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Toy Soldier Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern

Free to print · Advanced · 76 pieces · 18 sections · 16″ block

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

A wooden toy soldier standing at attention: a tall black hat with a red plume and gold band, a red jacket with gold epaulettes, a white belt with a gold buckle, navy trousers and black boots, on sky blue.

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
76
Sections
18
Smallest piece
about 0.4 sq in at 16″
Fabrics
13
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 Toy Soldier is a free foundation paper piecing (FPP) pattern from NiftyFifty: a 16-inch square block of 76 pieces sewn in 18 sections, using 13 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.

R2R1R4K2K1K3K4O5J7O4P3P4O6K5R3B2B1B3B4H4H3H2H1F3F2F1G3G2G1G4I3I4M2N3M1N4M3R5Q2Q1Q4J2J1J3J4O2J6O3P2P1O1J5Q3A2A1A3A4E4E3E2E1D3D2D1C3C2C1C4I2I1L2N2L1N1L3Q5

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 18 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 17 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. Join the C+D+E assembly to the H+F+G assembly.
    7. Sew section I to the C+D+E+H+F+G assembly along their shared straight seam.
    8. Join the A+B assembly to the C+D+E+H+F+G+I assembly.
    9. Join section J to section K along their shared straight seam.
    10. Join section L to section M along their shared straight seam.
    11. Sew section N to the L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    12. Sew section O to the N+L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    13. Join the J+K assembly to the O+N+L+M assembly.
    14. Sew section P to the J+K+O+N+L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    15. Sew section Q to the P+J+K+O+N+L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    16. Sew section R to the Q+P+J+K+O+N+L+M assembly along their shared straight seam.
    17. Join the A+B+C+D+E+H+F+G+I assembly to the Q+P+J+K+O+N+L+M+R assembly.
  5. 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 Blue70% of the block, 28 pieces
  • Ruby5% of the block, 7 pieces
  • Wine5% of the block, 6 pieces
  • Black4% of the block, 6 pieces
  • Peach4% of the block, 10 pieces
  • Navy3% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Indigo3% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Mustard2% of the block, 5 pieces
  • Butter2% of the block, 5 pieces
  • Charcoal2% of the block, 2 pieces
  • Snow White1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Parchment1% of the block, 1 piece
  • Coral1% 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.

Finished blockSmallest piece
6″ × 6″about 0.0 sq in
8″ × 8″about 0.1 sq in
10″ × 10″about 0.1 sq in
12″ × 12″about 0.2 sq in
16″ × 16″ (as drafted)about 0.4 sq in

A sewing tip for this block

The hat, jacket and trousers are all straight seams, so this is a good block for a first try at paper piecing. Use a short stitch on the small eye and buckle pieces and trim each seam to a scant quarter inch before you add the next piece.

What to make with it

Line up three or four soldiers for a Christmas mantel banner or a table runner, or put one on a stocking cuff or a gift bag.

Try it in other colors

Give him a green jacket with red trousers, or a royal blue jacket with white trousers on a red background. 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 Toy Soldier block?

Line up three or four soldiers for a Christmas mantel banner or a table runner, or put one on a stocking cuff or a gift bag.

Is this toy soldier FPP pattern free?

Yes. The Toy Soldier 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 Toy Soldier block good for beginners?

It's best once you have a few paper pieced blocks behind you: 76 pieces in 18 sections, so there are 17 joins to line up. Printing it larger makes every piece roomier.

How many pieces and sections does the Toy Soldier block have?

76 pieces in 18 sections, using 13 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 0.4 square inches; at 6 inches it's about 0.0 square inches.

Can I sell quilts I make from the Toy Soldier 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 toy soldier 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 Christmas 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.