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| Wind Chimes Quilt |
Bringing Sunshine into the Studio: Exploring the Wind Chimes Quilt.
You've probably seen a fabric line that ignited an entire project idea! You've probably seen a line of fabric that got you a project idea going! Combine that colorful array with a pattern designed by Wendy Sheppard, and you have the Wind Chimes Quilt—a quilt that is both geometric and fun to sew. If you're aiming to create a modern lap quilt for your living room, or finding a project to keep your intermediate level skills growing, this is a great pattern to study high contrast designs.
Pattern Overview & Technical Specifications
Wendy Sheppard's Wind Chimes layout for Windham Fabrics features diagonal lines and star patterns to suggest the movement of the chimes. Here are the key elements of the pattern specs:
This is what makes the Soleil Palette work.
The true charm of Wind Chimes is in the deliberate color palette. Soleil was hand-picked by Whistler Studios in two stylish color options: uplifting sunshine yellow and earthy charcoal grey.
High contrast values such as deep charcoal and glowing yellow combine to provide instant focus in quilting. Dark greys are used in the structure, while the star points are done in bright citrus yellow, which is the dominant color, to balance out the overall design and not overpower it. Light, non-dominant prints of geometric and floral patterns provide a clean break to the eye, ensuring every star block stands out on the quilt top.
Design Breakdown: Movement & Geometry
The interesting part of Wendy Sheppard's design is the way in which she leads your eye through the quilt top:
- Concentric Diamond Frames: The main body has a structure of nesting square-in-square frames and diamond frames which are expanded outward. This is a framing technique that adds depth without having to make too complex of Y-seams.
- Diagonal Flow: Long pieced strip sets are placed diagonally across the quilt face, which is like the hanging chimes and slow moving flow of a wind chime outdoors.
- Star & Pinwheel Accents: Organic points of focus, in the form of star and pinwheel shapes, are scattered throughout the diagonal bands to create a composition of rigid geometry with soft organic touches.
The final dimensions are 63″ x 75″ which is just large enough to hang over the sofa or twin bed and small enough to sew without having to battle with the bulky rolls of quilt.
Final Thoughts
The Wind Chimes Quilt is a classic illustration of how simple and easy quilting can be when you make decisions about the fabric. Wendy Sheppard and Whistler Studios worked on the scale to incorporate florals with larger geometric forms to create a timeless design that's fresh and classic.
Whether you're looking for some vibrant yellow to add a splash or a gray and white contrast to your fabric stash, downloading this pattern is a great way to get your creative juices flowing with a new project.
Full Pattern: Wind Chimes Quilt Free PDF Pattern 🎁
