Zen Life – a quilt with batiks

Today I introduce you to Zen Life – a quilt with batiks, my project just published in the September 2019 issue of American Quilter magazine. Check out these bright colors!

Photograph by American Quilter magazine. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Since I received it back from the publisher, I have had it in front of my office so I see it all the time. The vibes! The many hues on the quilt center, surrounded by the cool border, brighten up any room. It is perfect as a major pop of color in a room with neutral furnishings.

Zen Life measures 70-3/4″ x 83-1/2″ and the blocks finish at 9″. I worked with the amazing Tonga Vivid batik collection by Timeless Treasures and the quilting was done by Melissa Kelly from Sew Shabby Quilting.

The diagonal construction add another geometric detail – the triangles – to the design, complementing the squares and rectangles and accentuated by the quilting motif Melissa chose.

The blocks are made up of easy patches and the careful fabric placement ensures lots of contrast and brightness. This is an important concept in quilt design – lots of contrast – as well as repetition of motifs or fabrics/colors.

Even when working with many fabrics as I did on this quilt, you can still achieve harmony. Notice that the background fabric on the blocks is the same as the one on the chain blocks, providing a negative space where the eyes can rest from colors and textures.

You can see this in action on my other designs: Sunnyside Lane and Pyramidal Crystals, for example.

Yes, I went for the bold because when you are happy, in a Zen state, you see everything with sharpness and in its brightest hue. The Tonga Vivid batiks were perfect to express my version of a Zen Life! What will your version be like? Will you use the Tonga Vivid batiks I did, solids and white for a modern look, a softer palette, prints from your favorite collection, or will it be scrappy?

If you decide to make it with scraps of prints, be sure to group them first by color, so each block will have its own theme. I do suggest that the chain block be made with the same prints, both on background and on the squares, in order to create a visual resting space.

American Quilter magazine is published by the American Quilter’s Society and is renowned for featuring amazing show quilts and their makers, for its detailed how-to articles, and for publishing beautiful quilts and patterns we can all make. I am so honored when one of my designs is selected to be showcased!

You can find the pattern for Zen Life – a quilt with batiks in the September issue of American Quilter, available online or at your favorite quilt store. I know you will love it.

Have a colorful day,