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Sewing Machine Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Intermediate · 41 pieces · 10 sections · 14″ block

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

A vintage black sewing machine side on, with slate highlights along its top edges, a gold stripe on the arm, a red spool on top, the handwheel at the back, and a white needle bar over the presser foot, on peach.

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
41
Sections
10
Smallest piece
about 0.4 sq in at 14″
Fabrics
6
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 Sewing Machine is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 14-inch square block of 41 pieces sewn in 10 sections, using 6 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.

J1J2J3J4J5C1C2A1A2B4B1B2B3A3G1G2D3D1D2E5E1E2E3E4F3F1F2F4F5H1H2H3H5H6H7H4H8I1I2I3I4

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 10 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 9 joins, in order
    1. Join section A to section B along their shared straight seam.
    2. Sew section C to the A+B assembly along their shared straight seam.
    3. Join section D to section E along their shared straight seam.
    4. Sew section F to the D+E assembly along their shared straight seam.
    5. Sew section G to the D+E+F assembly along their shared straight seam.
    6. Sew section H to the G+D+E+F assembly along their shared straight seam.
    7. Join the C+A+B assembly to the G+D+E+F+H assembly.
    8. Sew section I to the C+A+B+G+D+E+F+H assembly along their shared straight seam.
    9. Sew section J to the I+C+A+B+G+D+E+F+H assembly along their shared straight seam.
  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

  • Peach56% of the block, 17 pieces
  • Charcoal27% of the block, 10 pieces
  • Slate14% of the block, 11 pieces
  • Ruby1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Mustard1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Snow White1% of the block, 1 piece

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

Black and charcoal are hard to tell apart under a sewing lamp. Write the fabric on every piece of the paper before you start, and keep the slate highlights clearly lighter.

What to make with it

Make it the center of a sewing machine cover, a sewing room wall hanging, or a gift for the person who taught you to sew.

Try it in other colors

A mint or turquoise machine with cream highlights gives it a 1950s look. 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 Sewing Machine block?

Make it the center of a sewing machine cover, a sewing room wall hanging, or a gift for the person who taught you to sew.

Is this sewing machine FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Sewing Machine 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 Sewing Machine block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 41 pieces in 10 sections, so there are 9 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Sewing Machine block have?

41 pieces in 10 sections, using 6 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 Sewing Machine 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 sewing machine 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.

More like this

Part of: Free Sewing Room Foundation Paper Piecing Patterns. Or browse all free FPP patterns.

Want to draw your own? The free FPP pattern maker turns any drawing into a printable pattern, and the Pattern Designer builds pieced blocks on a grid.