Gather your supplies and get ready for more 50 States fun with the Quilt USA quilt. This quilt features all 50 State blocks along with a USA applique center. Pick up where you left off last summer or join us for a new adventure.
Each week we group together some of the 50 states quilt blocks by technique and share tips and ticks for making those blocks.
All the state block instructions are already published and can be found by clicking on the state’s initials:
AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Quilt USA
92″ x 105″
Fabric Requirements
Sashing, Center & Border Fabric: 4 yards
State Blocks & State Appliques: You may prefer to work from scraps or hand-select each states colors yourself.
Cutting Instructions
From the sashing, center, and border fabric, cut:
(26) 1 1/2″ strips cut from the width of the fabric for sashing
- subcut into (78) 1 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rectangles
(10) 1 1/2″ strips cut from the width of the fabric for the borders
- piece into (2) 1 1/2″ x 103″ strips and (2) 1 1/2″ x 92″ strips
(1) 40″ x 27″ rectangle
Applique Center
*Note: If you previously downloaded the pdfs, please delete the previous and download the new ones loaded below. The corrected files end in 628.
Download the USA Applique Outline here.
To print the USA Outline, open the pdf in the Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the print icon along the top, select the Poster feature found in the row of four rectangles in the center of the Print window. Set the Overlap to 0.5 or your desired overlap. Check the Cut marks box and print.
Using overlap guides, tape the outline together and lightly trace onto the 40″ x 27″ background.
Download the State Appliques here.
Using a double stick fusible like Lite Steam-A-Seam 2, trace the state appliques. Press to the wrong side of the state fabric and cut out. Peel away the paper and temporarily stick in place centering it in the designated states location. There with be a little gap between each state.
Once all the states are in place, top stitch each state to secure. You may wish to add a line of stitches for embellishment between the states.
Trim to 38 1/2″ x 25 1/2″ rectangle.
Block Guides
We’ve curated the blocks by suggested assembly technique and added tips along the way. Check them all out below.
Patchwork Piecing
Brush up on your patchwork piecing skills for making the 50 States quilt blocks!
Template Piecing
Learn about template cutting and how to use them with piecing.
English Paper Piecing Basics
Learn the basics of English Paper Piecing.
EPP Blocks with Center Points
Work with sections to tackle EPP blocks with center points.
EPP Blocks with Curves
Did you know you can curved piece using EPP? Learn how!
EPP Block Practice
Master EPP through practice with these five blocks.
Foundation Paper Piecing Basics
Learn the fundamentals of FPP.
FPP to a Point
Manage matching points, unruly bias, and bulky seams while Foundation Paper Piecing.
Applique All the Way
Get applique tips in multiple techniques to find what works best for you!
Finish Strong
With all your skills, finish off the last few state blocks!
Show off your creations, connect with other quilters, and get inspired!
Be sure to join our growing community of quilters at the AQS Project Parade Facebook Group. There are lots of great quilters there to answer questions and encourage you along your quilting journey.
Members get even more…
Find 50 State Mug Rugs featuring exclusive applique patterns for members!
AQS Members can access hundreds of patterns and digital issues of American Quilter magazine at any time.
Not a member? Join today!
Area the color in each block the formal state colors or an option by the quilter?
Hi Thomas, The colors selected for each block are the vintage colors used in the past. As always, you can use any colors you like. Thanks, Betsey
There is a problem with the print friendly feature for these states. It generates a file for one page only.
AK, HI, OK, OR, VA, WV. I tried to generate my own pdf file but the header for the website interferes with the content of the pages. This is true for any page on the website when trying to generate your own pdf file.
Can someone address this issue and let me know when I can finish downloading these pages?
Hi Rita, Thank you for letting us know the Print Friendly plug in isn’t working properly. I’ll look into it and get back with you. Thanks, Betsey
I am wondering if there should be a pattern download for these states: ID, IN, KY, LA, MA, NE, VA.
Hi Rita, Kentucky has downloadable English Paper Piecing templates, all the other blocks are traditionally pieced so no downloadable templates or patterns are necessary. Thanks, Betsey