Hi Dears,
I am so thrilled to finally announce the release of Chill & Thrill — my new penguin baby and toddler quilt pattern!
And yes, I am fully aware that the onset of May is perhaps the least obvious moment to be announcing a winter quilt. But honestly? I'm so happy and excited about this one that waiting until autumn felt completely impossible. So here it comes — penguins, patchwork, and all.
Why Penguins?
Over the years I’ve designed quite a few quilts for children — and somewhere along the way I realised I had created far more butterfly and flower patterns than adventure-themed ones. So this quilt became my little mission to balance things out a bit.
I strongly believe childhood is deeply connected to adventure — through which little ones discover unfamiliar places, learn courage, build confidence, and grow. And honestly… penguins felt perfect to express that idea.
They’re playful, curious, resilient, and full of personality — surviving and thriving in some of the most unwelcoming places on earth.
So in Chill & Thrill, there is an adventurer who always jumps in first. There is also a guardian, keeping everyone safe from behind. Then there is the observer — quietly watching from his own ice sheet, too reserved to try the cold water himself. And finally, a couple of playful penguins, somewhere between hesitation and courage, slowly finding their way into the action.
I also found my own way to experience cold and took the Chill & Thrill quilt to Lapland. And there I felt it: winter doesn’t bite. It has a calm strength to it, and a kind of beauty that only reveals itself when you stop being afraid of the cold.
If you'd like to read the full story, I wrote about the Lapland adventure here.
Beginner Friendly by Design
When designing this pattern, I wanted it to feel approachable and enjoyable to make — even if you’re still building confidence in quilting.
So I included:
- simple piecing with mostly fabric squares
- video tutorials for curved blocks
- easy fusible appliqué techniques with detail sew along video
- both raw edge and turned edge appliqué options
- a coloring page for planning fabrics
- extra guidance for borders and machine binding
The penguins do include a few curved pieces, but I created a separate tutorial showing four different ways to sew quarter circle blocks, so you can choose whichever method feels most comfortable to you.
I really hope all these little details make the process feel relaxing and fun, whatever your experience level.
Get Chill and Thrill Quilt Pattern
Chill & Thrill is available now in my shop as an instant PDF download. The pattern includes instructions for three sizes — a toddler quilt (46″ × 60″), a baby quilt (39″ × 39″), and a bonus pillow front (18″ × 18″) — so you can choose the size that suits your project best.
→ Get the pattern on my website
I'd love to see your Chill & Thrill penguins when they're done — feel free to share your makes with me, it truly makes my day. And if you have any questions along the way, I'm always here to help.
