Flocks of Colour: Updated Quilt Pattern With Five Sizes

This quilt is an updated version of my very first quilt pattern. The original (you can read about it here) was published in Make Modern issue 19 (See it here! Affiliate link) exactly eight years ago this month.

Flocks of Colour is the pattern that started my career as a quilt pattern designer. Back then, the pattern only included two sizes and didn’t offer any colourways. It worked at the time, but as I’ve grown as a designer, and as quilters have asked for more options and clarity, it felt like the right moment to revisit it and give it a proper update.

I wanted to honour what made the original special while giving it the range and refinement it deserves, so this version now includes more sizes, more colour options, better instructions, and a layout that feels more in line with the patterns I write today.

What’s New in the Updated Flocks of Colour Quilt Pattern

This revised version now includes:

• Five sizes from Baby to Double

• Two colourways with full fabric requirements and instructions:

  • a monochrome version

  • a multicoloured or rainbow version

The sample I made here is the throw size in rainbow.

The pattern is still as beginner-friendly and fun to make as the original was. It’s great for showing off a rainbow of colours, a favourite fabric collection, or even large scraps, since every goose can be made from a different fabric.

Bonus Half-Square Triangle Blocks Included in the Pattern

The pattern uses a beginner-friendly flying geese method that creates a little waste. Instead of letting those triangles become unused scraps, I’ve included instructions for turning them into bonus half-square triangle blocks (or HSTs), along with layout ideas for using them.

My own bonus HSTs ended up in a baby quilt, which eventually inspired my Chasing Rainbows quilt pattern (See the Blog post here!)

Fabric Choices and Playing With Colour Gradients

The Flocks of Colour quilt pattern has always been about gradients - light to dark, warm to cool, or across the full colour spectrum.

Monochrome Version

Uses one colour in five shades.
This version relies on value (light vs. dark) to create the gradient effect.

Multicoloured / Rainbow Version

Works best when arranged in colour gradients. You can use:

• the full rainbow
• just a few colours
• or even a curated collection of favourite prints

The multicoloured layout is also a good opportunity to show off:

• a fabric line
• special prints
• large scrap pieces

In that case, you can arrange the colours in whatever order looks most pleasing, without having to follow a strict gradient.

Using the Create Collection by Kristy Lea

For this updated sample, I chose the Create collection by Kristy Lea for Riley Blake Designs. A rainbow version was my original inspiration for the pattern, so I wanted to stay true to that theme.

And since Kristy is one-third of the Make Modern team, it felt fitting to remake my first pattern using her first fabric line.

The collection worked beautifully. The rainbow prints were perfect for the geese, and the geometric bees for the background were fun to sew with. I did briefly wonder whether the bees might be too busy for the front and better suited for the back, but once the quilt was sewn together, I think it was the right choice.

For the binding, Kristy’s collection included a rainbow stripe that incorporated some of the main motifs. I love striped binding in every shape and form, so when I saw that fabric, I knew immediately it would be perfect.

Quilting Design

I brought the completed top to Heather at Red Willow Quilts, and she designed a custom pantograph inspired by one of Kristy’s fabrics. It tied the whole quilt together and echoed the geometric feel of the prints nicely.

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly project that plays beautifully with colour, the Flocks of Colour pattern is available here.