Introducing the Cholla Quilt Pattern: A Beginner-Friendly Flying Geese Quilt
Introducing the Cholla Quilt Pattern: A Beginner-Friendly Flying Geese Quilt
The Cholla Quilt Pattern Is Here!
You know that feeling when something has been quietly waiting in the wings, and then one day it’s ready? That’s exactly how the Cholla Quilt feels to me.
The Cholla Quilt Pattern is a modern flying geese quilt pattern designed to help quilters create bold, colorful quilts without complicated piecing. You can get your copy of the pattern here!
This pattern is a companion to my Tatum Quilt Pattern. If you’ve been around here for a bit, you already know I have a soft spot for flying geese. Especially scrappy flying geese. There’s just something about them; the movement, the rhythm, the way they guide your eye across a quilt. It feels a little bit like magic.
And with Cholla, I wanted to take that same scrappy, playful energy and bring it into a more traditional flying geese layout, while still keeping things fun, approachable, and full of personality.
If you’ve noticed a theme with my patterns, you’re absolutely right, many of them are named after roads here in Phoenix. The Cholla Quilt gets its name from an intersection I travel through often: Tatum and Cholla.
Why Quilters Love the Cholla Quilt Pattern
If you enjoy modern quilt patterns with clean lines and lots of movement, Cholla is a fun project to add to your “to make” quilty wishlist.
At first glance, Cholla might look intricate, but here’s the secret: it’s built on a really approachable foundation.
We’re working with four-at-a-time flying geese, and the units finish at a generous 4” x 8”. That larger size makes a huge difference. It keeps things manageable, gives you room to breathe, and helps the quilt come together faster than you might expect.
And the best part? The scrappy nature of these geese.
Each unit has that slightly-mixed, slightly-unexpected look that gives the quilt movement and depth, without requiring you to overthink every single fabric choice. It’s one of those projects where you can relax a little and just sew.
If flying geese are new to you, be sure to check out my Scrappy Flying Geese Tutorial where I walk through the process step-by-step. Then, you’ll be off to the races!
Fabric Selection Ideas for the Cholla Quilt
This quilt loves color.
For my sample, I leaned into shades of pinks and purples, with some soft yellows and oranges to balance things out. It’s a palette that feels warm, a little playful, and full of life.
But here’s the thing, the Cholla is incredibly flexible.
You could go full-on scrappy with whatever you have on hand.
You could lean into earthy tones (always a favorite of mine).
Or you could go bold and bright and let every fabric shine.
If you’re someone who feels a little nervous about mixing prints or using stronger colors, this pattern is such a good place to start. The structure of the blocks does a lot of the heavy lifting for you, so you can experiment without feeling overwhelmed.
No overthinking required. Just curiosity.
If choosing fabrics feels intimidating, my Color Theory for Quilters series can help.
A Flexible Quilt Pattern for Busy Quilters
I’ll be honest—this quilt took me a while to finish. Not because it’s complicated, but because life has been full lately. Between my day job and keeping up with my son’s growing schedule (hello, swim meets!), my sewing time has looked a little different this year.
And you know what? That’s okay.
Cholla can absolutely be a fast finish if you batch your steps and have a good chunk of time to sew. But it’s also a really lovely project to work on slowly; one block at a time, here and there, when you can.
One of my favorite tips for this pattern is to batch sew as much as possible and use binding clips to keep your pieces organized. It makes the whole process feel smoother and a little more relaxed.
And if you’ve been thinking about investing in a specialty ruler for flying geese, this might be the right time. I love my Wing Clipper ruler for trimming flying geese. It’s not required, but it sure does save a ton of time and give you some perfect (or close to it) geese.
Quilting and Finishing the Cholla Quilt
When this quilt finally made it onto my design wall, that was the moment.
You know the one.
Where all of those individual pieces suddenly become something bigger. Something cohesive. Something that makes you pause for a second and think, okay… I made that.
For quilting, I chose a curvy floral pantograph to soften all of the straight lines and angles from the geese. That contrast adds a little extra movement and gives the quilt a really beautiful drape.
And for the backing? A bold floral print that pulls those vibrant purples through to the back. It’s one of those details that just makes the whole quilt feel complete.
Is the Cholla Quilt Right for You?
I think this quilt is for a lot of people—but especially for the quilter who is craving a little whimsy.
The one who wants to play with color.
The one who wants something that looks complex but feels doable.
The one who maybe just needs a reminder that you don’t need hours and hours at a time to make something beautiful.
If you’re feeling unsure, here’s what I’ll say: just jump in.
Start with a block.
Use some scraps.
See how it feels.
You don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin.
Make It Your Own
The Cholla Quilt pattern is available now (linked right here in the post!), along with kits and helpful add-ons if you want a little guidance getting started.
And if you make a Cholla Quilt? I would absolutely love to see it.
You can share your progress in the comments on YouTube or send me an email at hello@nolliebean.com. Truly, seeing what you create is my favorite part of all of this.
I hope you enjoy the Cholla Quilt Pattern as much as I do!! Happy quilting, friend!
