Quilts that capture the look of leaded stained glass windows.
Creating the Stained Glass Look in Quilts
A stained glass quilt borrows its look from church windows: bright, glowing pieces of colour separated by dark lines that imitate the lead between panes of glass.
The Key Ingredients
- Dark “leading”: black or very dark fabric, bias tape or sashing outlines every shape.
- Bright “glass”: vivid solids or batiks give the impression of light shining through.
- Simple shapes: bold, clear shapes read best once the outlines are added.
Quilters create the effect in different ways. Some fuse shapes onto a background and cover the raw edges with narrow bias tape. Others piece bright blocks with dark sashing strips between them, which is a beginner-friendly way to get the same glowing result.
Watch: A Quick Stained Glass Quilt Demo
See more on our Stain Glass Technique page.