Neutral quilt patterns are all the rage—and it’s hard to argue with the trend. Neutral quilts have a way of exuding elegance and beauty no matter where you display them, adding a touch of sophistication to any space. Best of all? They coordinate with any space too. Traditional pomp, country flair, modern minimal, and more—toss a neutral quilt into most any decor and it instantly elevates the scene.
When Pat Wys debuted her book Spotlight on Neutrals, quilters immediately connected with the versatility of the neutral look. The book has topped our bestseller list and received rave reviews from Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine, Connecting Threads, and FaveQuilts.com, to name a few. Today, Pat has kindly allowed us to share a free pillow pattern—a bonus project from her book—where simple, classic piecing meets timeless hues.
“Wrapped in Comfort” (front)
“Wrapped in Comfort” (back)
Pat says she designed her “Wrapped in Comfort” pillow for one simple reason—cozy, cushy comfort! Use a body pillow form, which can be found at your local bedding store, to create this design for a bed or sofa. Sign in or register at our site to download Pat’s free pillow pattern right now.
Of course, you’ll want to choose from a bounty of neutral quilt patterns to coordinate with the pillow you make, and Pat’s book has nine beauties to choose from. Plus more pillows!
Left: “White Chocolate” (with the “Wrapped in Comfort” pillow). Right: “French Silk” with a coordinating bolster pillow.
Left: “Sunnyside.” Right: “Summer Stitch In” with a coordinating woven pillow sham.
Left: “Going My Way?” Right: “Havenstone.”
Left: “Scrappy Nines.” Right: “Kitty’s Baskets.”
Left: “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Right: “Winter Solstice” mantel scarf.
Another special touch in Spotlight on Neutrals is favorite feel-good quotes, chosen by Pat, to keep you inspired. Here are a few of our favorites.
Download Pat’s bonus pattern now, and then purchase your own copy of Spotlight on Neutrals so you can make a quilt to match. When you buy the book, you can instantly download the eBook version for free—start choosing your favorite pattern right away!
What’s your go-to color palette—and have you tried neutrals in your quilts? Tell us your story in the comments!
My favorites are soft blues and yellows. Make me think of spring, just before the flowers bloom.
—Lynne on May 2, 2013I love neutrals and have a small stash of yardage for backgrounds. I have never made an entire quilt with them but it is on my to do list. There is a shop hop coming up soon. Perfect time to build up my stash.
—Diane on May 2, 2013Blues, blues, and more blues LOL!
—Shannon Olden on May 2, 2013I purchased "Spotlight on Neutrals" when it first came out. I was looking for "manly" quilts. It did not disappoint. The book has since become one of my favorites. I am sure I will eventually make all nine patterns.
—Audrey on May 2, 2013I’ve always been drawn to country colours, those deep rich tones that make you think of snuggling up on a cold winter’s night beside a crackling fire. A bit odd, because I live in Queensland, Australia where a winter’s night rarely gets below 10C! 😀
Because of this, I regularly push myself to work with bright & fresh or softly romantic colours and I’m never disappointed with the outcome.
—Kayt on May 2, 2013I have a small FQ stash of beige neutrals and a bolt of a light beige and white blend fabric that I used as a background for a basket of flowers. My FQ neutrals are used to brighten a relatively dull color of fabric. Yellow isn’t my favorite color to quilt with, but I do have a UFO with a yellow background, and yes, it’s in the process of being finished.
I’ll probably never make a full quilt using only beiges and white, but my never-going-to-learn-to-quilt sister made a wall hanging using beige and white fabrics that matched her champagne colored rug.
Keep smiling,
—Lynnita Shipman on May 2, 2013I can’t wear neutrals so they haven’t appealed to me. I like a more colorful palette. I haven’t visited many quilt shops that I couldn’t find at least a half yard of blue or a batik to take home.
—Claudia on May 2, 2013i’ve a nice stash of neutrals ready to cut and piece for backgrounds for applique … i vary the size and shape of the pieces for the blox, never tiring of this piecing.
—ritainalaska on May 3, 2013I have done two quilts from Kim Bracket’s first book using lots of cream neutrals for the backgrounds. I love the play of neutral backgrounds in blocks that let the block design stand out and also reveal a secondary pattern with the interplay of the darks and neutrals. Sometimes I get scared to use more than one background fabric, but I like the scrappy, antique look of many neutral background fabrics.
—Susan Whitfield on May 3, 2013I’m with Shannon, I love blue. But I just sewed a pack of 5 inch neutrals together and am going to use it for a pot of flowers (appliqued) and maybe a bird or butterfly or perhaps both. I would like to use this piece as a wallhanging. This is new for me, so, here goes.
—Mary Ann on May 3, 2013