If you’ve been wanting to make a sweet little baby quilt but don’t know where to start—this is it! This simple nine patch baby quilt is one of the easiest and most satisfying quilts you can sew.
Whether you’re brand new to quilting or just want a fast finish using your stash, this project is fun, fast, and full of charm.
We’re sticking with basics here—just nine patch blocks and alternating solid background squares.
No fancy corners.
No sashing.
No borders.
Just good ol’ patchwork. And honestly, that’s one of the things I love most about it.
Why You’ll Love This Quilt
- Baby size – Perfect for a gift, tummy time, or a quick finish.
- Scrap/stash friendly – All you need are 2 1/2″ squares and background fabric.
- Beginner-friendly construction – Just squares and straight seams.
- Easy to quilt – Keep it simple with straight-line or wavy quilting.
- Customizable layout – Use soft pastels, brights, prints, or solids—anything goes!
Fabric Requirements:
You’ll need a mix of print and background fabrics. This is a great project for charm squares or leftover jelly roll strips cut down to 2 1/2″ squares.
The finished quilt measures 42″ x 42″, made with seven rows of seven blocks.
You need background fabric for:
- 100 squares for the Nine Patch blocks (2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares)
- 24 solid alternate blocks (6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ squares)
You need patterned fabric for:
- 125 squares for the Nine Patch blocks (2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares)
Quilt Layout Overview
The quilt is built from two types of blocks:
- 25 Nine Patch blocks made from print and background 2 1/2″ squares
- 24 solid background blocks cut at 6 1/2″ square
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You’ll alternate these across 7 rows, like this:
Nine Patch – Solid – Nine Patch – Solid – Nine Patch – Solid – Nine Patch
Next row starts with a solid, and so on…
This gives a lovely checkerboard look that’s simple and modern.
Nine Patch Baby Quilt Instructions:
1- Sew the Nine Patch Blocks
- Arrange (5) background and (4) print squares in a 3×3 grid.
- Sew into three rows of three squares each.
- Join the rows, press, and square up to 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″.
2- Lay Out the Quilt
- Alternate Nine Patch blocks with solid background squares.
- Begin Row 1 with a Nine Patch, Row 2 with a solid—repeat alternating layout.
- You’ll end up with 7 rows of 7 blocks total.
3- Assemble the Quilt Top
- Sew blocks into rows.
- Join rows together, pressing seams as you go.
Quilting + Finishing Tips
For quilting, you can keep things super simple.
A few ideas:
- Diagonal crosshatch (great for practicing straight lines)
- Gentle wavy lines edge-to-edge
- Stitch in the ditch along the seams
You can see from my quilt that I quilted the background squares and the nine patch I actually just kept it simple with an X quilting (from corner to corner of the block).
Both of these quilting designs can be quilted with your traditional machine.
Not up for quilting with your sewing machine? You can tie the quilt as well.
Binding can be scrappy or a contrasting solid to frame the quilt. I used 2 1/2″ binding strips—5 of them from WOF was plenty. Add some fun with a flange binding as well. I love this little addition. It’s a great way to up the look of the quilt with a few extra steps.
Finishing the Quilt
1. Cut or piece together your batting and a piece of quilt backing fabric.
2. Make a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting, and top.
3. Baste together with fusible batting, pins or basting spray.
3. Quilt as desired. A few of my favorite ways to quilt are Straight line quilting or cross hatch quilting. Use a walking foot on your sewing machine. Trim away the extra batting and backing.
4. Cut strips of fabric for the binding. Cut 2 1/2” tall (sometimes I use 2 1/4″) binding strips. Sew the binding strips together and bind using your favorite technique.
That’s it—easy peasy and so satisfying!
Whether you’re sewing for a baby shower, a charity project, or just because you’re ready for a quick finish, this nine patch baby quilt is always a winner.
More Baby Quilt Patterns:
Simple Eye Spy quilt – great for using charm packs of fun prints… find the match!
Charm blossom baby quilt – perfect for your favorite charm pack of fabrics.
Need a quick baby blanket? The 30 minute baby blanket only uses two pieces of fabric and 30 minutes of your time.
Learn the disappearing technique with this four patch baby quilt.
Becky Jorgensen is the creative quilter behind Patchwork Posse, the Patchwork Planner and her online quilt group Patchworkers Plus. You can find her patterns in books, magazines, and her quilt membership. Gather your quilting supplies, organize your sewing space, explore the process of disappearing quilt blocks, or finish a free quilt pattern. I'll help you use what you have, finish what you start and make your quilting journey fun!
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