Dashing Duo Quilt... featuring Caterpillar 100 Years
Some quilts are just fun to make, and others carry a little extra meaning... my Dashing Duo Quilt Pattern with the Caterpillar® 100 Years collection from Riley Blake Designs manages to be both. This pre-cut-friendly design lets you showcase both small-scale and large-scale prints beautifully, making it a perfect pairing for the bold, nostalgic Caterpillar fabrics.
This project felt a little extra special for me. I grew up with a dad who spent over 40 years working for a structural engineering firm, inspecting countless job sites. My childhood was full of stories about steel framing going up for new schools, hospitals, and parking garages, and crews drilling through stubborn limestone to get the job done.
The Caterpillar 100 Years fabrics brought back that same sense of awe, from those memories of looking up at the big yellow machines that seemed almost larger than life.
Fussy Cutting the Stars of the Show
To highlight that connection, I decided to fussy cut the three main prints featuring the CAT® machines, twelve blocks per fabric, so each one could stand on its own. Each square celebrates a different piece of CAT® history, from the towering off-highway dump truck to the nimble backhoe loader, the always impressive excavators, and even a vintage cable scraper that feels straight out of my dad’s job site stories. It’s a lineup that tells a century’s worth of hardworking stories.
The Dashing Duo’s alternating block design gave the machinery moments of space to shine while letting the supporting prints add rhythm and balance.
Backing with a Big Statement
For the quilt backing, I went all in. I pieced it to include the Caterpillar 100 Years panel, which showcases all 12 machines together. At the center, I added a foundation paper pieced “100 Years” design, like a stitched banner of celebration.
I chose Riley Blake Designs’ Confetti Cotton in Shrubs for the background. It is an earthy, warm green-brown that pairs beautifully with the Caterpillar prints. It gave the quilt a grounded, industrial-meets-cozy feel without relying on black.
A Quilt That Honors a Legacy
This quilt feels like more than just fabric and thread, it’s a nod to 100 years of Caterpillar innovation, a tribute to the people who build our world, and a personal connection to my dad’s lifelong work in construction.
The Dashing Duo Quilt Pattern is approachable, versatile, and ready for your own story. Whether you’re fussy cutting a special print, showcasing a favorite collection, or commemorating a milestone, it’s a design that leaves plenty of room for meaning.
Make Your Own Dashing Duo
Grab the Dashing Duo Quilt Pattern and stitch your own version, whether it’s with Caterpillar 100 Years or a collection that tells your story. This is one quilt that works beautifully with prints you love and memories you want to celebrate.
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