Four dinosaur blocks -- Brachiosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops -- repeat across a dark forest green background in a full rainbow gradient from coral and salmon at the top to teal and blue-gray at the bottom. Each horizontal row is a different color family, and the effect on the large 69" x 85" quilt is genuinely dramatic: the same four dinosaurs appear six times, but in a spectrum of color that makes the finished quilt look like an illustrated field guide to a very stylish prehistoric landscape. Elizabeth Hartman's Dinosaurs is one of her most ambitious patterns, and the visual payoff is in proportion to the effort.

The construction is entirely conventional patchwork -- rotary cut squares and rectangles, no templates, no paper piecing. The complexity comes from volume and variety: four different block types, each appearing multiple times, across a project that requires careful color organization from the start. The fat quarter system is built around that gradient -- each group of six fat quarters becomes one color row of dinosaurs.

What the Pattern Includes

This listing is for the printed paper pattern only. Fabric, batting, backing, and notions are not included.

The pattern booklet includes complete instructions for both quilt sizes: a 48" x 48" small quilt with 8 dinosaurs (2 of each block) and a 69" x 85" large quilt with 24 dinosaurs (6 of each block). Detailed cutting charts and full-color diagrams are included for every construction step. Fabric charts for both quilts are included and can be used to duplicate the sample colorways, as color inspiration, or as a guide for distributing your own fabrics evenly across the quilt.

What You'll Need

The fat quarter system drives the color organization. Fat quarters are divided by color into groups of six -- two groups of six for the small quilt (12 fat quarters total), six groups of six for the large quilt (36 fat quarters total). Each group of six becomes one color row of dinosaurs in the finished quilt, which is what creates the gradient effect.

Both sizes also need:

• White solid detail fabric: 1/8 yard (small) or 1/4 yard (large)
• Dark solid detail fabric: 1/8 yard (small) or 1/4 yard (large)
• Background fabric: 2-3/8 yards (small) or 4-3/4 yards (large)
• Backing: 3-1/4 yards (small) or 5-1/4 yards (large)
• Binding: 1/2 yard (small) or 3/4 yard (large)
• Batting: 56" x 56" (small) or 73" x 89" (large)

A fabric marking tool is also required. Different amounts of each fat quarter will be used, and some leftover fabric is expected. Full per-block fabric details are inside the pattern.

Perfect For

• Experienced quilters ready for a large, color-organized project with a genuinely spectacular result
• Fat quarter collectors who want a pattern built around an intentional color gradient
• A child's room, playroom, or gift for the dinosaur enthusiast in your life
• Quilters who have completed Elizabeth Hartman's simpler sampler patterns and want to tackle Level 5
• Anyone who wants to make a quilt that looks like serious color work without learning complex techniques

Why You'll Love This Pattern

The gradient concept is what elevates this pattern beyond a typical dinosaur quilt. The same four blocks in six different color families -- coral through orange through gold through chartreuse through green through teal -- on a rich dark background creates an ombre effect that photographs beautifully and looks even better in person. The organizational logic is simple once you understand it: each group of fat quarters is one row, and the rows build the gradient.

The four block types each have their own distinct silhouette -- the long-necked Brachiosaurus, the upright T-Rex, the spiky Stegosaurus, the horned Triceratops -- which means the quilt has variety even within the repeating structure. At Skill Level 5 of 5, this is Elizabeth Hartman's most complex rating, reflecting the high volume of pieces across 24 different dinosaur blocks. The instructions are detailed and fully diagrammed, but this is a project that rewards planning time before the first cut.

Product Details

• Brand: Elizabeth Hartman
• Item #: EH058
• Designer: Elizabeth Hartman
• Category: Quilting Pattern
• Skill Level: Skill Level 5 of 5 (Elizabeth Hartman's highest rating); four block types; 24 dinosaurs in the large quilt; high volume of small pieces; experience with accurate patchwork piecing required
• Technique: Standard Machine Sewing, Conventional Patchwork
• Finished Sizes: 69" x 85" Large Quilt (24 blocks) | 48" x 48" Small Quilt (8 blocks)
• Format: Printed Paper Pattern
• Made in the United States