Listen Quilt – 4th Pattern in Resolute Collection

Today I’m introducing the 4th quilt in my Resolute quilt pattern series.  This is Listen, a quilt designed around thoughts of the word, “listen”.  It follows Awake , Arise , and Stand , and will be followed by Serve.  All these patterns are available in my Etsy shop .  These words are dear to me and I have loved designing a quilt pattern for each one.  The Listen Quilt Pattern feels different from other designs of mine, but I love it.  It flowed naturally once I started sketching.


As I said, I designed this series around words that are meaningful to me creatively and personally.   Interestingly, the definition of “listen” is so much more than hearing.  It means “to hearken; to give ear; to attend closely with a view to hear; to obey; to yield to advice; to follow admonition”.  Listening to the creative spark deep inside requires silencing other voices.  Both creatively and personally, I want to improve my listening AND be more discerning about which influences I actually yield to.



Pondering this, I found myself increasingly “looking up”, picturing sacred spaces that draw out the best in me.  The Listen quilt design grew from these thoughts.   This quilt design is simple, but requires precision and attention to detail, just like any true act of listening to someone we love.


As for the design itself, the Listen quilt features a fun star surrounded by a “trellis” or “lattice” design which frames the background and creates beautiful movement.


Melissa Kelley
quilted the Listen quilt with beautiful rainbows all over, and I love it.

The backing is a gorgeous floral I’ve saved for years.  It’s an old Moda print by Erin McMorris, her popular paint by number roses.  I found it on clearance ages ago and saved it for the perfect quilt.  Listen was it.  I love the dramatic florals on the back of this elegant design.

Perhaps my favorite part is the border.  I avoid borders on most quilts unless they really add something to the design, therefore I challenged myself to keep drawing until I got it right.  I knew this design needed a border but I wanted it to grab your attention.  It continues the aesthetic of the quilt body, and it makes a bold statement.  I love it!

The clean lines, simple color scheme, and contrast all converge in this Listen quilt for a striking presentation, but there is a colorful version on the way.  I love my Listen, Candy Shop Style quilt just as much as this original.

I’ll share that version soon, but until then, you can find the Listen quilt pattern here .  I hope you’re creating something beautiful today!

-Jennifer

Flower Applique – Playing with Sketches and Fabric

I started another project.  Shocking, I know.  After finishing my Bow quilt top last week, I started on some other applique projects including Sarah Fielke’s Secret Garden BOM (block of the month).  Most of them are complex and will take months to finish, and it’s left me without something to work on consistently.  I decided I need a simple, no-fuss, one block, small applique project to keep me busy.  But what?  After some sketching and brainstorming, this little flower applique block was born.

So far, I like it.  I have no idea how many I’ll make, or how the finished quilt will look, but it’s a fun little flower.  I used a 60 degree diamond as the background for the sake of doing something new.  

Hmmm, doing something new.  Are you doing that?  I have this constant tug, a yearning even, to just dive in and sew without a plan.  There are so many styles I want to explore, so many fabrics I’d like to combine.  I feel a pent up energy trying to break free.

But not yet.  There are too many deadlines still looming, too much going on for me to indulge in the fabric mess it would cause.  Soon, though.  At least I hope so.  I don’t want to ignore that creative spark much longer.

Until then, I’m scouring my scraps for pieces to use with this design.  I would like to cut and baste a bunch of them so I’ll have hand sewing ready to stitch.  This will be my next “stitch in the car” quilt.  Sometimes they take years, and sometimes only months.  I guess we’ll see how this one grows.  Right now, a scrappy, colorful field of flowers on diamonds sounds delightful.  I’m really sick of winter.  Just keep stitching, right?

I hope, with all that’s going on in the world, and with all the personal challenges that inevitably come, you’re hanging on.  

-Jennifer

Faded Color Stack Quilt

How many Color Stack quilts have I made?  Maybe half a dozen, if you count the baby size versions I’ve given away.  Yet here I am today, with another one.  This was an experiment in toning down the color and contrast while still making all those strips interesting.  I’m calling it my Faded Color Stack quilt.

This version was made with softer colors, such as pinks and purples, peaches and some low volume prints.  I added in a little red, brown, and darker purple to ensure there would be good contrast throughout.  But color-wise, this is a softer quilt.

This Faded Color Stack quilt was a gift to my daughter’s best friend Abby and her husband and son, so the fabrics were selected with her in mind.  I love the way they came together.  Definitely faded or toned down, but still lots of movement and interest throughout.  It reminds me a little of this baby version , but with a bit more color.

I quilted it on my longarm in horizontal rows, alternating the quilting designs as I went along.  The thread is gold, and I love how it looks.  I got lucky in general on this one, because I like the quilting.  What a relief!  For the back I chose a lawn so it’s extra soft and lightweight.

My binding is a Victoria & Albert print I’d never have predicted for binding, but it felt like the right match.  It sort of blends all the colors together without emphasizing one too much, and yet it also frames the quilt nicely.

My Color Stack pattern has become a favorite make for me.  It’s simple to choose fabrics for, fast and fun to sew, but also a bit of a challenge to pair colors together and arrange them across the quilt.  I have started another in all blues, this for a friend also.  It’s fun to have an interesting, modern “go to” quilt pattern and I suppose the Color Stack is mine.

I’m happy to have the Faded Color Stack Quilt off on it’s adventure with the Serr family.  I hope they love it and use it to make lots of memories!

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