Making a Double Wedding Ring Quilt (Without Losing Your Mind š)
A Double Wedding Ring (DWR) has been on my quilty bucket list for years, and I am so thrilled to finally cross it off! Itās such a classic pattern and judging from the messages I get on Instagram, itās on a lot of your to-make lists too!
Iāll be honest: I always thought it would be my quilty white whale.
Iād heard quilters speak about the Double Wedding Ring in hushed, reverent tonesālike it was some rite of passage only the bravest among us dared attempt. But friendsā¦fresh courage take. This quilt is not the beast itās made out to be.
Itās actually a delight.
The Templates I Used
A few months ago, Missouri Star Quilt Co. (MSQC) sent me their new Double Wedding Ring acrylic templates as part of a content collaboration. I fully intended to make one block to showcase them.
One block.
But I was genuinely shocked by how easily it came together and how much fun I had sewing it. One block quickly turned into 64.
MSQC partnered with Eddie Walker to design these templates, and the method is truly ingenious. Theyāve slightly simplified the traditional DWR construction to make it more approachable.
The difference is, the intersections use square 4-patches instead of the funky curved shape found in many traditional DWR patterns.
It does give the rings a slightly more squared-off look. But I actually love it. It feels fresh and a little more modern while still honoring the classic design.
Fabric Selection & Cutting
For my quilt, I went fully scrappy.
My palette was inspired by the sunrises I see on my early morning walks ā shades of pink, gold, peach, orange, red, and yellow. I dug through my scrap bins and pulled anything that fit the vibe.
The templates are designed to work with 2Ā½ā³ jelly roll strips, which makes them perfect for scraps. Even my tiniest hoarded pieces got their moment to shine.
Iām not usually a fussy cutterā¦but I made an exception here. I intentionally placed sweet little illustrations from favorite fabrics throughout the wedges. It feels like a treasure hunt when you look closely at the finished quilt.
How Many Pieces?
Each block requires:
- 18 wedge pieces
For my 4-ring x 4-ring layout (finishing around 77Ā½ā³ x 77Ā½ā³), that meant:
1,152 wedges.
Yes. One thousand one hundred fifty-two.
It sounds like a lot, but I spread the cutting out over several days and genuinely enjoyed the process.
Background Fabric
For the background, I kept it simple with solid white to let the scrappy rings shine.
I actually ran out of my original white midway through (classic), so I pulled additional whites from my scrap bin. There are technically multiple shades in the finished quilt, but once itās quilted, I doubt anyone will ever notice.
To make the same size quilt, youāll need:
- 64 inner ālemonsā
- 100 outer āframesā
(Iāll explain that number in a minute š)
You can cut these from Layer Cake squares or yardage.
4-Patches
To bring a little order to the scrappiness, I chose solid pink and orange for my 4-patches.
Cut:
- 64 pink 2Ā½ā³ squares
- 64 orange 2Ā½ā³ squares
If you prefer a different layout, you can absolutely mix this up, or do all of your squares from the same fabric, but I loved the cohesion it gave the design.
A Few Cutting Tips
Whenever I use acrylic templates, I add non-slip grip dots to the back to prevent slipping. It makes a huge difference.
I also recommend using a smaller rotary cutter for better control when cutting curves.
Assembly & Trimming
Before assembling, I highly recommend watching MSQCās Triple Play Double Wedding Ring video. Itās packed with helpful tips for lining everything up just right.
If curves intimidate you, take a deep breath. These are gentle curves. Forgiving curves. Friendly curves.
My biggest tip:
Sew with the concave piece on top.
It makes easing the fabric much smoother and prevents puckers.
HERE is an Instagram Reel where I show how I do it.
Seam Allowance & Block Size
I used a scant Ā¼ā³ seam allowance.
After trimming, my blocks measured 10Ā¼ā³ square.
The instructions included with the templates suggest trimming to 10ā³, but based on how mine lined up, 10Ā¼ā³ made more sense. The most important thing is consistency. Trim all blocks to the same size and use a consistent seam allowance.
How I Trimmed My Blocks
I used a 12Ā½ā³ square ruler with a prominent 45Ā° line.
Hereās what I did:
- Lined up the bottom-left corner at 10Ā¼ā³
- Made sure the 45Ā° line ran through the points of the center ālemonā
- Trimmed top and right sides
- Flipped the block
- Lined up trimmed edges at 10Ā¼ā³
- Trimmed remaining sides
- Occasionally a tiny sliver of a 4-patch got shaved off, but overall everything lined up beautifully.
Creating the Scalloped Edge
One of my favorite things about a traditional Double Wedding Ring quilt is the scalloped edge.
To keep that detail:
- I did not add outer frame pieces to 28 of my blocks.
Thatās why I only cut 100 frames instead of 128.
Pressing & Final Assembly
- I pressed seams toward the rings to help nesting.
- When joining blocks and rows, I pressed seams open to reduce bulk.
- I used more pins than usual when sewing rows together to keep 4-patch intersections perfectly aligned.
This quilt was an absolute joy.
I loved:
- The scrappy color play
- The curves
- The subtle modern twist
- The final result
If youāve been intimidated by the Double Wedding Ring, I hope this gives you the push you need. It is far more approachable than its reputation suggests.
You can absolutely do this.
Iām sending mine off for longarm quilting ASAP and I canāt wait to share how I tackle that scalloped binding next.
Stay tuned.