Did you know that there is a quilt pattern that symbolizes romance, longevity, and love?
The pattern I am talking about is the Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern (DWR), and it is a gorgeous canvas of interwoven rings creating a beautiful quilt top.
I want to go over a little history of the wedding quilt, show a wide variety of examples of the pattern, and provide links to a few free DWR patterns.
What's In This Article
The double wedding ring quilt pattern is characterized by several interlocking rings that symbolize two people becoming one during a wedding ceremony. The look and feel or style of the quilt can vary significantly depending on the fabric selection.
They are generally made as gifts for newlyweds or those celebrating anniversaries. This quilt is a beautiful gift made with love that also represents the love between the couple receiving the gift.
The DWR pattern has been around for quite some time, dating back to the mid to late 1800s. The design’s popularity took off around The Great Depression era, probably because it is a “scrap friendly” pattern.
People were getting married during The Depression, but friends and family couldn’t afford to buy brand new fabric or give costly gifts to the newlyweds. Women could dive into their fabric stash from yardage they purchased years before or cut up old bedding and clothing to use to make this special gift.
With the beautiful symbolism and timeless look of these quilts, the DWR pattern has stood the test of time and is still a go-to gift idea for weddings and anniversaries that couples and families will cherish for decades.
I have gathered a wide selection of DWR quilts that I hope will inspire you and help you decide on your own project’s design choices. Here you will find a variety of traditional designs and modern takes on this timeless pattern.
This quilt is the quintessential double wedding ring design with its light background, scrappy rings, and colorful palette. Traditionally, double wedding ring quilts were made using old clothing and other random pieces of excess fabric.
Not only does this quilt top have a complex DWR design, but it also features gorgeous vines and leaves applique to bring it to the next level of impressive quilt design.
This quilt combines perfectly the modern fabrics and color palette with the traditional and timeless design of a DWR quilt. I love the choice to make the background a medium gray, and the rings are exclusively light shades.
Wow! The Bali Wedding Quilt almost leaves me speechless. Not only did the designer use DWR, but they also added complex star points around the rings. It was also genius to use batiks to give this quilt top a bohemian flair.
The mockup for the Coordinating Colors DWR quilt shows how using just a few different fabrics allows you to create this gorgeous quilt top for yourself. It almost gives the feel of stained glass, which I love.
Here is another awesome example of using a dark background to make those rings and applique flowers pop! The contrast between the charcoal background and bright colors is eye-catching without being obnoxious.
Speaking of a dark background and bright colors, check out this modern beauty. The designer of this quilt took it up a notch by using colorful thread to do some gorgeous, complex FMQ.
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Similar to #6 of our list, this quilt features sweet flower applique along with square-ish scrappy rings. Choosing a dark background automatically gives this quilt pattern a sleek, modern look.
Imagine the time that it took to create this quilt top. Not only did the designer create a perfect DWR, but they also added a block in the middle of each ring to showcase a sampler design. Breathtaking!
I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for a rainbow color palette. The melding of all the colors is quite pleasing to the eye, and it works ideally with the DWR quilt pattern.
This striking abstract design was made using only two colors which adds to the modern aspect of the mini quilt.
Not only did the designer choose to make the traditional DWR pattern more modern with this offset design, but they also used their quilting to add another layer of modern yumminess to their design.
At first glance, this quilt looks a lot like a regular traditional DWR until you take a closer look at the rings. Those circles aren’t part of the fabric but intricate needle turned circle applique pieces. All the extra applique pieces give this quilt a sweet, delightful feel.
How cool are these rings? They almost look like they are spinning on the quilt top and have their own movement. Using ombre fabric is gaining popularity in quilting, and this is an excellent example of it being used correctly.
By now, I think we have learned that applique and DWR go hand in hand. Take a look at this unbelievably gorgeous quilt top. The applique vines, flowers, and leaves compliment the DWR design so well.
I genuinely love that with this quilt top, you don’t quite know where to look first. I’m a huge fan of using only solid color fabrics in a quilt design, and this DWR pattern makes an attractive, modern motif.
Aren’t all these quilts gorgeous?! Now that you’ve got some great ideas for your own DWR quilt project, I’ve searched around for some free patterns for you!
With all these fabulous ideas and free patterns, I am sure you will be able to make something truly unique and gorgeous. Are you planning on making a DWR quilt? What colors and patterns are you going to use? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!