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Hot Air Balloon Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Intermediate · 36 pieces · 13 sections · 14″ block

Open and print this pattern
Pattern diagram in the suggested fabrics. Every line is a seam.

A round hot air balloon in eight red and gold gores, lighter on the left and darker on the right, with two ropes, a basket, and two stepped clouds below, on a sky background. Every gore line runs to one point below the balloon, so the sides taper in.

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

Finished size
14″ × 14″
Prints at
4 to 18″
Pieces
36
Sections
13
Smallest piece
about 0.4 sq in at 14″
Fabrics
9
Skill level
Intermediate
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 Hot Air Balloon is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 14-inch square block of 36 pieces sewn in 13 sections, using 9 fabrics, at a intermediate 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.

M5M6M7A2A1A3M4M2M3M1B2B1B3B4L3L2L1K2K1J2J1I2I1H2H1G2G1F2F1E2E1C2C1D2D1D3

How to sew it

  1. 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.
  2. Cut the foundations apartCut each section's foundation apart just outside its dashed line. The dashed line is the 1/4-inch seam allowance.
  3. Sew each section in number orderSew all 13 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 12 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. Sew section F to the E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    5. Sew section G to the F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    6. Sew section H to the G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    7. Sew section I to the H+G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    8. Sew section J to the I+H+G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    9. Sew section K to the J+I+H+G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    10. Sew section L to the K+J+I+H+G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    11. Sew section M to the L+K+J+I+H+G+F+E+C+D assembly along their shared straight seam.
    12. Join the A+B assembly to the M+L+K+J+I+H+G+F+E+C+D assembly.
  5. Finish the blockPress, check that the block measures 14.5 inches square with seam allowance (14 inches finished), then tear the paper away.

Fabrics

  • Sky Blue53% of the block, 19 pieces
  • Butter10% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Mustard10% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Ruby8% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Coral8% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Snow White8% of the block, 4 pieces
  • Rust1% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Copper1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Charcoal1% 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 blockSmallest 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
14″ × 14″ (as drafted)about 0.4 sq in
16″ × 16″about 0.6 sq in

A sewing tip for this block

The gore lines are cut first and every other seam stays inside its gore, so piece the balloon gore by gore. Use a different print for every gore for a scrappy balloon.

What to make with it

Hot air balloons are a favorite for nursery quilts. Make three in different colors for a wall hanging, or one for a baby's pillow.

Try it in other colors

Try rainbow gores in order around the balloon, or soft pastels on a pale sky for a baby room. 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.

  1. 1Open itEvery pattern opens in the free FPP tool, no account needed.
  2. 2Change anythingSwap fabrics, change the size, move or add seams. The sewing order and sections update on their own.
  3. 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 Hot Air Balloon block?

Hot air balloons are a favorite for nursery quilts. Make three in different colors for a wall hanging, or one for a baby's pillow.

Is this hot air balloon FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Hot Air Balloon 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 Hot Air Balloon block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 36 pieces in 13 sections, so there are 12 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Hot Air Balloon block have?

36 pieces in 13 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 14-inch finished block, and you can print it at 4 to 18 inches. At 14 inches the smallest piece is about 0.4 square inches; at 6 inches it's about 0.1 square inches.

Can I sell quilts I make from the Hot Air Balloon 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 hot air balloon 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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