Salty Foxling Quilt Pattern & Coloring Pages
- Jen Wagner
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 28 minutes ago
A quilt full of curves, charm, and a pinch of salt!
I've always been drawn to big prints - walk me into a quilt shop and you'll find me bee-lining for the bold and bright prints. Naturally, my quilt designs often revolve around showcasing big prints and Salty Foxling is no exception!
This year I've had the joy of collaborating with Benartex as an ambassador and for my quarter two project, I got lucky and got my first choice in fabric - Tiny Secrets by Pat Sloan. The adorable forest animals, especially that sleeping fox and all those flowers! Totally irresistible. Even better, I was able to highlight those prints in not just one, but two striking versions: one in blue and white, and one in red and white!
Construction and Circles
I'm not completely sure why I'm so drawn to putting curves and circles in my quilts but they just keep happening so I'm going with it! When I design a quilt, I start by drawing freely, intentionally ignoring the "how" because if I think too much about construction up front, it limits the creative magic. I like designing outside the box (and sometimes without blocks) And with Salty Foxling, that meant leaning into a layout that didn't follow traditional block structure.
At first, I considered dividing the design into blocks. It's familiar. But it also would've meant a lot more cutting, seams, and broken up curves. Plus, the cutting would involve unusual shapes, meaning the Circle Savvy Ruler and other circle rulers couldn't be used.
I also thought about cutting holes out of a large background piece and inserting the circles of beautiful prints. Fewer templates, yes but way more room for error. One mistake and the whole piece would be toast.
In the end, treating each circle and the spaces between them as separate, manageable pieces gave me the best of both worlds: a distinctive construction method that is quite manageable to cut and assemble. While the method might feel unfamiliar at first, once you start sewing, it clicks. If you’ve ever sewn curves, made a bag, or set in a sleeve—you’ve got this.
Why Salty Foxling?
It all started with some baby cows.
On a road trip with my husband, I excitedly pointed out some calves... only what came out of my mouth was, "Look at the cute cowlings!” Naturally, we couldn’t stop laughing and now, every baby animal we see has been affectionately renamed with the "-ling" treatment. The adorable foxes in this fabric? Yep, definitely foxlings.
Around the same time, I was chatting with my son who’s been up at UNR studying material sciences—a field with lots of chemistry - while the finished top was up on my design wall. We caught up and I told him how excited I was to release this pattern—something totally new and different. Of course, he asked for a picture, so I snapped one and sent it over while we were still chatting. His response came back immediately, full of urgency, “Mom, google the crystalline structure of sodium chloride because you just made TABLE SALT!”
So, there you have it: foxlings and sodium chloride. Scientifically adorable and sodium-chic. 🧂🦊✨
Quilting Details
With prints the playful and bold, I didn't want the quilting to compete. I took inspiration from the floral elements in the fabric and kept it simple: one flower motif in the large circles, and a smaller one in the smaller circles. It lets the fabric shine while still adding a touch of texture.
Although the background fabric is technically a print, it reads like a solid from a distance, leaving plenty of delicious open space for quilting. I extended the salt crystal structure into the white space around the edges, filling each partial circle with floral motifs to keep the design cohesive.
Because the circles are pressed under, I was able to stitch in the ditch using white thread, then echo ¼" outside the curves. That created a perfect space to add one of my favorite fillers—a soft, flowing infinity (or figure-8) design—adding texture without distracting from the prints.
Inspiration from My Pattern Testers
Even with a shorter-than-usual testing window, a couple of my amazing pattern testers dove right in and created stunning versions of Salty Foxling—proving once again how creative and generous this quilting community can be.
Cath @cathlmaker used a beautiful combination of Oceana and Whisper Weave fabrics from Benartex to give her quilt a fresh, coastal feel. To complement the curves and ocean prints, she finished it off with a wave edge-to-edge quilting design that adds the perfect sense of movement—like a gentle tide flowing across the quilt.
Jackie @jackietheaggie loved Tiny Secrets so much, she used the same fabrics I did and finished her quilt just in time for her daughter's birthday! It’s always extra special when a quilt is stitched with love for someone you adore.
Ready to Make Your Own Salty Foxling Quilt?
Whether you’re drawn to bold prints, love the look of curves, or just want to try something totally new, Salty Foxling is a joyful adventure in quilting. With its playful design, approachable construction, and a little science-meets-cuteness magic, it’s sure to become a favorite in your quilt stack.
✨ Want to play with your own color ideas? Download the free coloring pages with the link below.
🧵 Ready to stitch your own version? Grab the pattern with the links below and get started!
I can’t wait to see your take—be sure to tag it with #SaltyFoxlingQuilt and @SnapdragonQuilting
so I can cheer you on!
