Cosmic Cactus Quilt - Colour Inspiration
When I was designing this quilt my vision was to have four colours only. But as I was working on the pattern, the realisation came that the design could work equally well for a two-colour and scrappy (eight colour) quilt. With this in mind, my time was spent working out how to write the pattern to include all these different versions! So now the finished pattern has all three options: two-colour, four-colour and scrappy options to make very different looking quilts.
The main feature of this design is the centre star (the cosmic element). Other elements include the arrow heads, the spikey (cactus) blocks and the square blocks (with an option to fussy cut motifs).
While the quilt mock-ups depicted here are shown in solid colours, I encourage you to consider substituting the solid for a fabric print. There are a ton of gorgeous fabric prints out there!
QUICK LINKS (click to skip ahead)
A two-colour quilt offers a minimalist option.
Choose your favourite colour and pair with a crisp white fabric or another accent fabric.
Kona Curry & White: Bring a little warmth with the golden tones of yellow.
Kona Windsor & Azure: You don’t have to use white! Choose another accent colour instead.
Kona Windsor & White: Choose your favourite blue to create a striking blue and white quilt.
Kona Windsor & White: Reverse the colours to create a dramatically different quilt. You could use a low volume print fabric here too.
Kona Everglade & White: Choose your favourite green to create a cool green and white quilt.
Kona Windsor & Azure: Reverse the colours in two blues or any of your two favourite colours.
With the use of only four colours, you can create a striking quilt for the modern home.
Fabric A - Kona Azure; Fabric B - Kona Curry; Fabric C - Kona White and Background - Kona Windsor.
Create a dramatically different quilt with a yellow background
Swap around the colours again for a different looking quilt. You could also use a low volume print here instead of a white solid.
Make the matching pillow! Pattern available here.
Fabric A - Kona Cypress; Fabric B - Kona Cactus; Fabric C - Kona White and Background - Kona Everglade.
Swap around the colours for a different looking quilt!
A more subtle version of the cactus colourway with a white background
Not a fan of the cactus green, then leave it out and create a more for subtle colourway.
Cosmic Cactus pillow in cactus colourway.
Fabric A - Kona Cantaloupe; Fabric B - Kona Wine; Fabric C- Kona Dusty Peach; Background - Kona Shell
Fabric A - Kona Creamscile; Fabric B - Kona Dark Violet; Fabric C- Kona Dahlia; Background - Kona Sea Glass
Fabric A - Kona Petal; Fabric B - Kona Pickle; Fabric C - Kona White and Background - Kona Graphite.
Fabric A - Kona Sand; Fabric B - Kona Latte; Fabric C - Kona Snow and Background - Kona Pepper.
Fabric A - Kona Salmon; Fabric B - Kona Cayenne; Fabric C - Kona Snow and Background - Kona Mahogany.
Change the colours around for a different look!
The scrappy quilt introduces more colours into the quilt and uses eight fabrics or fabric groups.
You can choose from one of three options fabric options:
Option1: Use yardage to make this option in eight fabrics.
Option 2: Uses fat quarters and fat eighths only, allowing you to achieve a scrappy quilt.
Option 3: Stash buster option! Dive into your stash and have fun making this totally scrappy quilt. For an even scrappy quilt, follow the directions at the bottom of Page 14.
The blue colourway is for anyone who loves blues and greens, and is teamed with a sunny orange yellow. Consider other neutrals or a low volume prints for the background to suit your colourway.
Group 1 - Kona Prussian
Group 2 - Kona Teal Blue
Group 3 - Kona Aruba
Group 4- Kona Seascape
Group 5 - Kona Pistachio
Group 6 - Kona Cabbage
Group 7- Kona Papaya
Background - Kona Natural
For the scrappy quilt below, I used the Kona Cotton colours outlined above and colour matched these to fat quarters I had in my fabric stash. The background uses a variety of low volume prints and some solids.
Same colours, but a totally different look!
Not a fan of the light background? Then try the Kona Teal blue or similar for a background instead.
Make the background scrappy!
This colourway is for anyone who loves pink and is teamed with a sunny yellow. Consider other neutrals or a low volume print for the background to suit your colourway.
Group 1 - Kona Sangria
Group 2 - Kona Valentine
Group 3 - Kona Medium Pink
Group 4 - Kona Azalea
Group 5 - Kona Melon
Group 6 - Kona Salmon
Group 7- Kona Corn Yellow
Background - Kona White
For the scrappy quilts below, I used the Kona Cotton colours outlined above and colour matched these to fat quarters I had in my fabric stash. The background uses a crisp Kona white.
Make the background scrappy!
Group 1 - Kona Morning Glory; Group 2 - Kona Pansy; Group 3 - Kona Thistle; Group 4 - Kona Lilac; Group 5 - Kona Ash; Group 6 - Kona Petunia; Group 7 - Kona Bright Idea; Background - Kona White
Light Grey - Kona Haze; Medium Grey - Kona Shitake; Dark Grey - Kona Graphine; Pastel Background - Kona Maize, Kona Light Parfait, Kona Ballet Slipper and Kona Sky.
Group 1 - Kona Espresso; Group 2 - Kona Dusty Peach; Group 3 - Kona Nectarine; Group 4 - Kona Khaki; Group 5 - Kona Cobblestone; Group 6 - Kona Cantaloupe; Group 7 - Kona Wine; Background - Kona Shell
If you’re making the scrappy quilt and feeling adventurous, you can change the look of the central star by making a few changes. Here are a few examples:
Simple Star
Scrappy simple star
By changing a couple colours, you can change the look of the Scrappy simple star
Create an interesting Shadow Star by highlighting the star tips as shown in dark blue, with a teal blue inner star and a few other colours swapped around.
Star crossed: Create a cross within the star!
I would love to see your finished quilts! Please share using the hashtags:
#CosmicCactusQAL #CosmicCactusQuilt #LouLouandBettyPatterns