The Carnival Quilt Pattern is a colorful, scrappy quilt design inspired by summertime at the fair. With playful diamond blocks, lots of color, and simple half-square triangle units, this quilt is a fun project for beginning quilters and beyond.
And there’s something I especially love about this pattern:
You can make it three different ways!
The Carnival Quilt Pattern includes directions for an 18″ × 18″ pillow, a 45″ × 45″ baby quilt, and a 63″ × 72″ throw quilt.
So whether you’re looking for a small project, a sweet baby quilt, or a larger quilt to snuggle under, you can use the same cheerful design.
The colors of my Carnival quilt reminded me of childhood memories of the Carnival! That’s how this quilt got it’s name!!
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Get the Carnival Quilt Pattern in the LAKEGIRLQUILTS Etsy Shop!
One Quilt Pattern. Three Projects.
One of the best things about the Carnival Quilt Pattern is its versatility.
18″ × 18″ Carnival Pillow
The 18″ × 18″ pillow is a fun way to use the Carnival design on a smaller scale.
It would make a cheerful accent pillow for a sewing room, guest room, child’s room, or anywhere you want to add a little color.
It would also make a great gift for a fellow quilter!
This size is also a wonderful way to use some of those colorful fabrics you’ve been saving in your stash.
45″ × 45″ Carnival Baby Quilt
The original Carnival design finishes at 45″ × 45″, making it a great size for a baby quilt, toddler quilt, wall hanging, or small picnic quilt.
63″ × 72″ Carnival Throw Quilt
Want to make something bigger?
The Carnival pattern also includes directions for a 63″ × 72″ throw quilt.
This size gives the colorful diamond design plenty of room to shine. And makes a great quilt for curling up under or displaying over the back of a chair. Or giving as a special handmade gift!
Having three finished-size options in one pattern makes Carnival a pattern you can come back to again and again.
A Beginner-Friendly Quilt Pattern
Carnival is made using half-square triangle units arranged into diamond blocks.
The construction is straightforward, making this a great project for a confident beginner who is ready to practice half-square triangles and accurate piecing.
Each diamond block is made from four half-square triangles. When the blocks are arranged together, the colored triangles create a playful diamond pattern surrounded by the background fabric.
If you’re new to half-square triangles, don’t worry!
I have several HST tutorials on the LAKEGIRLQUILTS blog that can help you with cutting, sewing, pressing, and trimming your units for accurate results.
Make Carnival as Scrappy as You Like
This is where the Carnival Quilt Pattern really gets fun!
The original quilt uses a variety of colorful prints against a cream background. I recommend choosing a mix of light, medium, and dark prints to create plenty of contrast between the fabrics.
Fat eighths and fat quarters work beautifully for this design.
And, of course, you can raid your stash!
There are no rules when it comes to choosing your colors. Try a rainbow of fabrics, choose a limited color palette. Or use a collection of favorite prints.
You could even make a more coordinated version using fabrics from a single fabric collection.
The background fabric is an important part of the design, too. A cream or other light background helps the colorful diamonds stand out.
Why You’ll Love the Carnival Quilt Pattern
There are lots of reasons to add Carnival to your quilting list:
- Three finished sizes in one pattern
- A fun 18″ × 18″ pillow project
- A 45″ × 45″ baby quilt
- A 63″ × 72″ throw quilt
- Beginner-friendly piecing
- Simple half-square triangle construction
- Fat-quarter and stash friendly
- Perfect for colorful scraps
- Easy to customize with your favorite fabrics
- A playful design with a vintage carnival feel
Let Your Fabric Choices Change the Look
One of my favorite things about quilting is seeing how different fabric choices can completely change the personality of the same pattern.
To make a bright and playful Carnival quilt, choose bold prints in lots of colors.
For a softer baby quilt, try pastels with a light background.
If you’re looking for a vintage-inspired look, choose reproduction-style fabrics in a limited palette.
You could even make a monochromatic version using several shades of one color.
I’ve even worked with FreeSpirit Fabrics to mock up the Carnival Quilt Pattern in Tim Holtz Holiday fabrics! This version was in their catalog!!
The pattern stays the same. Your fabric choices make it yours.
What You’ll Learn
The Carnival Quilt Pattern is a great project for practicing several basic quilting skills.
You’ll work with:
- Accurate rotary cutting
- Half-square triangle units
- Trimming HSTs to size
- Sewing accurate seams
- Creating diamond blocks
- Matching seams
- Arranging blocks for a balanced quilt top
If you’re working on improving your accuracy with half-square triangles, Carnival is a great project to add to your list.
I have a whole set of Half Square Triangle (HST) tutorials on the blog!
Get the Carnival Quilt Pattern
Ready to make your own Carnival quilt?
The LAKEGIRLQUILTS Carnival Quilt Pattern includes instructions for all three projects:
18″ × 18″ pillow
45″ × 45″ baby quilt
63″ × 72″ throw quilt
Instead of purchasing separate patterns for each project, you can choose the size that fits your next quilting project—or make all three!
The downloadable PDF gives you the complete instructions you need to make your Carnival project.
Get the Carnival Quilt Pattern in the LAKEGIRLQUILTS Etsy Shop!
More LAKEGIRLQUILTS Patterns You’ll Love
If you enjoy the colorful, beginner-friendly style of Carnival, you may also enjoy some of my other LAKEGIRLQUILTS patterns.
Friendship Wreath is another fun scrappy design with a classic quilt-inspired feel.
Sweet Pea is a pretty floral design that also gives you multiple project options, making it another great pattern to have in your collection.
And if you’re looking for more whimsical, stash-friendly designs, be sure to browse the other quilt patterns in the LAKEGIRLQUILTS shop.
Make Your Own Carnival Quilt
Whether you make the 18″ pillow, 45″ baby quilt, or 63″ × 72″ throw, Carnival is a fun way to play with color and create something cheerful and handmade.
Gather your favorite fabrics, make some half-square triangles, and let your colors create a quilt that’s uniquely yours.
Happy quilting!
Bonnie
