Skip to main content
Free quilt pattern: Improvised Herringbone
The Improvised Herringbone quilt pattern is the perfect pattern to let your creativity shine! These bold herringbone strips create lots of impact when stitched to a favorite background fabric, adding up to a special quilt in no time. (Who says you have to piece an entire top?)
Have fun being creative as you sew random-width strips to foundations using your favorite collection of fat quarters or a selection of scraps from your stash.
The quilt pattern dimensions are:
- Finished quilt: 70″ × 83″
- Finished block: 10″ × 20″
Quilting and finishing tips
- Cut the backing fabric in half to create two 83″-long pieces. Remove the selvages and sew the two pieces together side by side. Press the seam allowances open.
- Layer the backing, batting, and quilt top; baste the layers together and then quilt.
- Use the blue 2½”-wide strips to make double-fold binding and attach it to the quilt.
The quilt shown in these pictures is quilted in a herringbone pattern that compliments the patchwork design.
Conversely, you could opt for a curvy design such as loops, swirls, feathers or pebbles as a counterpoint to the straight lines in the quilt layout.
Improvised Herringbone is designed and pieced by Amy Ellis and machine quilted by Natalia Bonner. If you use the Improvised Herringbone pattern, please share pictures with us on our APQS Instagram or Facebook pages. Happy quilting!
Additional APQS resources
For more information on how to cut strips, check out our Strip Cutting Cheat Sheet.
For more information about the quilting process, read our article Quilting the Quilt: Ready, set, quilt.
