How to sew orange peel quilts: free templates and step by step guide

Discover the joy of curved patchwork piecing with our guide to how to sew Orange Peel quilts! These classic quilt patterns have been around for quite some time, and they’ve seen a surge in interest in recent years as curved piecing has grown in popularity with modern quilters. These clever quilts feature a pattern of repeating petal shapes which, when pieced into rows of quilt blocks, build up to create the effect of interlocking circles.

What is an Orange Peel Quilt?

An Orange Peel Quilt is basically a quilt that’s made up of quilt blocks that resemble an orange peel! Orange Peel Quilt blocks have a leaf shape in the centre, sandwiched between two curved corners on either side to make the finished quilt block into a square shape. They first appeared in published material in the 1800s and are also referred to as Lemon Peel, Melon Peel and Lafayette Orange Peel.

Whatever you call them, you’ll fall in love with this charming design. Find out how to use them to make Orange Peel Quilt blocks in this free tutorial. Simply follow our steps below and watch our video guide to begin. We’ve used acrylic Orange Peel Templates but have included a free orange peel template for you to download too if you don’t have physical templates to hand.

Before you begin

If you’re new to curved piecing, you’ll need to cut 3 pieces of fabric to make an Orange Peel quilt block – a central petal shape and two outer corners which will sit either side of the curves to form a square block.

• Download our Free Orange Peel Template (PDF)

You will need:

• Fabric (For the quilt blocks, quilt binding and backing)
• Orange Peel Templates
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Basic sewing kit
• Batting

Step 1

Cut two (2) of the outer corner shapes and one central petal shape using our Free Orange Peel Template as your guide. Finger press the centre points on both units. With right sides together and the A background piece on top, place a pin where those centre crease marks line up.

Step 2

Place pins along the curve, easing the concave curve in line with the edge of the piece below. Use plenty of pins.

[pullquote quote=”Note: the first background piece will be slightly longer than the peel shape, but this can be trimmed in line after stitching.” /]

Step 3

Stitch the two (2) pieces together, slowly, with a scant ¹⁄₄in seam, keeping your needle in the down position and pivoting regularly.

Step 4

Clip into the seams at regular intervals to help the seam lie flat. Press the seam to one side.

Step 5

Repeat with the second background piece on the opposite side to finish the unit. Four (4) units make a block. Place it under a heavy book to help keep it flat.

Tip: If you struggle to create a perfect 61⁄2in square (unfinished), due to fabric stretching or inaccurate stitching, try cutting the outside edges of the A piece slightly larger. Then, use the straight edges of the template to trim the block square at the end.

Once you’ve finished your batch of quilt blocks, sew the blocks together to make your quilt top, then make a quilt sandwich, quilt as desired and bind the edges. If you’re new to quilting and not sure how to do this, head to our guide to Quilting for Beginners!

How to use orange peel templates

Step 1

Cut two shapes from Template A, and one shape from Template B. If making many blocks, it’s easiest to cut 6¹⁄₂in wide strips first, and then subcut your template pieces, fitting them together to avoid fabric wastage (Figs 1 and 2). If you struggle with curves you may want to cut the Template A pieces from 7in squares, so there’s an extra ¹⁄₂in beyond the straight edges. You can trim these down after sewing.

Step 2

Use the templates as a guide to mark the dots on your fabric pieces. Take one piece each from Templates A and B and with right sides together and the A background piece on top, pin together at the dot (Fig 3).

Step 3

Pin at either end, then ease along the curve and pin together between these points. Sew the two pieces together slowly to avoid stretching, removing the pins as you go (Fig 4).

Step 4

Carefully clip into the seams at regular intervals, or trim the seam allowance with pinking shears. Open the block up and gently press the seam to one side (Fig 5).

Step 5

Repeat with the second background Template A piece on the opposite side of the block (Fig 6). Your block should measure 6¹⁄₂in square. If you cut your Template A pieces larger in step 1, then trim the block to size.

A classic quilt to make your own

Sewing an orange peel quilt is a rewarding way to build confidence with curves while creating a timeless design. With the free templates and step-by-step guide, you can experiment with colour, scale and layout to make a quilt that feels completely your own.

Build confidence with paper piecing

Ready to try a new quilting technique? Learn foundation paper piecing for beginners and create precise, polished blocks with confidence.

Laura Pritchard

Laura has been sewing since she was a child and quilting for most of her adult life. Her work has been published in several quilting and craft magazines including Love Patchwork and Quilting, Mollie Makes and Simply Sewing. She is a technical pro and until recently worked as the Deputy Editor for Today’s Quilter magazine, where she worked since the magazine launched in 2015. She loves teaching and often runs workshops at The Festival of Quilts. She first launched her quilting career selling pet quilts on Etsy and notonthehighstreet.com, inspired by her own pampered cats. Away from the sewing machine, Laura is a book addict and interiors obsessor. She regularly posts photos on Instagram @laurapritchardquilts about her works-in-progress, finished quilts and her life in Bristol.

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