When we think of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural genius, a few principles always come to mind: simplicity, harmony, and the use of strong horizontal and vertical lines. These are the exact ideas that inspired my latest quilt design, which I’m excited to share with you today. In this tutorial, we’re creating a quilt that brings Wright’s iconic style to life using a fabric collection based on his work.
Inspiration and Fabric Choice
For this quilt, I used Cloud 9’s “March Balloons” fabric collection, which was adapted from Wright’s illustrations. This collection offers beautiful, bold prints that work perfectly with Wright’s design principles, and the quilt itself mimics the effect of one of his famous stained glass windows. The bold shapes and clean lines in the fabric shine through when used in larger blocks, allowing the fabric to take center stage.
Simplicity in Design
The quilt comes together with simple cutting—mostly rectangles and squares—and can be completed in a weekend or two, depending on your pace. Even though the blocks are straightforward, the effect is anything but ordinary. The large sections of focus fabric make a striking visual impact, allowing the quilt to echo the clean, geometric lines of Wright’s work.
As the quilt comes together, you’ll notice the strong lines forming across the quilt top—this is where Wright’s design influence truly stands out. The layout features columns of blocks, some with strips of fabric running horizontally, and others with little four-patch blocks. By maintaining these strong linear elements, we achieve the bold, architectural look that Wright was famous for.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lasting Influence
This quilt holds a special place in my heart because of my personal connection to Frank Lloyd Wright. My father, an architect, designed the home and studio I grew up in with heavy influence from Wright’s designs. The simplicity, the lines, and the harmony of Wright’s architecture have always resonated with me, and I love being able to bring a bit of that into my quilting.
Get the Kit!
If you’re as excited as I am about this quilt, you’re in luck! Kits are available for this design in two colorways: the bright version featured here and a water version, which has more muted blues, greens, and purples. Both kits are available exclusively at Vintage Pink and Green.
