There’s something magical about watching a colour transform a quilt pattern you already know and love. The Shattered Star quilt has always been one of my favourite playgrounds for bold colour exploration — its dynamic geometry practically begs for experimentation. So when Kona Cotton announced Wander as their 2026 Color of the Year, I couldn’t resist seeing how this vibrant, lively green would shine in the Shattered Star design.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know my love affair with green didn’t start until the What Shade Are You blog hop cracked my colour world wide open. Since then, green has crept into so many of my makes — from the Winter Star quilt to the Shattered Star table runner and even the Refracted Star quilted runner. Wander felt like the perfect next chapter in that journey.
Today, I’m sharing a full lineup of digital mock‑ups featuring Wander in all kinds of colour stories — ombré, warm, cool, neutral, and even a few unexpected combos that surprised me. If you’ve been curious about how this hue behaves in a modern quilt design, or you’re looking for inspiration before making your own Shattered Star, you’re in for a treat.
→ Get the Shattered Star Quilt Pattern.
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Why Wander Works So Beautifully in Shattered Star
There’s something special about the way greens behave in modern quilt designs. They have this chameleon‑like quality — sometimes grounding, sometimes energizing, sometimes acting as the perfect bridge between warm and cool palettes. Wander, in particular, sits in that sweet spot. It’s bright without being loud, fresh without feeling neon, and modern without losing its natural, earthy roots.
That balance is exactly why it shines in the Shattered Star quilt.
The Shattered Star pattern is built on strong geometry and crisp angles, which means it thrives on contrast. Every shift in value — light, medium, dark — creates movement across the quilt top. Wander plays beautifully in that space because it naturally amplifies contrast. Pair it with deeper greens, and it becomes lively. Place it next to soft neutrals, and it feels airy. Set it against blues or purples, and suddenly it’s the spark that keeps the palette from feeling too cool or moody.
Greens also have a unique ability to harmonize with a wide range of colours. They can lean warm or cool depending on what you pair them with, which makes them incredibly versatile for modern quilting. Wander’s undertone is especially adaptable — it can brighten a palette, soften it, or act as the connective tissue that ties everything together.
In the Shattered Star design, that adaptability becomes a superpower. The star’s fractured layout gives you multiple opportunities to showcase colour relationships, and Wander steps into each role with ease:
- As a main colour, it feels bold and contemporary.
- As an accent, it adds a fresh pop that lifts the entire palette.
- As part of an ombré, it becomes the anchor that keeps the gradient cohesive.
It’s one of those hues that makes the pattern feel new again — even if you’ve stitched it before.
So, when I noticed that Kona Cotton’s color of the year was a gorgeous shade of green, I just couldn’t resist diving in for my own colour play.
Ombré Green Colourway
Honey Dew • Jungle • Wasabi • Bonsai • Wander
Since I love seeing a colour in various shades, this is where my colour play started, and it didn’t disappoint.
What I love is seeing how switching the placement of your light, medium, and dark colours give you an entirely different look. These were my fave featuring
Warm Tone Colourway
Valentine • Petal • Yarrow • Canary • Wander
Have you ever worked with a colour that just stuck with you? Maybe it’s the name, or perhaps it’s the project you featured it in. For me, that colour would be Valentine. I remember being captivated by its deep fuchsia tones. The colour was perfect for adding that depth and dimension to this Hexie Stripe quilt. Funny that that quilt includes Bonsai (a green featured in the above mock-ups!).
To keep things vibrant and warm, I went with Canary, which is an equally bold and bright yellow. The colour combination hits all those cozy vibes. I particularly loved having Wander as an accent. It keeps it fresh while allowing the warmer tones to take center stage.
Complimentary Blue + Coral Colourway
Celestial • Waterfall • Ice Peach • Salmon • Wander
For some reason, I was called to play with blues in my next colourway. I wanted a deep saturated blue, something that would add depth compared to Wander’s brighter colour. Adding in a pop of coral is probably not a surprise to you – ha! I do love coral in all its shades, and Salmon has been a particular fave of mine since I made the Weight of Love Quilt.
When I was going through my colour cards, I couldn’t resist sneaking it in 😊
This Wander/Salmon focused combo is definitely the winner for me.
Cool Tone Colourway with Purples
Celestial • Waterfall • Pansy • Geranium • Wander
My tendency is to gravitate towards warm tones, but in recent years I’ve been enjoying the cooler colourway options. I probably have my mum’s quilted coat to thank for seeing the possibilities it offers. In any event, after playing with the blues from the complimentary colour play, I decided to ditch the warm tones and sneak in some purples – not unlike my mum’s coat – ha!
What I didn’t entirely expect was how much I was going to love the addition of Wander. It adds a freshness and liveliness that would otherwise be missing without it. I’m hard pressed to pick a favourite between these two mock-ups.
Neutral Colourway Exploration
Oyster • Scone • Green Tea • Forest • Wander
Even though I’m known for my bold colour play, I do enjoy sneaking in neutrals from time to time 😉 The calmness they imbue to a project just can’t be beat. What I was curious about was seeing how the neutral beiges would play off the shades of green.
The best part?
Being able to see just how different your quilts will look by featuring either the light tones at the forefront or the darker tones. One gives you a light, airy and bright effect, while the other is moodier with a little more drama.
Gosh, fabric is fun!
Shattered Star Lumbar Pillow Colour Play
In last week’s newsletter, I shared some colour play ‘fails’ after playing with Pinterest’s Colours of the Year for 2026. So, I was curious to see what effect some of these colour combinations might have.
Here’s where that play led to:
Fabric Shopping List
Below are the Kona Cotton colours featured in the Shattered Star x Wander digital quilt mock-ups:
- Wander
- Honey Dew
- Jungle
- Wasabi
- Bonsai
- Valentine
- Petal
- Yarrow
- Canary
- Celestial
- Waterfall
- Ice Peach
- Salmon
- Pansy
- Geranium
- Oyster
- Scone
- Green Tea
- Forest
More Color of the Year Quilt Inspiration
For more Color of the Year inspiration, check out:
- Double Windmill Quilt in Mocha Mousse
- Modern Aztec in Nocturne
- Lunar Eclipse in Peach Fuzz
- Etched Diamond Quilt in Very Peri
→ Join the Studio Newsletter for More Colour Play
Ready to Make Your Own Shattered Star?
Exploring Wander through the Shattered Star quilt reminded me why I love colour play so much — one shift in hue, one unexpected pairing, and suddenly a familiar pattern feels brand new again. Whether you’re drawn to the ombré greens, the cozy warm tones, the moody cool palette, or the soft neutrals, Wander brings a freshness that elevates every version.
If these mock‑ups sparked ideas for your own Shattered Star, you can grab the pattern below and start planning your colour story. And if you do stitch one up — especially in Wander — I’d love to see it. Your interpretations are always my favourite part of this creative journey.
Happy stitching, friend. May your colour play lead you somewhere wonderfully unexpected.
xo,
Shannon
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sooo many fantastic palettes, shannon! you really covered the gamut of what can be done with “wander.” what a great color of the year pick for kona! i like it a lot better for quilting than the pantone color, lol.
So thrilled you like them, Hydee! I’m still trying to wrap my head around the Pantone color – ha!