Transparency Quilt Challenge: Light Me Up!

Transparency is a hot trend in quilting! The challenge is to choose opaque fabrics to create the illusion of transparency. The American Patchwork and Quilting Transparency Challenge produced some incredible quilts... We hope you enjoy our photos from this year's QuiltCon show!

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on craft jewelry, patterns, and collectibles!
For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter.   

Light Me Up, made and quilted by Lindsey Berres (Woodinville, Washington) @peaceandpatchwork.  

Light Me Up won 1st Place in the American Patchwork and Quilting Transparency Challenge.

Lindsey Berres says that this quilt explores the concept of additive light through the interplay of color and transparency.  "I designed this quilt using varying values of overlapping red, green, and blue (the primary colors of light) to create the spectrum of colors that converge to form the white center. I wanted to create the effect of additive light with fabric, which is a medium that gets its color through pigment, not light."

Note: For a fun and FREE transparency quilt pattern, check out the Color Wash quilt pattern by Modern Quilt Studio for Benartex (CLICK for PDF download!)

 

 

Image credits: Photos of Light Me Up were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 QuiltCon show in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

Secret Agent Quilt Along

Have you heard of the Secret Agent Quiltalong by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr at Modern Quilt Studio? Participants on six continents joined this fabulous mystery quilt project. While the “Mystery” part has concluded, quilters around the world are still making their own Secret Agent quilts.We spotted one of the finished quilts at a 2025 quilt show.  

Note: Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on beaded jewelry, patterns, & collectibles! For continuous free quilt patterns, please follow us on Twitter!  

Secret Agent Quilt, made by Meg Silvern, quilted by Linda Powell   

Meg Silvern made this quilt during a sew-a-long with Modern Quilt Studio online, using theirpattern and designed the fabric.  Modern Quilt Studio is famous for their contemporary designs and transparency effects.  There are many more Secret Agent quilts to admire! For more inspiration, check out the virtual exhibit on the Modern Quilt Studio website.  

 

Quilt by candyshomepatch2 as seen at Modern Quilt Studio

Quilt by Violet Sewregard/Teresa Locknane as seen at Modern Quilt Studio

 

Image credits: Photos of the quilt by Meg Silvern were taken at the 2025 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Free pattern day! Optical illusion quilts

Optical illusion quilts give the illusion of shadows, movement, transparency, and/or three dimensions (3D quilts). We hope you enjoy these FREE patterns! To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" in the title above the quilt.

For more optical illusion quilts: Check out our Free Pattern Days for Attic Windows quilts, Tumbling Blocks quilts, or Lattice & Woven quilts!  p.s. Please see our E-Bay shop for great bargains on patterns and vintage collectibles. For continuous free quilt patterns and blog updates, please visit us on Twitter.

Dimension wall art, 4 x (18” x 14”), free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Dancing Ribbons mini quilt, free pattern by Cindy Round Richards for American Quilters Society (CLICK for PDF download) + (CLICK for fabric & color guide)

3D Popstar quilt, ~50 x 64”, free pattern at Fat Quarter Shop (CLICK for PDF download)

3D squares wall quilt, 33” square, free tutorial inspired by Marcia Harmening at All People Quilt (CLICK for )

Woven Radiance quilt, 77 x 95", free pattern for Tula Pink at Free Spirit Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Twisted Ribbons quilt, free pattern and tutorial by Suzy Williams at Suzy Quilts (CLICK for tutorial) + (CLICK for PDF download)

Zig Zag Stitch quilt, 63 x 72”, free pattern by Lisa Swenson Ruble for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Bento Box illusion quilt, 48″ square, free pattern by Betsey Langford for American Quilters Society (AQS) (CLICK for PDF download)

Big Knit quilt, 60 x 75”, free pattern by Ruby Star Society for Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Bumbleberries quilt, 54" square, free pattern by Sally Ablett for Lewis & Irene Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Butterfly Illusion (panel) quilt, ~54 x 59”, free pattern by Patti Carey for Northcott Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Imagine Unicorn (panel) quilt, ~73 x 80”, free pattern by Patti Carey for Northcott Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Checkered Tiles quilt, ~64 x 72”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Color Current quilt, ~66 x 84", free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Anthology Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Color Optics quilt, 48 x 64", free pattern by Wilmington Prints (CLICK for PDF download) 

Color Theory quilt, ~88" square, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Anthology Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Diamond Day quilt, 70 x 90”, free pattern in 3 colors at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Flip This House quilt, 66 x 78”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Gelato Glimmer quilt, 52 x 64”, free pattern by Tiffany Hayes for Maywood Studio (CLICK for PDF download)

Apple Pie Paisley quilt, 66 x 72”, free pattern by Janet Houts for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Geode with a Twist quilt, 78 x 88”, free pattern by Lisa Moore for Hoffman California Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Goodfellow quilt, 58 x 74", free pattern by Weeks Ringle & Bill Kerr at Modern Quilt Studio (CLICK for PDF download)

Gridlock quilt, 60” square, free pattern by Leah Duncan for Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Handcraft quilt, 70 x 80”, free pattern at Art Gallery Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Ketan table topper, 21” square, by Elaine Theriault for Banyan Batiks – Northcott Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Mixtape quilt, 84” square, free pattern by Libs Elliott for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Morse Code quilt, 57 x 69”, free pattern by Natalie Crabtree for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Optical Illusion quilt, 40 x 52”, free pattern by Lisa Swenson Ruble for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Optics quilt, 64 x 80”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Showcase quilt, 67 x 82", free pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Pokedex quilt, 45 x 54”, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Punxsutawney’s Nine Patch quilt, 38" square, free pattern by Betsey Langford for American Quilters Society (CLICK for PDF download)

Shadow Box quilt, 61 x 85", free pattern by Donna Jordan at Jordan Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Positive Vibes - Shimmer quilt, 66 x 80”, free pattern by Elaine Theriault for Northcott Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Spinning Pyramids quilt, 32” square, free pattern at Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Tranquility quilt, 64 x 80", free pattern by Blend Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Simple Twist quilt, 56 x 64", free pattern by Janice Ryan for Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Tumbled quilt, ~62 x 72", free pattern by Nancy Mahoney for Timeless Treasures (CLICK for PDF download)

Aperture quilt, 60 x 72”, free pattern by Ariga Mahmoudlou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download) 

Aperture quilt - Kona cottons, 60 x 72", free pattern by Ariga Mahmoudlou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Alexandrite quilt, 54" square, free pattern by Stephanie Sheridan for Anthology Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

 Image credits: This post was updated on March 21, 2025. Individual images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs; complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links. The photo montage shown on this page is a derivative work that is the property of Quilt Inspiration. If any links are broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it. Please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.