7 of My Favorite Black and White(ish) Quilts (& Tips for Making Your Own!)

I love colorful quilts, and I love playing with unexpected colors when I design them! But since the beginning, I have always loved two-color quilts. So much so my second quilt pattern (and many other patterns to follow) use only two colors.

And as I've built our quilt pattern library, I've always tried to include two-color options whenever it makes sense. There's just something so clean and modern...yet slightly traditional about a two-color quilt. I've especially found this to be true with high contrast colors like black and white....or at least black-ish and white-ish quilts.

I've recently finished some new black and white quilts, so I thought it'd be fun to share about them and also do a little round-up of previous black and white quilts that I've made. And I'll also share my best tips for making your own!

My newest black and white quilts

VINTAGE LACE

This black and white Vintage Lace quilt is actually my second (maybe third or fourth?) two-color Vintage Lace. I’d previously sewn it up using Kona Doeskin and Snow, which gave the quilt pattern a soft, even delicate look. This time, I upped the contrast…a lot!

I actually used Kona Snow again (I guess I know what I like!), but I paired it with AGF’s Lava Rock, a wonderful, warm charcoal. The darker fabric makes this version feel so much bolder than my other two-color sample.

And even though I didn’t change anything about the pattern itself, this version looks more geometric than my previous samples. The high contrast between the black and white really put the focus on the design!

Just like with my black and white Valley Song quilt, I introduced a third color with the binding…in this case, AGF Popsicle. It’s a soft, peachy pink. It’s mellow enough that it doesn’t distract from the quilt top, but bright enough that it doesn’t get lost against the Snow fabric. My backing, AGF’s Harmony Eventide, pulls in both the pinkish binding and the creamy white.

I love how this one turned out. It’s such a good example of how much of a difference fabric choice makes…even in a two-color quilt!

VALLEY SONG

I’ve been wanting to create a two-color Valley Song quilt since writing the pattern. I was actually super intentional about the strips of fabric in this design so that it would work with using only two colors. This meant that the Background and Foreground colors had to alternate in such a way that there wouldn't be two Foreground colors side by side, so that you could still visually see the pattern with only two colors. It took some thought and planning but I'm so glad we did it this way!

The two-color variant is included as a bonus option, but as soon as I mocked it up, I knew I had to make one myself!

For this two-color quilt, I used a couple of Art Gallery Fabrics PURE Solids: Slate for my black and Coconut Milk for my white. They’re both a few shades off of being “true” black or white, in fact, Slate actually leans a little more blue, which gives this quilt a softer look overall. There’s already so much contrast between the different shapes in the quilt, so I knew I could dial down the dark and light contrast while still keeping the quilt interesting and full of movement.

The Valley Song quilt has three different layout options, and I decided on the Rhythmic layout for this one (but I think any of the three would look great as a two-color quilt).

I decided to add a pop of color with the binding. I went with a pinkish purple, Kona Gumdrop, and it provides such a fun framing for the quilt top! The backing (Meadow One by AGF) also has plenty of pink, but the milky background makes it a perfect match for the front of the quilt.

The overall effect is very playful and modern. It just goes to show that you don’t need lots of color to make a super fun, interesting quilt!

My other black and white quilts

Those two quilts are just the latest in a long line of black and white quilts I’ve made…like these!

DECO

My two-color Deco quilt uses AGF Magnetism and Snow as the black and white fabrics. I made this in the middle of my Magnetism phase, and I think you can see why I love that fabric so much!

I even used Magnetism for the binding on this one…no extra colors here. It keeps all the attention on the intricate Deco design, which is just what I wanted for this two-color quilt.

GETAWAY

I made my Getaway cover quilt in black and white. I knew as I was designing the pattern that I wanted my cover sample to be very classic and striking. I used Moda’s Bella Charcoal for my dark fabric and Kona Snow for my white.

With all the lines flowing to the quilt edges, I thought this quilt needed a contrasting binding to make it feel “contained.” I landed on Kona Pickle, which adds an unexpected touch and makes a clear frame for the quilt top.

HOMECOMING

The first Homecoming sample I sewed (my two-color Kona version) used Gotham Gray and White (both Robert Kaufman Kona solids). It gives this quilt such a clean look, emphasizing the sharp angles and long lines.

Like the Getaway quilt, I knew this one needed a contrast binding…in this case, Kona Enchanted, a beautiful emerald green!

KNITTED BLOOMS

My black and white Knitted Blooms isn’t just a two-color quilt…it’s also a two-sided quilt! Both sides use the same fabrics (Kona Ivory and Bella Charcoal), just in reversed positions. That means there’s a lot of black and white on this quilt (no backing!), so I really wanted to get the right shades. Ivory and Charcoal felt just soft enough while still creating the dramatic effect I was going for.

Since the two sides are reversed, I didn’t want to spoil the effect with a black or white binding. I used AGF Golden Bronze instead, which keeps the two sides feeling nice and symmetrical.

KNITTED STAR

Finally, my Knitted Star cover quilt used black and white! For this one, I went with Kona Gotham Gray and Kona White. This is one of the few quilts I used a “true” white on, but the softness of Gotham Gray keeps things from looking too stark. It just looks classic!

Since this pattern was inspired by Christmas fair-isle stockings, I leaned into the holiday vibes with a red and white striped binding. It’s such a fun touch that makes this feel like the perfect winter quilt!

Tips for making a black and white quilt

As you can see, I love black and white quilts…and I hope my enthusiasm is contagious! If you’re feeling inspired to sew up your own black and white masterpiece, these three tips might help.

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT QUILT PATTERN

When your quilt only has two colors, there’s not much to distract from your quilt design…so make sure you choose a pattern you love!

All kinds of patterns can work as two-tone quilts (as you can see from the variety of black and white quilts I’ve made!). Just keep in mind that anything with lots of square pieces can easily get a checkerboard effect…which may (or may not) be what you want. So it’s always worth mocking up your quilt before you commit!

Tip: You don’t always have to start with a two-color quilt pattern. You can sometimes turn a multi-color pattern into a two-color variant pretty easily! As long as any foreground colors are separated by the background fabric, the pattern should work. (So for example, my Heirloom Hearts pattern would make a good two-color quilt…but Retro Blossoms wouldn’t.

2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT BLACK AND WHITE FABRICS

There’s nothing wrong with going with true black and white fabrics…but subtle differences in saturation and darkness can make a big difference in your finished quilt! So as you pick your black and white, think about the effect you’re trying to create.

Personally, I usually like to go with a charcoal and a warm white. They keep things looking just a little softer, which is more of the vibe I’m going for with my quilts.

These are some of my most-used “black” fabrics:

Charcoal (Bella) - This warm charcoal is one of my favorite black-ish fabrics.
Gotham Gray (Kona) - This cooler charcoal sometimes looks almost navy.
Lava Rock (PURE Solid) - This is another warm charcoal I can’t get enough of.
Magnetism (PURE Solid) - I’ve used this warm (but slightly cooler than Lava Rock) charcoal in lots of quilts.
Slate (PURE Solid) - This one reads as gray or even navy more than black, but it’s not super blue.

And these are some of my top “white” fabrics:

Coconut Milk (PURE Solid) - This warm off-white, and probably the least true white of my picks.
Ivory (Kona) - This warm, versatile white verges on cream.
Snow (PURE Solid) - Not be confused with Kona Snow, AGF Snow is a pure white.
Snow (Kona) - I love this warm white with yellow undertones for a softer look than true white.
White (Kona) - Just like the name says, this one is a pure white.

As you can see, you have lots of choices for black and white quilts (including tons of fabric colors not listed here!)

If you’re not sure, you can always use my personal favorites: Bella Charcoal or AGF Lava Rock for my “black” fabric and Kona Snow or Kona Ivory for my “white.” I promise, they look great in all kinds of patterns!

3. EXPERIMENT WITH FUN BACKING AND BINDING

As you saw with my black and white quilts, you don’t have to keep everything the same two tones. Your quilt backing and binding are great places to add pops of color. In fact, sometimes a colorful binding can really emphasize the two-tone design of your quilt top! An unexpected dash of color can also give your quilt a more modern feel. (By the way, we have some great backing and binding options in the shop!)

Of course, sometimes you just want to keep things simple…and that’s a great option too! Black and white is classic for a reason, and they’ll never distract from your piecing.

Make your own black and white quilt

Ready to get sewing? Let me recommend some quilt kits and patterns to inspire you.

QUILT KITS

We have a handful of black and white quilt kits in the Lo & Behold Stitchery shop!

TWO-COLOR QUILT PATTERNS

Quite a few Lo & Behold Stitchery quilt patterns include a two-color option that makes them great for black and white fabrics:

Plus, we have some other patterns that can be easily adapted to be two-color quilts:

I look forward to seeing how you make your own black and white quilt!

Happy two-color quilting!

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