Looking for simple and fun layer cake quilt patterns? Discover our selection of 40+ layer cake quilt patterns that are completely free and more than 10 inspiring patterns you can buy!
Layer cakes are one of the most popular fabric precuts for quilt patterns. Fabric precuts are always a perfect choice whether you’re making your first quilt or you’d like to speed up the cutting process.
These 10” fabric squares, the so called layer cakes, are a great starting point for many quilt blocks or traditional patterns. But you’ll see that many modern quilt pattern designers make good use of them in their contemporary patterns, as well.
Check out our curated list of 50+ patterns for layer cake quilts!
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40+ Free Layer Cakes Quilt Patterns
Browse our more than 40 awesome layer cake quilt patterns that are completely free!
Moon Cake Quilt by Moda Fabrics
As you can see, this layer cake-friendly pattern is pieced using half-square triangles (HSTs) of the same size. It’s a quick project – not only can you use precuts, but you can also speed up the entire quilt top assembly by efficiently making 8 half-square triangles at once. For step-by-step instructions, check out our easy tutorial on making half-square triangles using 4 different methods.
Layer Cake Links Quilt Pattern by Fat Quarter Shop
This simple pattern complements any layer cake bundle—whether it’s solids, prints, a mix-and-match, or even a single color, the geometric design will still shine through. A video tutorial is included!
Layer Cake Lattice by Fat Quarter Shop
I like the visual impact of this playful layer cake quilt pattern. Sometimes, I see plus signs, while other times, it forms a layer of smaller white squares on top of a layer of larger colorful ones. It’s a simple yet modern design!
Layer Cake Checkmate by Fat Quarter Shop
If you want to showcase your layer cake bundle without too much cutting, this is one of the layer cake quilt patterns that is perfect for you. Plus, you can get creative with various quilt border designs!
Layer Cake Custard by Fat Quarter Shop
The Fat Quarter Shop offers great layer cake quilt patterns, and I like the geometric simplicity of this one. It is pieced from just two blocks, comes together quickly and the result is absolutely stunning! This quilt top provides an excellent canvas for your quilting creativity. Be sure to explore our ideas for straight line quilting patterns!
Layer Cake Tumble Quilt Pattern by Fat Quarter Shop
This pattern uses layer cakes for the colorful squares and jelly rolls for the white sections. While the final result may seem randomly arranged, the clever design adds a touch of complexity to the simple look. Your layer cake prints or solids will effortlessly stand out!
Quilt With Square Quilt by Designed to Quilt
This one is ours! It’s so simple but one of our favorites. It’s made from 5” squares, which makes it very friendly for precuts. Ula experimented with different color arrangements, and the results are truly eye-catching!
Layer Cake Pop by Fat Quarter Shop
I love how fresh this pattern looks. The cool color arrangement makes it seem like a white layer is on top of a colorful background. For this one, the colors come from layer cakes, and the white parts are made from jelly rolls – it’s like a precut party!
Rain or Shine Quilt Pattern by Moda Fabrics
Create a vibrant nine-patch quilt with your favorite layer cake bundle! This pattern suggests using prints in three colorways: pink, green, and blue. Each block has three prints from a single colorway. The final arrangement of blocks produces a stunning ombre effect in the quilt! We have some great tips on how to choose colors for modern quilts.
Ducks Fly Together Quilt Pattern by Moda Fabrics
This is one of layer cake quilt patterns that is ideal if you wish to use various prints while achieving a minimalist final look. The solid background highlights the vibrant colors of the arrows.
Peaks and Valleys Quilt by Moda Fabrics
Choose this layer cake quilt pattern for a playful way to practice creating flying geese blocks! The pattern itself doesn’t provide a step-by-step tutorial for making flying geese blocks. But don’t worry – you can easily follow our flying geese block tutorial to learn how to make them two different ways!
Pyramids Quilt Pattern by Moda Fabrics
Improve your quilting skills by piecing a quilt top from triangles! Learn how to cut and sew on the bias. Read our tips on working with bias edges and create this modern geometric layer cake quilt pattern.
Outside The Lines Quilt by Moda Fabrics
To me, this quilt top looks like blooming flowers, which is perfect for a spring vibe! The colorful part comes from layer cakes, and the background is made with yardage. It’s a playful half-square triangle quilt pattern from layer cakes!
Sugar Quilt – Petunia by Then Came June
Here’s another modern half-square triangle quilt pattern that lets you showcase your artistic side. Meghan from Then Came June provides different examples using solids and prints, resulting in eye-catching geometric quilts.
Big Sky Quilt Pattern by Moda Fabrics
Here’s another fantastic geometric example of layer cake quilt patterns that is pieced with half-square triangles. It’s easy to create with a striking final appearance!
Peaches & Cream Quilt by Simple Simon & Co.
This pattern is created using a one one-block design by cutting layer cakes into three pieces and then mixing and matching them with added sashings. It’s a simple design with a striking visual impact!
Giant Bear Paw Quilt Pattern by Polkadot Chair
You might have noticed that both Ula and I really like the bear paw quilt block, whether in its traditional or modern versions. Melissa created a big bear paw design using precuts. It works well not only with layer cakes but also with fat quarters or 5” squares – perfect for all these gorgeous fabric bundles!
Simple Sawtooth Star Baby Quilt by Polkadot Chair
It’s easy to see how this pattern is layer cake friendly. The playful sawtooth star blocks give a charming touch to the simple grid patchwork design. The finished quilt is baby-sized, making it ideal if you’re searching for quilt patterns for babies or want a simple star quilt without doing too much cutting on the layer cake prints.
Free Gathered Precuts Quilt Pattern by Polkadot Chair
This quilt pattern is really simple, making it a fantastic choice if you want a neutral design to showcase your fabric bundles with prints or solids. It’s perfect for creating a themed quilt, just like the Halloween quilt Melissa made. If you’d like to get some great Halloween quilt patterns, check out our modern ideas for Halloween quilts.
Modern Layer Cake Quilt – The Scattered Windows by Yoan Sewing Studio
This layer cake quilt pattern uses a set of layer cake precuts and measures approx. 60.5 x 70.5”. I really enjoy the playful effect with the sashing and block rotations.
Five-Slice Layer Cake Quilt by Yoan Sewing Studio
Here’s another fun example of layer cake quilt patterns, designed by Yoan from Yoan Sewing Studio. It uses the whole set of layer cake precuts, and as the name suggests, each one is cut into five slices. The pieces are then mixed and matched to create a playful pattern.
Jumble Quilt Pattern by A Bright Corner
This fun pattern is great for precuts, including layer cakes. Although it might look intricate, don’t worry—Andy from A Bright Corner provides clear instructions.
Blooming Florals Quilt by Sew4Home
In addition to being a layer cake-friendly quilt pattern, what’s intriguing about it is its shape. The corners don’t form perfect 90-degree angles but instead follow the triangular shape of the half-square triangles, highlighting the central composition and floral form.
Chevron Quilt Pattern by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
This traditional quilt pattern using layer cakes even for the background comes together really quickly! With its simplicity, you have plenty of variations to choose from—follow Jamie’s lead and use prints, opt for solids, or go for a monochrome look; the zig-zag shape will still stand out!
Simple Basket Weave Quilt Pattern by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
If you want to show off your layer cake prints, this pattern is perfect. Pick a neutral and contrasting background, and let your favorite fabrics stand out!
Spring Picnic Quilt by It’s Only Fabric and Thread
I absolutely adore the playful vibes of this colorful quilt! It’s made from layer cakes with 5” squares added for the background, comes together quickly, and the final result is truly impressive!
Layers of Charm Quilt Pattern by Fat Quarter Shop
The quilt in the picture was made by Cynthia from Quilting is More Fun Than Housework …, and the pattern is a free one from Fat Quarter Shop. It’s an easy way to showcase your favorite layer cake bundle! Cynthia came up with the idea to use up the leftovers and piece them into a colorful quilt—resulting in a playful pinwheel quilt!
Layer Cake Coin Quilt by She Quilts A Lot
I like the simplicity of this quilt pattern using layer cakes. The striped design and vertical sashings give it a nice modern touch!
How To Make an Easy Layer Cake Quilt by On Williams Street
Missy and Kimie from On Williams Street have a simple tutorial on creating a layer cake quilt. They provide a step-by-step guide with a video tutorial. The finished quilt is approx. 57 x 57” and has a striking visual impact! It is a great choice if you’re looking for modern Christmas quilt patterns.
Pinwheel Baby Quilt by She Quilts A Lot
Peta from She Quilts A Lot has a great tutorial on making a pinwheel quilt for babies. The pattern can be made from yardage or layer cake precuts, with the pinwheel blocks requiring 24 layer cakes. The finished quilt is approx. 45 x 45”. If you wish to make a larger quilt, you can adjust the quilt border, and our quilt border calculator can assist you.
Star Patch Quilt Pattern by She Quilts A Lot for Moda Bake Shop
What I like about the layer cake quilt patterns is how versatile they are. This one is pieced from quarter-square triangle blocks and squares, creating the illusion of stars covering the quilt top. The tutorial features a baby-sized quilt, approx. 38.5 x 38.5”. You can also make the baby size quilt using a charm pack.
Windmill Quilt by Material Girl Quilts
Here’s another playful example of layer cake quilt patterns, pieced with half-square triangle blocks. HST blocks are pieced together to form a windmill shape. The pattern is easy to follow, and there’s a helpful video with clear instructions.
Layer Cake Quilt – Chevron Style by Patchwork Posse
Becky from Patchwork Posse created this simple Chevron-style quilt pattern using layer cakes. She chose different prints in a similar colorway and arranged them in zig-zag rows.
Square On Point Quilt by Patchwork Posse
Just like the name suggests, this pattern is created from blocks where the center square is rotated 45 degrees, giving the illusion of squares on their points. These blocks, called I Spy quilt blocks, are similar to the traditional Square in a Square block.
The Stacker Quilt by Aunt Em’s Quilts
This pattern could be one of the easiest layer cake quilt patterns. Each layer cake is cut into 4 same-width strips and then mixed and matched to create 8-patch rectangle blocks. The strip piecing method makes the piecing process faster, and you’ll end up with a finished quilt of approximately 49 x 57”.
Introspection Quilt Pattern by Eudaimonia Studio
This is one of my favorite layer cake quilt patterns. It is a free pattern if you subscribe to the newsletter of Eudaimonia Studio. Whether you use solids or prints, the finished quilt will be an eye-catcher!
Herringbone Quilt Pattern by Designed to Quilt
Ula designed this pattern to give a modern twist to the traditional herringbone quilt patterns. It’s a simple design made with equally sized half-square triangle blocks! While she used 12” starting squares to make 8-at-a-time HSTs, you can easily adapt it to a layer cake for a smaller or larger quilt (depending on the HST method you will use).
X & + Blocks Quilt by Aunt Em’s Quilts
This pattern is super precut-friendly! Make it from layer cakes, charm squares, or jelly rolls. Em has a video tutorial where she shows you step by step how to make this playful quilt.
Subway Tile Quilt Pattern by APQS
A simple tile-pieced quilt comes together quickly and works well with bigger prints. It’s originally designed as a lap-size pattern, but you can easily make it larger by adding more columns of strips.
Layer Cake Lemonade Quilt by Fat Quarter Shop
Show off your beautiful layer cake bundle! This pattern comes together really quickly and gives you a modern and eye-catching quilt.
Here you can easily figure out the layer cake precuts. They are arranged on a grid sashing with added border. If you want to add extra creativity, you can design your own border. Get inspired by our modern quilt border ideas.
Love Layer Cake Quilt by Southern Makings (pattern by Moda Fabrics)
This quilt pattern reminds me of a giant blooming flower. I love the bright colors Whitney from Southern Makings chose. She made this quilt for the Moda LOVEin’ quilt along, and you can see more beautiful ones that Alli from Woodberry Way collected.
Raw-Edge Layer Cake Quilt Tutorial by Bloom
This simple layer cake quilt has an interesting twist in how it’s pieced. It’s a raw-edge quilt or usually called a rug quilt, made from mini quilted parts. Each layer cake is like its own mini quilt, and they’re sewn together. The connecting seams are clipped to give it wavy edges. It’s a great pattern for practicing quilting designs – get some quilting tips in our machine quilting guide for beginners.
10+ Inspiring Layer Cake Quilt Patterns
We’ve also gathered some gorgeous quilt patterns using layer cakes you can buy!
Seas The Day Quilt Pattern by Polkadot Chair
I really like the fun vibe of this modern baby quilt. It’s about 52 x 62”, the baby quilt size is perfect for a lap or crib quilt. Just choose a cute layer cake bundle with baby prints, and you’re good to go. Using precuts makes it even quicker!
Scrap Happy Rainbow Quilt Pattern by Leila Gardunia
Here’s another excellent example of a playful color arrangement, this time in a vibrant rainbow quilt. As long as you stick to the rainbow color scheme, you can use either solids or prints and still achieve a stunning modern pixel quilt.
Spot On! Quilt Pattern by A Bright Corner
This geometric pattern creates the illusion of using curves, but it’s just an optical illusion. Opt for contrasting solids, and your layer cake bundle will be spot on!
Lofty Quilt Pattern by A Bright Corner
I really liked the simplicity of this geometric pattern. It works well with layer cake bundles, fat quarters, fat eights, or, of course, yardage. It looks good with different prints, and as Ula mentioned, “It would look great in solids too!”
Clearly Perfect Pinwheels by Missouri Star
Create this modern pinwheel quilt pattern using layer cakes! Use prints or solids—just make sure the background is contrasting enough.
Starlight Quilt Pattern by Cotton and Joy
Piece together this star quilt pattern using your favorite layer cake bundle! I love how the background adds a fresh touch to the modern look.
Cozy Village Quilt Pattern by Cotton and Joy
This minimalist quilt pattern will surely bring coziness to your home. Create your dreamy village!
Squared Up Quilt Pattern by Cotton and Joy
This pattern is one of those simple layer cake quilt patterns that gets geometric look with the addition of neutral sashings and borders. The minimalist design gives you the freedom to choose solids, prints, or a combination and get a stunning modern outcome!
Another minimalist quilt pattern that is easy to cut and sew. The simple pattern design can be a great canvas to show off your quilting skills. Get inspired by our straight-line quilting patterns!
Welcome Home Quilt Pattern by She Quilts A Lot
This is one of layer cake quilt patterns that can be a wonderful idea for a thoughtful and personal housewarming gift!
Candy Swirls by Suzanne Jackman for Splendid Speck
Make a colorful quilt top covered in candy! This is one of the easy layer cake quilt patterns that is perfect for beginners too.
I hope at least one of these layer cake quilt patterns goes on your future quilting list. We’d love to see your take on the layer cake quilt!
