Pattern of the Week - The Daphne Quilt Pattern
It’s scrap-friendly, it’s beginner-friendly, and it’s bursting with movement – this week I am talking about the Daphne Quilt Pattern. This pattern holds a special place in my heart because it was designed with two goals in mind: to use up scraps and to welcome new quilters! The Daphne Quilt checks both boxes. It’s a great project if you want to:
• Bust your stash or use a FQ bundle. Daphne is perfect for a fat quarter bundle, scraps, or a curated pull from your stash . The design makes even a random assortment of fabrics look intentional and fun.
• Enjoy a beginner-friendly make. This pattern is straightforward and quick to sew, making it ideal for beginners (and a relaxing sew for more experienced quilters). No fancy techniques required – just simple blocks that come together easily for a confident finish .
• Create dynamic visual movement. The Daphne Quilt layout features blocks set on diagonal stripes, which gives the finished quilt lots of movement . The interplay of colors across the quilt looks almost like ribbons or stripes dancing across the quilt top!
• Make any size quilt. The pattern includes instructions for baby, lap, twin, queen, and king sizes – so you can make a cuddly baby gift or go all the way up to a bed-size quilt. Every size is fat quarter friendly (and lap size and up can also use half-yard cuts if you prefer fewer fabrics). Yay for options!
How to Choose Fabrics for the Daphne Quilt
When it comes to fabric selection, the Daphne Quilt is incredibly forgiving and versatile. Because it walks the line between more traditional and more modern styles , your fabric choices will set the tone. Here are some tips for choosing fabrics:
• Go scrappy! Daphne was born to be a scrap quilt. Dig into your scrap bin or mix leftover bits from other projects. Try focusing on a color scheme (for example, a pink/red/orange rainbow or cool blues and greens) to give your scrappy quilt a cohesive look. One idea I’m excited to try is a scrappy rainbow Daphne – imagine each diagonal stripe in the quilt being its own color family from red all the way to violet. Scraps will give each block its own character, and the diagonal layout will tie them all together.
• Fat quarter bundles work great. If scrappy chaos isn’t your thing, grab a coordinated fat quarter bundle you love. The pattern’s blocks are large enough to showcase the prints, and a good mix of color, print, and value in the bundle will yield the best results .
• Consider background and contrast. Daphne has large blocks arranged in diagonal rows. Choosing a background that contrasts with your feature fabrics will make the pattern pop.
• Play with layout. Before stitching, lay out your blocks and play with the placement. Swap blocks around to avoid same colors touching and to distribute prints evenly. This pattern looks fabulous when the colors seem to “scatter” across the quilt. That deliberate randomness gives Daphne its playful, dynamic feel. Use a design wall to help arrange your layout until you’re happy with the balance.
Previous Daphne Quilt Posts
There are several blog posts featuring the Daphne Quilt that you won’t want to miss. They offer a closer look at different fabric approaches to this pattern:
The Daphne Quilt in Sugar Maple
The Daphne Quilt in Forest Forage
New Daphne Quilt Mockups
To celebrate Daphne as our pattern of the week, I’ve created some new mockups featuring fresh fabric collections that have caught my eye. It’s amazing how each collection gives the quilt a distinct personality!
Carousel by Melody Miller
Lineage by e Bond
Poppy Seeds by Laundry Basket Quilts
Star Spangled by April Rosenthal
Ooh Lucky Lucky by Alexia Marcelle Abegg
Sagewood by Crystal Manning
Wildflower Wovens by Suzy Quilts
Ombre Wovens by V and Co
Which Version is Your Favorite?
From sweet and scrappy to bold and modern, the Daphne Quilt can do it all. Do you prefer the Daphne mockup with a controlled color scheme, or the wild anything-goes scrappy version? I’d love to know which version speaks to you – share your favorite in the comments!