of it in our Facebook Group, Free Sewing & Quilting Patterns.

Below are some other quilt tutorials you may be interested in.