Cathedral Window Quilt Tutorial: Jenny Doan's Easy Charm Pack Method

🧵 1 Charm Pack of prints (5" squares) — these become your colorful "windows." Shop charm packs here.

🤍 1 Charm Pack of solid white or background fabric (5" squares) — these become the curved "frames." 

🧶 Batting — cut slightly larger than your finished top. Shop batting here.

✂️ Rotary cutter, ruler & cutting mat — for precise cuts. Shop rotary cutters.

📌 Pins — to hold the center square in place while curving. Shop pins & clips.

🔥 Iron and ironing board — for pressing the folded squares

🪡 Sewing machine with a standard presser foot

Step 1: Prepare Your Background Squares

Take your solid white (or background) 5-inch squares and press each one in half to create a crease. This folded triangle will become the "frame" that curves over the center window. You'll need 4 background squares for each cathedral window block, plus 1 print square for the center window.

Step 2: Build the Four-Patch Base

Arrange 4 print squares in a 2×2 grid — these are your base squares. Place one folded background square (folded in half, fold facing the center) on top of each print square, with the fold pointing toward the middle of the arrangement.

Now sew these together just like a regular four-patch: sew the top two units together, sew the bottom two together, then join the rows. Press your seams open for the flattest result.

Step 3: Place the Center Window Square

Here's where the magic happens! Take one print charm square and place it right in the center of your four-patch, where all four background folds meet. Pin it in place — this square is your "window."

Because the folded background squares are on the diagonal, the bias of the fabric naturally wants to curve. This is the secret to the cathedral window look — no special techniques needed, just the physics of fabric!

Step 4: Curve and Sew the Frames

Now take each folded background edge and roll it back over the raw edges of the center square, creating a gentle curve. The background fabric should cover all the raw edges of the print square, forming that beautiful arched frame.

Sew along each curved edge to secure it in place. Start at one corner, sew along the curve to the opposite corner, then pivot and continue to the next side. Work your way around all four sides of the center square.

Jenny demonstrates how the bias fold creates those perfect curves — it's like magic!

Step 5: Make More Blocks and Join Them

Repeat the process to create as many cathedral window blocks as you need for your desired quilt size. When you have enough blocks, sew them together in rows. The blocks connect at their edges, and when joined, adjacent blocks share their curved frames, creating a continuous, flowing cathedral window pattern across the entire quilt.

Step 6: Layer, Quilt, and Finish

Once your top is assembled, layer it with batting and backing (cut slightly larger than the top). Quilt as desired — the cathedral window pattern already has so much visual texture that simple quilting works beautifully. Stitch in the ditch along the curved frames, or add straight-line quilting through the windows. Bind the quilt to finish.

• Press well — The crispness of your folds determines how clean your curves look. Use steam and take your time pressing.
• Choose high-contrast fabrics — The cathedral window effect is most dramatic when the "frame" and "window" fabrics are very different. A solid white or cream frame with vibrant prints makes the windows pop.
• Use Essex Linen for the frames — Jenny uses Essex Linen by Robert Kaufman, which has beautiful body and curves beautifully on the bias.
• Don't stress about perfect curves — The bias does most of the work for you. Guide the fabric gently and let it curve naturally.
• Try different square sizes — While Jenny uses 5" charm squares, you can scale this up or down. Larger squares make bigger windows, smaller squares create a more intricate pattern.
• Pin the center square securely — A pin in the center keeps the window square from shifting while you sew the curves around it.