How did you spent last Friday? Well, our quilting editors here at FaveQuilts spent the day in beautiful Wisconsin attending the 2016 Quilt Expo in Madison. It was a day filled with gorgeous quilts, vendors and stores from all over the Midwest, and too much cute fabric to handle! From tips for quilting beginners to the hottest trends in quilting, we joined hundreds of quilting enthusiasts from around the US to celebrate the artistry and dedication that goes into quilt making. While at the Expo, we couldn’t help but take note of some of the most popular trends that kept appearing everywhere, from printed fabrics to art quilts to new patterns. We’ve brought back the top 5 trends that we couldn’t get enough of in Madison to all of you, so that you can be sure to stay on top of the most popular trends for Fall/Winter 2016. Choose your favorite trend and get to quilting!
Plus, if you’re looking for patterns that never go out of style, be sure to check out our collection of 33 Star Quilt Patterns! They’re perfect for traditional quilters.
Trend Report: Wisconsin Quilt Expo
5. Christmas
December may still be months away but quilters in Madison could not get enough of everything Christmas. Trends this year strayed away from the typical Christmas colors of red and green (although there were still plenty of traditional Christmas quilts to go around). Several Christmas quilts focused on snowy whites and icy blues instead, with designs featuring snowflakes, snowmen, and reindeer instead of Santa and his elves. Several quilters channeled a rustic Rocky Mountain Christmas vibe and created quilts that were perfect for snuggling up in a dreamy mountain lodge.
4. Woodland Animals
Speaking of rustic vibes, quilts and fabrics featuring woodland animals could not have been more popular. The top three trending animals were reindeer (in preparation for the upcoming holiday season), owls, and foxes. We also saw plenty of other cute critters like squirrels and even a set of buttons featuring some adorable skunks! These animals were often paired with rustic and country fabrics and colors, like rich browns and burnt oranges, which looked stunning in preparation for fall.
3. Halloween
The only holiday more popular at the Expo than Christmas was, hands-down, Halloween. You couldn’t miss the bright oranges and inky blacks at almost every booth and our editors saw a ton of fabrics in fun Halloween prints. Other popular Halloween colors included acid green, bright purple, and ghostly whites, and traditional Halloween staples like black cats, ghosts, and candy corn were literally everywhere. If you’ve been itching for a new quilting project for fall, you can’t go wrong with a hauntingly fun Halloween quilt.
2. Wedding Quilts
While most people think that wedding season, and therefore wedding quilts, are at their most popular during the warm summer months, wedding quilts are one of the biggest trends for Fall 2016. Traditional wedding quilts in bold and beautiful bright colors were spotted all over Madison, specifically wedding ring quilts. If you know someone who has an upcoming fall or winter wedding, break out your favorite brights and get ready to make the best homemade gift ever! And as for this year’s number one quilting trend…
1. Cats
Yes, without a doubt, cats in every breed, color, and design imaginable were the biggest quilting trend our editors saw. You couldn’t turn around in Madison without seeing these adorable felines. Several of the cat patterns our editors saw included cute and trendy designs that were kid-friendly and modern, and many quilts included the color palette seen in the image above, soft blues and jewel tone purples. If you’re a cat lover, then we know you’re falling head over heels right now for the #1 trend in quilting for this fall!
Which of these trends is your favorite? Let us know below in the comments!
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