DISCLAIMER
We all love free patterns, so here are some links for free patterns. Many of these are "open domain," meaning the pattern has been done so many times that no one owns the rights to the design or pattern, so it can be offered for free online without the possibility of copyright infringement or legal repercussions in regards to pattern theft. I will caution you, however, that some designers (both mainstream and local) offer a selection of their patterns for free but they are still under copyright to that designer; if someone uses that pattern and then credits it as their own design, that is pattern theft and if discovered can be persued by legal action from that designer. If your intention is to find designs to make and sell and you fall in love with a pattern that falls into this category, I strongly encourage you to contact that designer for their permission for you to reproduce and sell items from their design.
Please, if you do make a quilt/project from an open domain pattern and the pattern does have a name tied to it, give credit where credit is due. It's just the right thing to do.
CLICK HERE for Quilter's Cache - Quilter's Cache is a really great resource for simple quilts and block patterns. There is SO much there, from free patterns, to lessons and demos, to a shop that you could easy spend an hour or two going through it all. My TCP co-worker Debi turned my attention to this one, and she uses it quite a lot.
CLICK HERE for Craft Gossip - Craft Gossip is one of my all time favorite site for all of my crafting interests, but this link is specifically for their quilting section. They have sewing, scrapbooking, lampworking, home/garden, needlework, crossstitch and much more available on the left side navigation bar. I will note that Craft Gossip offers free patterns THROUGH other blogs, so some patterns are open domain and others aren't so you'll want to pay attention. I have found some awesome patterns and blogs through this site, and it really is a "falling down the rabbit hole" experience. I love it!
CLICK HERE for Free Quilt Patterns website - This is a HUGE directory of quilt patterns for all skill levels. There is seriously a lot. You can search ot narrow down what you're looking for, or you can go through alphabetically. This is another site where you will want to pay attention to open domain vs. designer offered.
Fabric companies often have a section on their website for free patterns that are made specifically for the lines of fabric they have available and for upcoming lines as well. They are free to download on their websites and the beauty is that you can use whatever fabric you want! SOME of them are NOT open domain, they are for individual use only and not for resale, so keep your eyes peeled for those. Going to the manufacturer's websites is also a great way to see what's new, and what your local quilt shop might be getting!
