I saw this beautiful quilt a few days ago and I think it was on this forum. I've spent hours looking for it again. I really think it was someone's avatar but I'm not sure.

I would call it a scrap quilt because the blocks were different colors of print. On two sides it had solid strips that made it look like it was shadowed. I have a lot of scraps and think this would make a beautiful quilt. It reminded me of tumbling blocks except part of the block looked like a wide rectangle and one side and the top was a solid color that made it look shadowed.
I can probably figure out how to make it but even so I'd like to know what it's called.

Try looking up "shadow box". I know there is pattern called that that soounds like what you are describing.