Easy as Cake {FREE} Quilt Pattern
Easy as Cake 
Today, I am sharing a free quilt pattern, Easy as Cake. And it is a simple one to piece! I also tried out a new ruler for trimming up flying geese units which was fun.
The Easy as Cake quilt features fabrics from my Coriander Colors line of fabric and the background is from Coriander Seeds. I quite like this pairing. The Coriander Seeds fabric I chose to use is the Happy Words fabric. It’s such a neat, block text print. We don’t see as many white on white text print fabrics…I really like having this option in Coriander Seeds.
Nicole and I filmed a video chatting about Easy as Cake and I demo’d a new to me ruler, the Ultimate Flying Geese tool.
You can watch the video here.
Because of Moda Blockheads, I’ve been making a lot of 4 at a time flying geese units. For the duration of MBH, I used my regular rulers for trimming up these units. I decided that I wanted to see what other options there were for trimming up flying geese units and tried out a new ruler. When I wrote up the Easy as Cake pattern, I used the 4 at a time method of making flying geese and in the video, I show how to use the ruler I tried out. Of course, you don’t need to use any special ruler, but I did enjoy the ease of trimming!
Here’s what Easy as Cake looks like in a couple other fabric options. First up Starberry (I kept the black polka dot fabric from Coriander Colors & the b/w stripe for the binding):
Next up, a mix of Coriander Colors and Cali & Co. (Cali & Co. comes out in November):
For this quilt, I switched the placement of the lights and darks in the flying geese units and added a border.
If you’d like to make your own Easy as Cake quilt, you can download the free quilt pattern here.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Corey
This is so cute! I love a good way to show off big squares of favorite fabrics. This would be so good for Christmas, and I could make 2 coordinated throws from just 1 layer cake for my sisters!!! My mind is buzzing!
It’s a great way to show off the prints in a layer cake!
I love this pattern. Thanks Corey. I have a layer cake that I have not wanted to chop up but I also didn’t just want to sew them together side by side but this is the perfect pattern to showcase them. And I do love stars. Can’t wait to watch the video and get started.
Thanks so much!
Thank You so Much Corey. I think I counted 47 flying geese. A definite learning challenge. Looking forward to this pattern.
It’s a good chance to practice the flying geese!
What a great way to highlight layer cake prints that you don’t want to cut up. Love this!
It does allow you to show off those prints!
Hi Corey, Thank you for this sweet quilt pattern. I love it. I really enjoyed the different collections featured as well. 😀
It was fun to show it in different collections!
This is perfect for a project I’m wanting to do! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Corey, thanks for all of your hard work creating patterns for us to enjoy. However, I don’t know what to do with the 1.5″ cut off of each layer cake square. It seems wasteful. Why do designers not use the full 10″ square and design around that?
Arlene, I
Arlene, I use the left over fabric on the back on what I call my “label row”. Years ago when I was taught to quilt by a very talented quilter, she always said to make sure I labeled my quilts. Every time I make a quilt I try to use up as much of the extra fabric that I can with a label row. It takes a little extra work, but the back should be as interesting as the front. You could sew them all together in sets or whatever works and sew around your label and then use the backing fabric to fill in where you need. Sometimes this saves the amount of backing fabric you need also. I hope this gives you an idea. I showed this to the girls at my local quilt store and now they all do it.
I responded to this question you left over on Facebook but I’ll respond here as well in case other blog readers were wondering why patterns are for layer cakes might be written this way & a few different reasons that I prefer to give wiggle room on layer cake squares….1. On the off-chance that a square is a little bit short you are still able to use it. 2. It allows you to straighten a print. Sometimes prints don’t run straight on a layer cake square. 3. It allows you to trim off the pinked edges. Some quilters really don’t enjoy working with those pinked edges. 4. As much as it is discouraged to not pre-starch precuts, there are still those that do resulting in squares that no longer measure 10″ square. 5. Sometimes a slightly smaller square just works better for the pattern.
Corey, Thank you for the response to Arlene’s question. I also had wondered why the full layer cake cut is not used in patterns. Your points are very pertinent, but I can also appreciate Arlene’s point. I have a Kaffe Fassett layer cake that has pinked edges and a few of his more scattered prints which in my particular layer cake means several of the prints are on the edges of the squares with a solid centre, so if I trim and sew the squares I will end up with solid colour blocks very disappointing when you pay a premium price for a designers fabric and end up with a solid colour and not the print. Hmmm, maybe cutting the squares into quarters and turning the printed edges into the centre and restitching will gain as much of the print as possible.
Love the pattern and video and ruler tips. I wanted to size up some to more of a twin and by adding two rows and a column so it uses 35 squares. Is the size of the top in the pattern off? I come up with 52 1/2 × 64 1/2, Maybe I need more coffee.
You are exactly right!…I updated the pattern to reflect the correct size.
Thanks! This pattern looks like it will come together quickly- sometimes you just need that!
It’s a fast one!
Love this pattern and am lucky to already have the Ultimate Flying Geese Tool. My question is…in the “Easy as Cake pattern, the finished size of the flying geese is 4.5” x 8.5” and the flying geese ruler has a maximum size of 4” x 8.” Is that correct?
The finished size of the flying geese in the Easy as Cake pattern is 4″ x 8″. Finished size refers to the size they are when sewn into the quilt top. The measurement you see listed in step 7 of the pattern is the unfinished measurement. I used the ruler in the video to make flying geese that measure 4″ x 8″ finished which is
4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ unfinished and the size we need for this pattern. Does that make sense?
Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing this lovely quilt pattern. As a “senior novice” I’m looking forward to seeing how I do! Thanks, also, for the video, as I’m a visual learner, so that will help immensely! The Lord bless you for your kindness!
You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy stitching it up. =)
Yes, that makes sense. Thank you so much Corey.
Thank you for the pattern, Corey. It is beautiful.
You’re welcome!
Thank you for this pattern. I have some fat quarters with large focal fabric made for this pattern. And it’s easy to make it wider and/ or longer. I need to make a baby quilt for a new great nephew and I can use my stash of children’s focal fabric for the star centers.
That sounds like a fun sewing project. =)
Thank you so much for this wonderful pattern!
You’re welcome!
Corey,
Thank you
Hi Corey. Thank you for the pattern your generosity of creativity and time is very much appreciated. After much frustration with obtaining “perfect” FG units I researched FG rulers and decided to go with Deb Tucker’s Wing Clipper, now I look for patterns with FG units.
It’s so nice having a ruler you like!
Thank you for the free pattern!!! I enjoy all your videos. God bless!!!
You’re welcome!
good morning, I love the tip for the flying geese trim ruler, I will use that for sure. Do you by chance have a tip or ruler for snowballing corners? I have done several of your patterns that use that method and I struggle terribly trying to snowball corners and have them come out square. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you
Do you press before trimming out the bottom fabrics? That’s my biggest tip. If, when you press out those top squares, they perfectly match the bottom piece (no overhang or shortage) you’ll know that you’ve sewn accurately.
Thank you for the free pattern. I always enjoy your uplifting videos.
You’re welcome!
Will you please stop mocking up quilts in Starberry fabric? Lol!! I already have two quilt tops done, a bordered star pillow just waiting on binding, the Cuddle Up Sampler and I’m afraid to count how many more Starberry projects I have already added to my “To Make” list! I just want to make (and keep) them all!
In all seriousness, thank you for sharing! I struggle with accuracy in my flying geese so much. But, like you, I don’t tend to buy a lot of specialty rulers & hesitated to buy this one. I ordered from my LQS yesterday after watching your tutorial.
You’ll have to let me know if you like the ruler! I thought it was very nice to use. =) And LOLing about Starberry. =)
Thank you, Corey, perfect pattern for some fabric that I have been saving for no apparent reason, lol! I did splurge and purchase the Creative Grids ruler because mine never come out perfectly, and I am certain this will help.
Let me know what you think of the ruler!
Just finished the top for easy as cake with half a lc of starberry. Love it! Thank you so much Corey, stars are my favorite!
I just cut Halloween type fabric to make this quilt. One of my granddaughters “helped” pick out the fabrics via FaceTime.
Hi Corey – just received the Ultimate Flying Geese Ruler. Trimming the geese with this ruler was quick and easy. Thanks for tip!
Isn’t it a great ruler!
Good morning Corey, I so enjoy your videos and the Saturday chats. I just finished making your free pattern Easy as cake using up different colours of my Halloween stash, it turned out so darned cute, thank you so much for sharing your pattern!
From Ellen in Manitoba