Thistle Garden Quilt Pattern
The Thistle Garden quilt pattern is now available for instant PDF download! Click here to get it.
This pattern comes in three different sizes: Crib/Lap, Throw, and Bed, and is available in three colorways.
photo credit: Love Patchwork & Quilting Magazine, issue 78
I’m so excited to present the Thistle Garden quilt! This pattern was originally published as ‘Thistle & Blush’ in Love Patchwork & Quilting in 2019, and has been patiently waiting for its turn to be released as a stand-alone pattern. And while I adore the look of the four-color quilt (you know I usually like to keep things simple), I just knew this one could be fun using a bunch of colors too, so I made it Fat Quarter friendly by adding a 10-color option to the layout choices.
Thistle Garden includes instructions for three sizes, and three color options - that’s nine different ways to make this quilt! Best of all, this pattern is beginner friendly; as long as you feel comfortable sewing a scant 1/4” seam allowance and sewing on the bias - or are willing to try those as new-to-you techniques - this pattern will be a breeze.
More quilting links for beginners:
Quilting Basics: Tools & Notions
Pixel Plaid quilt pattern
Weekend Baby Quilt - a FREE beginner pattern
How to Bind a Quilt
The cover quilt is my original Thistle quilt and is sewn up using Kona Cotton solids in Bellini, Petunia, Magenta, and Hibiscus with a White background to really make the ombre of colors pop. I finished off the quilt with a classic crosshatch quilting on my domestic machine and matching binding to keep the focus on the Thistle shapes. I love how soft this quilt looks and feels!
To make your owN LPQ version:
4-COLOR THROW
Color 1: Kona Bellini
Color 2: Kona Petunia
Color 3: Kona Magenta
Color 4: Kona Hibiscus
Backing: Widescreen Yarrow
Background & Binding: Kona White
Thread: Aurifil
This next version was made entirely using stash and scrap fabrics, and while I was hesitant at first - this is a little wild compared to my typical palettes - I think it turned out so fun! This black background fabric is littered with tiny hexagons in a variety of colors, and it very much feels like confetti to me. I picked through my stash and scraps of solid fabrics and found 10 colors that matched (or were at least close enough) to some of the brightest colors in the background. I ended up using mostly Kona solids, with one or two AGF Pure Solids mixed in. When it was time to find a backing, I was committed to keeping this a stash-only project, but as my stash is pretty limited, I didn’t have a cut of fabric that was both large enough and coordinated enough to back the whole thing. The solution? A pieced backing! I used some leftovers from the quilt top and the last 2 yards of a long-hoarded Lisa Congdon print and set about putting it all together. It’s a bit random, but I still love it!
It’s been ages since I’ve not quilted my own quilt before (I’ve only ever had one other quilt longarmed), but I sent this little party animal off to Mindy of Wild Phil Quilting for some extra love and attention. She did an outstanding job and her turnaround was super fast! She used the Triplet pantograph, and I love how the three petals in the flower design mimic the three points in the thistles of the quilt.
The last sample I have been working on is also a scrap and stash buster. I had just finished a project using this gorgeous Rifle Paper Co. fabric for the backing, and I had barely enough remnant to cut all of the background pieces I needed to make a Crib size Thistle Garden! Because I wanted a lot of attention to focus on the print, I opted to use only a single color for the thistles, and gosh, I love it so much. So much, in fact, that I belatedly added instructions to the pattern for how to make your own 1-color + background version in any size. The Crib size is a generous 47” x 49”, so if you’re looking for a great lap size, this would be perfect.
To make your own Rifle Paper Co. version:
1-COLOR CRIB SIZE SHOWN
Thistles & Binding: Kona White
Background: Rifle Paper Co. Citrus in Mint
Backing: Add It Up in Peach
For more awesome quiltspiration, check out these awesome versions by my wonderful pattern testers!
@WORKINGHANDSSTUDIO
10-COLOR CRIB SIZE
“It was super easy to navigate to my respective section [of the pattern] and get to work. All this to say, I LOVE the way you organized it. Did I mention it was super fun to make? Because it was!”
@LAURENALLRED
10-COLOR BED SIZE
“The feeling when this quilt ended up more accurate than probably anything I’ve ever pieced before was *chef's kiss* …I’ve seriously never seen so many corners line up exactly right.
Not to mention that this is somehow both the largest and the fastest quilt I’ve ever had come together? I went from cutting FQs to a queen-sized quilt top in four evenings! The simplicity of the piecing compared to the complexity of the overall effect gives this pattern such a high ROI, if that makes sense - simple piecing, a fun color-matching thistle puzzle, and a really satisfying reward once you see it complete.”
@THEQUILTBLONDEFOX
10-COLOR CRIB SIZE
“Can I say it was a dream to sew up? At first I thought making the angled thistle components would take a while, but after the cutting it was one seam. Then you’re on to making rows! I think all the options in this pattern give a lot of value, and since there are even small requirements for the 10 colour versions (and crib/throw for 4 colour), it’s very stash friendly—I really think I could easily make another 10 colour crib one just out of my scrappy strip bin + background yardage.”
@SECRETEROOMQUILTS
10-COLOR THROW SIZE
“I really love how this turned out! I love the amount and variety of fabrics as it let me play with my stash and put together some of my favorites. I also felt like the pattern had a good amount of variety… I think it's a perfect quilt for an intermediate level (or very confident beginner) quilter who wants something moderately complex!”
@WETMOUNTAINQUILTCO
10-COLOR THROW (SCRAPPY PLACEMENT, WITHOUT BORDERS)
“All of your instructions were very clear and the diagrams are thorough. It's a great pattern and you put in exceptional work to make it easy to follow.”
Thistle Garden quilt pattern available in the shop!