Snickerdoodle: A Wisps on the Wind Quilt Art Exhibit

Repetition can create rhythm, but it is the subtle differences within that repetition that give a quilt its personality.

Pieced by Ava Mahaffey, Snickerdoodle uses the Snickerdoodle quilt pattern from Perfect 5 Quilts by It’s Sew Emma to create a field of angular blocks that seem to turn, shift, and converse with one another across the quilt.

The design is brought to life with Wisps on the Wind, designed by Steve Baker of The Sophisticated Gnome® for QT Fabrics. Soft blues and blue-greens mingle with warm ochre, cream, and deeper teal, creating a restrained palette with just enough contrast to define each block while allowing the overall composition to remain calm and cohesive.

A generous light background gives the individual motifs room to breathe. Some blocks pair similar values for a quieter effect, while others introduce deeper contrast, creating an irregular visual rhythm that keeps the eye moving through the piece. Rather than demanding a single focal point, the quilt invites discovery one block at a time.

The quilting by Sherry LaBrie adds another layer of movement through delicate floral and botanical forms that travel across both the blocks and background. Their flowing curves soften the sharper geometry of the piecing and echo the organic inspiration found throughout the fabric collection.

Snickerdoodle is a beautiful example of what happens when a repeating block, a thoughtful palette, and carefully considered quilting work together—the structure remains clear, but the finished quilt feels light, relaxed, and wonderfully individual.