Penguin Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Advanced · 62 pieces · 22 sections · 16″ block

Pattern diagram in the suggested fabrics. Every line is a seam.

A penguin standing face on with its flippers out: a black head and back, a white face shaped like a heart that runs down into a round tummy, two black eyes, a little gold beak, gold feet, and a red scarf with one end hanging down, on an icy blue sky. Lit on the left, shaded on the right. A 16-inch block.

Open and print this pattern

Opens in the free FPP tool. Pick your fabrics and block size, then print or download the PDF. No account needed.

Finished size: 16″ × 16″
Prints at: 4 to 18″
Pieces: 62
Sections: 22
Smallest piece: about 0.6 sq in at 16″
Fabrics: 9
Skill level: Advanced
Price: Free, no sign-up
Using it: Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

About this pattern

The Penguin is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 16-inch square block of 62 pieces sewn in 22 sections, using 9 fabrics, at a advanced skill level. It opens in NiftyFifty's free browser-based FPP tool, which prints mirrored foundations with 1/4-inch seam allowance at 4 to 18 inches. Every seam is a straight line, so the whole block is sewn with the flip-and-sew method.

Piece map

Letters are sections, numbers are sewing order. Dashed lines outline each section's foundation.

How to sew it

Open and printOpen the pattern in the free FPP tool, pick your fabrics and a block size (4 to 18 inches), and print or download the PDF. Print at 100% and check the 1-inch test square.
Cut the foundations apartCut each section's foundation apart just outside its dashed line. The dashed line is the 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Sew each section in number orderSew all 22 sections on the foundation, piece 1 first, then 2, 3 and on. Flip, press and trim the seam to 1/4 inch after each one. When a section is done, trim it on its dashed line.
4
Join the sections
Show all 21 joins, in order
1. Join section A to section B along their shared straight seam.
2. Join section C to section D along their shared straight seam.
3. Sew section E to the C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
4. Join section F to section G along their shared straight seam.
5. Sew section H to the F+G assembly along their shared straight seam.
6. Sew section I to the H+F+G assembly along their shared straight seam.
7. Join the C+D+E assembly to the I+H+F+G assembly.
8. Sew section J to the C+D+E+I+H+F+G assembly along their shared straight seam.
9. Sew section K to the C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J assembly along their shared straight seam.
10. Sew section L to the K+C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J assembly along their shared straight seam.
11. Sew section M to the K+C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J+L assembly along their shared straight seam.
12. Sew section N to the M+K+C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J+L assembly along their shared straight seam.
13. Join section O to section P along their shared straight seam.
14. Join section Q to section R along their shared straight seam.
15. Join the O+P assembly to the Q+R assembly.
16. Sew section S to the O+P+Q+R assembly along their shared straight seam.
17. Sew section T to the S+O+P+Q+R assembly along their shared straight seam.
18. Sew section U to the S+O+P+Q+R+T assembly along their shared straight seam.
19. Sew section V to the S+O+P+Q+R+T+U assembly along their shared straight seam.
20. Join the M+K+C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J+L+N assembly to the S+O+P+Q+R+T+U+V assembly.
21. Join the A+B assembly to the M+K+C+D+E+I+H+F+G+J+L+N+S+O+P+Q+R+T+U+V assembly.
Finish the blockPress, check that the block measures 16.5 inches square with seam allowance (16 inches finished), then tear the paper away.

Fabrics

Sky Blue51% of the block, 19 pieces
Black11% of the block, 10 pieces
Parchment10% of the block, 7 pieces
Charcoal10% of the block, 7 pieces
Snow White9% of the block, 7 pieces
Ruby4% of the block, 5 pieces
Coral2% of the block, 3 pieces
Copper2% of the block, 2 pieces
Mustard2% of the block, 2 pieces

Suggested colors. The printed pattern lists rough-cut sizes for whatever fabrics you choose.

Choosing a block size

Smaller blocks mean smaller pieces. Under about half a square inch, pieces get fiddly, so this one is most comfortable at 16″ and up.

Finished block	Smallest piece
6″ × 6″	about 0.1 sq in
8″ × 8″	about 0.1 sq in
10″ × 10″	about 0.2 sq in
12″ × 12″	about 0.3 sq in
16″ × 16″ (as drafted)	about 0.6 sq in

A sewing tip for this block

Every edge runs level, upright or on a 45 degree slant, so the pieces are easy to cut and the corners meet cleanly. Keep the two halves in order: charcoal and white on the left, black and cream on the right.

What to make with it

A penguin makes a cheerful winter pillow or the center of a kid's quilt. Set a few in a row with icy blue sashing for a wall hanging that can stay up from December through February.

Try it in other colors

Swap the red scarf for green or blue to match your other blocks, or set the penguin on a deep navy night sky. Every fabric can be swapped in the FPP tool before you print.

Make it yours: every pattern is a starting point

These patterns are free and open to change. Think of each one as a starting point, not a finished rule: remix it into your colors, your size, your idea.

1Open itEvery pattern opens in the free FPP tool, no account needed.
2Change anythingSwap fabrics, change the size, move or add seams. The sewing order and sections update on their own.
3Save it as yoursSave your version to a free account and share it. Other quilters can then remix yours, credited to you.

Open and remix this pattern

Questions

What can I make with the Penguin block?

A penguin makes a cheerful winter pillow or the center of a kid's quilt. Set a few in a row with icy blue sashing for a wall hanging that can stay up from December through February.

Is this penguin FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Penguin pattern is free to open, recolor and print, and you don't need an account. It opens in NiftyFifty's free FPP tool, which prints the foundations or downloads them as a PDF.

Is the Penguin block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 62 pieces in 22 sections, so there are 21 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Penguin block have?

62 pieces in 22 sections, using 9 fabrics. Each section is sewn on its own foundation, then the sections are joined along straight seams. The printed pattern numbers every piece in sewing order.

What size does it print?

It's drafted as a 16-inch finished block, and you can print it at 4 to 18 inches. At 16 inches the smallest piece is about 0.6 square inches; at 6 inches it's about 0.1 square inches.

Can I sell quilts I make from the Penguin pattern?

Yes. Use it for anything you sew, including quilts you sell. Please don't resell or repost the pattern itself; share a link to this page instead.

Is there a PDF of the penguin pattern?

Yes. The FPP tool downloads a PDF with a 1-inch test square, a color key, an assembly map, the sewing order and every foundation drawn at exact size with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Print it at 100%.

Can I change the colors?

Yes. Open it in the FPP tool, click a piece, then click a fabric: over 600 real Kona and Bella solids plus thousands of prints. You can also move seams or add new ones before you print.

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