Close-up of tilted crosses and nine-patch centers on the Cross and Tilt quilt

Cross and Tilt: A Stash Buster Quilt Pattern

November 9, 2026

You know those afternoons when you just want to sew something? No deadline, no plan, no trip to the quilt shop. Just you, your machine, and a stash that’s been quietly growing in the closet.

That’s exactly the moment I designed Cross and Tilt for. It’s a stash buster quilt pattern that doesn’t care what shape your fabric comes in, which makes it the kind of pattern I like to keep on hand for whenever the itch to start something new hits.

And here’s the fun part. Every block is pieced with straight seams, but the way the crosses sit next to each other tricks your eye into seeing them tilt. It looks a lot trickier than it really is, and I love that.

Full view of the Cross and Tilt stash buster quilt pattern in Art Gallery solids

Where Cross and Tilt Came From

This pattern started with a block I couldn’t stop thinking about. I featured the Mayflower block in my Bare Roots pattern, and I had so much fun making it that I wanted a whole quilt built around it. But I wanted it to have a little more pizzazz. So I started playing with it, and before long those crosses were tilting and Cross and Tilt was born.

If you want to see where it all began, here’s my post on the Mayflower quilt block in Bare Roots.

Close-up of a Cross and Tilt block in Art Gallery solids against a Snow White background

Why Cross and Tilt Is a True Stash Buster Quilt Pattern

Most patterns ask you to buy a specific precut. This one gives you options. Cross and Tilt is written for fat quarters, quarter yard cuts, layer cakes, charm packs, four color yardage, or plain old scraps. Whatever’s sitting on your shelf right now, there’s a good chance it’ll work.

That old layer cake you were saving for something special? It fits. The fat quarters you bought because they were pretty and then never touched? Perfect. A pile of leftovers from your last three quilts? Go for it.

I’ve written out the cutting for every one of those options, so you don’t have to do any math to make your stash fit the pattern. That’s always been my favorite part of designing patterns. You get to go straight to cutting and sewing.

Close up of Cross & Tilt custom long arm quilting and ice cream Ruby Star Society backing.

Four Sizes, Baby to Queen

Cross and Tilt comes in four sizes, so you can make a quick baby quilt one weekend and a queen for your own bed the next.

You’ll also find quarter yard and four color yardage options in the pattern, along with binding and backing amounts for every size. A small cut for the nine-patch centers ties it all together.

The Cover Quilt in Art Gallery Solids

For the cover quilt, I wanted the design to do all the talking, so I went with solids. I pulled eleven Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements fat quarters in bright, happy colors: Dragon Fruit, Mirage Blue, Banana Cream, Peach Sherbet, Springtide, Cherry Lipgloss, Secret Lagoon, Dried Carrot, Apricot Crepe, Coral Reef, and Icy Mint.

The background is Snow White, which gives all that color room to breathe. Solids are where the optical illusion really shows off, because there’s no print to distract from the shapes.

The binding came straight out of my stash. I had a light blue stripe sitting on the shelf, and when I laid it next to the quilt, it was just right. Stripes on a binding make me happy every single time.

For the back, I used Sparkle Mart Natural, a 108″ wide backing by Ruby Star Society for Moda. A wide back means no piecing your backing together, which is my favorite kind of shortcut. You can find it at Fat Quarter Shop.

This one finishes at the throw size, 55½” x 68½”, and Kelly Ann Quilts did the custom quilting. She always knows exactly how to make a quilt feel finished.

8. Close-up of binding on the Cross and Tilt quilt

Detail of custom quilting texture on the Snow White background of a Cross and Tilt quilt

Keep This Stash Buster Quilt Pattern on Hand

If you’re anything like me, the urge to start a new quilt never shows up at a convenient time. Having a stash buster quilt pattern ready to go means you can say yes to it. Grab the Cross and Tilt pattern, pull a stack from your shelf, and start cutting.

Over the next few weeks, I’m sharing three more versions of this quilt, each made a different way, so you can see just how much your fabric choice changes the look. When you make your own, tag me @bretquiltdesigns on Instagram. I’d love to see what your stash turns into!