Windham Fabrics Opposites Attract - Downloadable PDF

Opposites Attract Quilt Pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Windham Fabrics

Opposites Attract is a free downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed by Wendy Sheppard and published by Windham Fabrics. The finished quilt measures a generous 67" x 91", making it an ideal lap quilt or throw-sized project. It is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it well-suited for quilters who are comfortable with basic patchwork and are ready to work with more complex block assembly and precise cutting.

Featured Fabric Collection

This pattern is specifically designed to showcase The Opposite fabric collection by Marcia Derse, also available through Windham Fabrics. The pattern relies on a carefully planned contrast between light and dark fabrics to create its visual impact — a concept that is perfectly reflected in the collection's name and design philosophy. The pattern uses multiple fabric SKUs, including:

• Fabric A – SKU 35370S-2 (Black): The primary background or dominant fabric, requiring approximately 4-5/8 yards. This fabric does the heavy lifting in the design.
• Fabric B – SKU 51065-1 (Light): A light colorway fabric, requiring approximately 1/3 yard.
• Fabric C – SKU 51065-2 (Dark): A dark colorway fabric, requiring approximately 1/2 yard.
• Fabric D – SKU 51066-1 (Light): Another light colorway fabric, requiring approximately 1/3 yard.

The interplay between light and dark fabrics across these SKUs creates the "opposites attract" visual dynamic that gives the quilt its name and striking graphic appeal.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a patchwork quilt top measuring 67 inches wide by 91 inches tall — a substantial blanket or throw suitable for a bed, sofa, or as a statement home décor piece. The pattern covers the construction of the quilt top and includes instructions for binding. Quilters will need to source their own backing fabric and batting to complete the full quilt sandwich before quilting.

Quilting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several classic and intermediate-level quilting techniques that are standard in modern patchwork construction:

• Strip cutting and subcut piecing: Fabric is cut into width-of-fabric (WOF) strips and then subcut into precise squares, a highly efficient method for producing consistent patchwork units in quantity.
• Square-in-a-square or half-square triangle construction: The use of both large 7" squares and smaller 2-1/2" squares cut from the same fabrics suggests block construction techniques such as folded-corner units or snowball blocks, where smaller squares are sewn onto the corners of larger squares to create angled design elements.
• Strip piecing: Several fabric strips are sewn together via their short ends to create longer continuous strips, a technique used for borders and binding.
• Binding application: Fabric A includes cutting instructions for (8) 2-1/4" x WOF strips sewn end-to-end for a traditional double-fold binding finish around the quilt's perimeter.
• Precise rotary cutting: The pattern relies heavily on accurate rotary cutting of squares at 7" and 2-1/2" increments, as well as 4" strips, requiring a rotary cutter, self-healing mat, and quilting ruler for best results.

Stitches and Sewing Methods

As a quilting pattern, Opposites Attract is constructed using a standard 1/4" seam allowance, which is the universal convention in patchwork quilting. All piecing is done by straight-stitch machine sewing, with seams pressed open or to one side as directed. The binding is attached using a combination of machine stitching on the front and typically a hand slip stitch or ladder stitch on the back for a clean, professional finish — a standard approach in intermediate-level quilting projects.