These patchwork penguins are hard to resist, and the reason is the concept: each bird's rounded body is pieced from a different printed fabric, giving every penguin its own personality. Elizabeth Hartman calls them "sweater vests," and that is exactly what they look like -- a whole flock of chubby little birds in coordinated prints waddling across a quilted background. The cover quilt uses muted plaids, ginghams, and solids in cream, peach, gray, and pale blue, with a striking black-and-white buffalo plaid pillow as the focal point. Pull wintry flannels, a polar bear novelty print, and arrow prints instead, and the same pattern becomes an entirely different quilt. The range of results from one pattern is genuinely unusual.

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 three projects -- a 20" x 20" pillow cover (1 block), a 50" x 50" child quilt (12 blocks), and a 60" x 66" lap quilt (20 blocks). Each penguin block measures 9" x 13" finished. Fabric guides for both the child quilt and the lap quilt are included. Diagrams and charts showing all of the pieces needed for each block are also included, useful both while sewing and as a reference for making individual blocks or scrappy projects outside the main pattern. The sample quilts were made with Robert Kaufman Fabrics, and fabric references are provided.

A free Long-Sleeved Sweater Hack PDF supplement is available on elizabethhartman.com for making penguins in long-sleeved sweaters instead of vests -- a nice option for quilters who want to extend the pattern.

What You'll Need

The penguin "sweater vest" bodies are the fabrics with the most flexibility. Each sweater can be cut from one 10" x 10" precut square, or four sweaters can be cut from a single fat quarter (18" x 21"):

• Pillow Cover: 1 square, 10" x 10"
• Child Quilt: 4 fat quarters or 12 squares, 10" x 10"
• Lap Quilt: 5 fat quarters or 20 squares, 10" x 10"

Sweaters can be made from solids, prints, or ginghams and plaids. Beyond the sweater fabrics, you'll need yardage for black and white penguin fabrics and a gold beak fabric (such as Kona Grellow or Roasted Pecan), plus background, backing, and binding. Full yardages for all three project sizes are on the pattern back. Fabric should be at least 42" wide.

For the pillow: plan for 1-1/2 yards of muslin or scrap fabric for lining, plus a 20" x 20" pillow insert. A fabric marking tool is also required.

Perfect For

• Quilters comfortable with accurate patchwork who want a project where fabric choice does as much creative work as the sewing
• Fat quarter and Layer Cake collectors looking for a pattern that uses precuts efficiently -- one fat quarter makes four sweaters, or one 10" square makes one
• Anyone who wants dramatically different quilts from the same pattern, from cozy and pastel to wintry and graphic
• A child's room or handmade gift -- the 50" x 50" child quilt size is a natural fit
• Quilters who appreciate a clever design concept with clean, consistent construction

Why You'll Love This Pattern

The sweater vest concept sounds simple and turns out to be the whole point. The penguin's printed body fabric carries most of the visual personality of each block, which means changing the fabric changes the entire character of the quilt. The construction stays the same; the result is completely different. That is why the second colorway gets planned before the binding is on the first.

Every penguin follows the same assembly sequence -- once the first block is learned, the rest move quickly without relearning a new block type. The 9" x 13" blocks use small pieces, so accuracy matters, but minor variations in piecing don't undermine the finished effect. The pattern rewards careful cutting and then gets out of the way.

The finished quilt is charming without being cutesy, which is a harder combination to achieve than it sounds. The penguins are rounded and appealing, the format is clean, and the result looks deliberate and well-designed whether the fabric palette goes cozy, graphic, or wintry. That makes it worth hanging on a wall or using daily. Penguin Party has been in print since 2018 and was updated in 2023.

Product Details

• Brand: Elizabeth Hartman
• Item #: EH041
• Designer: Elizabeth Hartman
• Category: Quilting Pattern
• Skill Level: Skill Level 3 of 5 (Elizabeth Hartman's rating); single repeating block; small pieces; experience with rotary cutting and patchwork piecing required
• Technique: Standard Machine Sewing, Conventional Patchwork
• Block Size: 9" x 13"
• Finished Sizes: 60" x 66" Lap Quilt (20 blocks) | 50" x 50" Child Quilt (12 blocks) | 20" x 20" Pillow Cover (1 block)
• Edition: © 2018 and 2023
• Format: Printed Paper Pattern
• Made in the United States