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12 of the best free modern quilt patterns

Quilt to your heart’s content without breaking the bank thanks to these free modern quilt patterns!

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Published: September 25, 2023 at 10:00 am

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 12 free modern quilt patterns

1. Modern Mint quilt by Lou Orth

Free modern mini quilt pattern

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.

2. Clamshell Cuties by Jo Carter

bulldog scallop patchwork quilt design

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.

3. Playful Pinwheels quilt by Julie Ritter

Free pinwheel quilt pattern tutorial

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.

4. Modern Dresden quilt by Sarah Griffiths

Dresden quilt

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.

5. Mountain Sunset quilt by Gracey Larson

Mountain quilt

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 an incredible end result that would make a stunning statement wall hanging.

6. Modern Sunrise mini quilt by Nicole Calver

Modern mini quilt pattern

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.

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!

7. Hi Hexie quilt by Jenny Woodward

Free-triangles-quilt-pattern

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.

9. Rainbow quilt by Sarah Ashford

How to make a rainbow quilt

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!

10. Scrappy Triangle mini quilt by Karen Lewis

Free triangles quilt pattern

Time for a 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.

11. Pretty Gingham quilt by Stephanie Kendron

Easy patchwork quilt pattern for beginners

Give your nursery a beautiful blue update with this free, beginner-friendly baby quilt pattern. Simply stitch easy-piece patchwork squares in sweet gingham prints and matching solids for a quick win!

12. Easy Strip quilt by Karen Lewis

Easy stripe quilt pattern step by step

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.

13. Pumpkin Patch quilt by Amanda McCabe

Free pumpkin quilt pattern

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.

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!