The barn quilt pattern library

Printable barn quilt patterns & painting guides.

A growing library of classic barn quilt designs — the Ohio Star, Bear Paw, 8-point star, Weather Vane, Tulip, Carpenter's Wheel and more — with the history behind each block, suggested color palettes, and printable PDF templates you can paint at home.

Every pattern is free to browse. Customize and download as a printable paint-by-color PDF today!

Pattern library

Popular barn quilt patterns

Classic heritage quilt blocks. Click any pattern to see its history and paint color ideas.

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Everything in one place

A resource for every step of your barn quilt.

From choosing a heritage quilt block to picking the right exterior paint, we've collected the guides and templates most people search for when planning a barn quilt.

  • Customized printable pattern templates

    Every pattern includes a downloadable PDF with a scaled grid diagram for transferring the design to a 2', 3', or 4' board.

  • Suggested color palettes

    Curated color combinations for each pattern, plus a full paint reference matching every palette color to Behr, Sherwin-Williams, and Valspar.

  • Pattern history & meaning

    Learn the story behind classic blocks like the Ohio Star, Bear Paw, and 8-point star — where they come from and what they've meant to quilters.

  • Painting tips that actually work

    Priming, taping, layering, and sealing — practical advice for painting a barn quilt that lasts outside for years.

  • Board sizes and layout math

    Recommended dimensions for each pattern and the fractions you'll need to lay out the grid by hand.

  • Paint-by-color plans

    Customize any pattern in the designer to see exactly which color goes where, then download the full plan as a PDF.

What is a barn quilt?

A barn quilt is a large painted wooden square mounted on the side of a barn, shed, garage, or house. Each barn quilt reproduces a traditional quilt block, the same geometric patterns that quilters have been stitching in fabric for centuries: the Ohio Star, Bear Paw, Tulip, Carpenter's Wheel, 8-point star, and dozens more.

The modern barn quilt movement started in Adams County, Ohio in 2001, and has grown into a network of hundreds of "barn quilt trails" across the United States and Canada. Painting one is a popular weekend project because the tools are simple: a primed board, painter's tape, exterior paint, and a printable pattern. The finished piece becomes a permanent piece of folk art on your property.

This site is a resource for anyone planning a barn quilt. Every pattern in our pattern library has its own page with history and a customized, printable PDF template. When you're ready to pick colors, the free designer tool lets you preview any pattern in your own palette and download a paint-by-color plan.

Painting guides

From hex code to real paint — the barn quilt color guide.

Every color in the designer is a hex code meant for a screen. Our color guide translates them into the closest real-world matches from Behr, Sherwin-Williams, and Valspar so your finished barn quilt looks the way you designed it.

Read the guide
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Ready to design your own?

Pick a pattern, choose your colors, and download a customized, printable paint-by-color PDF plan — no signup required.