Pansy Patch Quilt Pattern - The Lava Rock Version
Today I’m sharing my last sample from the Pansy Patch quilt pattern launch…and it’s so good I already have a bigger version planned!
The Pansy Patch quilt pattern so far
It's been over a month since the new Pansy Patch quilt pattern released. If you missed the news and details about the pattern, you can find all the details about Pansy Patch here. In this post, I share about the 3 different color-ways of Pansy Patch.
On the one hand, I always knew the Pansy Patch quilt pattern would have a multi-color Modern colorway (like the Cover version and Forget-Me-Not version). On the other hand, I was surprised by the Patchwork colorway (like the Sprout version). The two-color Traditional colorway sits somewhere between the two.
I didn’t know for sure we’d include a two-color version in Pansy Patch, but I think it’s fair to say I hoped a two-color version would work. Because y’all, I just love two-color quilts.
As a designer, I love how they give the pattern design the spotlight. While color choice definitely matters in a two-color quilt, the real focus is the shapes, symmetry, repetition, piecing…and the overall vibes! That’s why we offer so many two-color options in our quilt patterns (from Celtic Crossing to Vintage Lace)...and why I keep making two-color samples.
I also love how easy it is to make and use two-color quilts. If I’m giving away a quilt, for instance, I spend a lot of time thinking (and maybe overthinking) about my colors. Choosing just two colors makes things way easier, because you’re making just two decisions instead of four, eight, or even sixteen. Two colors feel safer, like they’re more likely to fit your recipient’s taste.
Which is the other great thing about two-colors quilts: They go with so many things! While I definitely love colorful, intricate quilts (Daydreamer Homepsun, anyone?), sometimes you don’t want something super patchwork-y or busy for your room, especially if it’s already got lots of color or motifs going on. A two-color quilt won’t compete with a busy rug or wallpaper like a more colorful quilt might.
All of which is to say that I was thrilled to see how amazingly well a two-color palette worked for Pansy Patch. I knew we HAD to include it in the pattern…and that I had to make a two-color version as one of my launch samples!
My Lava Rock sample
I know I said choosing two colors is easier…but I sure spent a lot of time choosing my colors for the two-color Pansy Patch! We had so many palettes that were contenders, and I kept changing my mind about which one to make. You can find some of my favorites inside the Pansy Patch pattern!
(Those mockups show the Large Throw size, but I ended up making the Small Throw, with 16 blocks, for my two-color Lava Rock version.)
I was this close to making the Parrot/Sweet Macadamia version. 🤏 I loved (and still do!) the color combo and how bright and fresh it feels. But I felt like it was putting too much focus on the Parrot color, and not quite enough on the Pansy Patch design itself.
So in the end, I went with a super classic look for my Traditional sample: black and white…ish.
FABRICS
Like I’ve explained before, most of my black and white quilts aren’t actually true black and true white. I usually like to soften things up a bit by using a dark gray and an off-white instead…which is just what I did for my Traditional Pansy Patch quilt!
I picked two gorgeous Art Gallery Fabrics PURE Solids: Lava Rock and Creme de la Creme.
Lava Rock is my new favorite charcoal color. It’s just a teeny tiny bit darker than Magnetism (another charcoal I love), and it has more warmth…but it still reads as charcoal, not brown. It’s such a good color, so don’t be surprised when you keep seeing it in more of my quilts!
Creme de la Creme is a nice ivory, which makes it less jarring and stark against the Lava Rock than a true white would be. Plus, I think a nice off-white feels more lived-in and cozy, which is definitely the vibe I wanted for my Pansy Patch quilts!
Paired together, these two fabrics look absolutely gorgeous. There’s such a great contrast, but without any harshness.
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Pansy Patch pattern changes
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While I still might make other two-color versions in the future, I’m so glad I went with black and white for this Pansy Patch quilt. The simplicity of the black and white really highlights the stamped effect and block printed feel of the pattern, which I really, really love.
If you’d like to make your own, you can with one of our Lava Rock quilt kits in the shop!
BACKING
Sometimes it takes a while to find the perfect backing fabric, and sometimes you just know right away. This was definitely one where I just knew! I wanted something neutral-ish with just a bit of color…so I immediately reached for Festoon Umber (from Katarina Roccella’s Botanist collection for Art Gallery Fabrics), which you might recognize from my Botanist Nightingale quilt (where I used it in the quilt top and as the backing).
I think this might be one of my favorite fabrics of all time! And it works so well with my black and white Pansy Patch quilt, keeping up the black and white theme while adding some brown and a touch of peach (which is a fun addition to such a neutral-focused quilt).
QUILTING
For the quilting, I wanted to keep up the theme of simple, but not boring. I decided to look in the Quilt Finishing Fellowship workbook for inspiration.
You might not know this, but not only does Quilt Finishing Fellowship teach skills like hand quilting and machine quilting, but it includes a workbook that’s packed with ideas for quilting motifs you can use with those skills. It’s such a great resource!
I knew I wanted something with diagonal lines (to set off the vertical and horizontal seams of the quilt top), but we’d already done my favorite 45-degree lines on the Sprout version, so I was looking for something a little different.
I found my answer in the QFF workbook! We ended up doing double 60-degree rectangle quilting, with the smaller lines about ¼” apart and the bigger lines about 1” apart (using cream thread!). It gives the quilting almost an argyle feel, which is fun.
BINDING
I was tempted to use peach fabric for my binding, to tie in with the backing print…but from the front, peach felt like a random color choice, and I found it a bit distracting.
Instead, I turned to AGF’s Golden Bronze (another favorite I’ve used many times!). It doesn’t distract from either the front or the backing, but it does tie them together nicely.
The finished quilt looks really simple, but really classic. Between the pattern and the fabrics, it’s a timeless look that won’t ever go out of style…which is why I’m already planning a bigger version of this quilt!
I want to make one for our guest bedroom, where we have a very busy rug already. This quilt is simple enough that it won’t compete with the rug, but striking enough that it will look absolutely stunning in there…and hopefully help our guests feel right at home!
Make your own Pansy Patch quilt
If you want to make your own two-color Pansy Patch, I recommend checking out my post about choosing fabrics for the Getaway quilt pattern. The two patterns may have different designs, but the principles for choosing a two-color palette (like thinking about high contrast vs. low and tone on tone vs. unrelated colors) will help you with any two-color pull!
Of course, there’s also the Modern and Patchwork colorways. Which one you choose, you can plan your pull with the Pansy Patch coloring page on PreQuilt. We also have free printable quilt coloring pages if that works better for you!
QUILT KITS
You don’t have to design your own Pansy Patch pull…you can use one of ours! We have Lava Rock quilt kits in the shop, along with three other colorways:
- Cover quilt kit (Modern, large throw) and matching table runner kit
- Forget-Me-Not quilt kit (Modern, large throw) and matching baby quilt kit
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Sprout quilt kit (Patchwork, small throw)
Happy quilting!
