Barn quilt pattern

American Flag Barn Quilt Pattern

A classic barn quilt block you can customize and print as a paint-ready plan.

Member: Choose your size, borders & colors + personalized Paint Maps Free: Complete 2' × 2' drawing grid + measurements

Planning the board? Use the sizing calculator for exact cell and border measurements, or read the paint color guide before you buy paint.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Grid
8 × 8
Colors
6
Suggested board sizes
2′ × 2′, 3′ × 3′, 4′ × 4′

Get the Free 2' × 2' American Flag Pattern Plan

A complete, printable drawing plan: a large 2' × 2' grid diagram with every measurement you need, plus an example colorway.

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What's in your free plan

  • 2' × 2' drawing grid diagram
  • Layout measurements
  • Layer diagrams when applicable
  • Example colorway + paint equivalents
  • Measuring and marking instructions

Personalized Paint Maps — the diagrams showing exactly which pieces to paint each color — come with Designer Membership.

Want to make it your own?

Customize the size, borders and colors — and get personalized Paint Maps — with the Barn Quilt Designer.

Customize in Designer

Free plan vs. Designer Membership

The free plan gives you everything you need to draw the standard 2' × 2' barn quilt. Membership lets you make the plan fit your project.

Comparison of the free printable barn quilt plan and Designer Membership
FeatureFree PlanMembership
Printable 2' × 2' drawing plan
Layout measurements and grid markings
Measuring and marking instructions
Layer diagrams when applicable
Example colorway and paint equivalents
Choose your barn quilt size
Add or change borders
Customize colors
Automatically recalculated measurements
Personalized Paint Maps
Save and edit designs
Unlimited personalized plan downloads
Build your own patterns for the designer

Want to make it your own?

Customize the size, borders and colors — and get personalized Paint Maps — with the Barn Quilt Designer.

Customize in Designer

About the American Flag block

American flags and patriotic imagery have appeared in quilts for well over a century, often marking wars, national anniversaries and important events. The Smithsonian preserves a Stars and Stripes quilt made in 1861 for a Union soldier, while an elaborate Baltimore Album quilt from about 1845–1852 includes an American flag among its patriotic motifs.

Later generations continued the tradition with red, white and blue quilts celebrating military service, statehood, national holidays and community history.

Learn more about the history

Tips for painting a American Flag barn quilt

  • Prime both sides of your board and seal the edges before painting to keep moisture out.

  • Lay out the pattern in pencil first using a grid — every shape lines up on a regular fraction of the board.

  • Paint the lightest color first, then work toward the darkest so any drips can be covered.

  • Use painter's tape along straight edges and burnish it down with a credit card to prevent bleed-through.

Ready to design your American Flag?

Customize the colors in the online designer and download a printable paint-by-color plan with a grid diagram.

Open in the designer

Painted the American Flag? Share your photo.

We feature finished quilts from real makers in the gallery — it helps other painters see how the American Flag looks in different color combinations.