Windham Fabrics Tis the Season - Downloadable PDF

Tis the Season Quilt Pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Windham Fabrics

Tis the Season is a free, downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed by Wendy Sheppard and published by Windham Fabrics. The finished project is a generously sized quilt top measuring 71" x 83", making it an ideal blanket or throw for holiday decorating. The pattern features the Comfort & Joy fabric collection by Whistler Studios, a festive line that brings seasonal warmth and color to the finished piece.

About the Project

This pattern produces a structured, patchwork quilt top constructed from two distinct block types, finished with a coordinating inner border. The design is rated intermediate skill level by the publisher, meaning quilters who are comfortable with accurate cutting, piecing, and working with multiple fabric combinations will find this pattern most approachable. Beginners who have completed a few basic quilt projects and are ready to advance their skills will also find it a rewarding challenge.

Fabrics and Materials Used

The pattern calls for a carefully curated selection of fabrics from the Comfort & Joy collection, each identified by specific SKU numbers for precise sourcing. The fabrics used include:

• Fabric A – Metallics (SKU 38934M-1): A gold metallic fabric used in Block One, requiring approximately 1/4 yard. Cut into 2" squares as well as 4-1/2" and 1-1/2" squares for block construction.
• Fabric B – Uncorked Birch (SKU 50107M-4): A versatile fabric requiring 2-1/2 yards, used extensively across Block One for rectangles in multiple sizes (1-1/2" x 7-1/2", 2" x 4-1/2", and 2" x 9") as well as for the inner border strips.
• Fabric C – Uncorked Merlot (SKU 50107M-21): Requiring 1 yard, this fabric contributes to both Block One (2" and 4-1/2" squares) and Block Two (narrow 1" x 10" and 1" x 11" strips).
• Fabric D – Simply White / White On White (SKU 51694-1): A classic white-on-white fabric at 7/8 yard, used in Block Two for 1-1/4" x 11" and 1-1/4" x 12-1/2" strips that create light contrast within the block design.
• Fabric E (SKU 51882PM-X): A fussy-cut feature fabric requiring 2 yards, from which six 10" squares are carefully centered and cut to highlight a specific printed motif. Fussy cutting is a technique where the quilter deliberately positions the fabric under the ruler or template to capture a particular design element, making each block a focal point.
• Fabric F – Snow (SKU 51883M-1): Requiring only 3/8 yard, this fabric yields three 10" squares used in Block Two as companion blocks to the fussy-cut squares.

Block Construction and Design Structure

The quilt is built around two primary block types, each with its own piecing method and visual character:

• Block One is a traditional patchwork block assembled from an assortment of cut squares and rectangles in multiple sizes. Precise cutting from width-of-fabric (WOF) strips is essential, and the block relies on careful alignment of the gold metallic, birch, and merlot pieces to create a cohesive holiday palette.
• Block Two is a framed or log-cabin-style block in which narrow strips of fabric are sewn around a central 10" square. The use of very narrow strips — some as slim as 1" wide — demands accurate seam allowances and pressing to keep the block flat and square. The fussy-cut center squares from Fabric E give Block Two a decorative, medallion-like quality.

Once all blocks are assembled, the quilt top is finished with an inner border constructed from Fabric B strips sewn end-to-end and cut to specific lengths: two strips at 3" x 65-1/2" for the sides and two strips at