Grayscale

Zen Chick Jelly Rolls

I’ve had these jelly rolls of Zen Chic’s new modern background fabrics on my shelf since Quilt Market…and I love them, but I had no idea what to do with them.   I’ve had the itch to make a Halloween quilt, but I don’t need another Halloween quilt…so this is kind of an un-Halloween quilt.  Let’s see how many times I can say Halloween in one sentence shall we?  ;) 

Jelly Rolls, Zen Chic for Moda

I literally get a little bit of anxiety when I unroll a jelly roll.  I’ve tried to roll them back up and make them as pretty as they came…not possible!   Don’t even get me started on opening a Fat Quarter Bundle!

Anyways…

I started making blocks with a rough plan.  A few of the blocks I love, and a few look pretty blah…

Background Blocks

…but all together I kind-a love it!

Grayscale Quilt Top, Cluck Cluck Sew

 I’m going add a colorful binding to liven things up a bit….and I love that I can leave this “Halloween” quilt out all year long!  

The fabrics are from Zen Chic for Moda.  The light (Paper) fabrics are available now at quilt shops (or here online), and it looks like the dark fabrics in this collection (Ink) will be out this week (also found here).  

37 Responses to Grayscale

  1. happyquiltingmelissa September 15, 2015 at 2:20 pm #

    I don’t just kinda love it, I totally love it!!

  2. Kat September 15, 2015 at 2:35 pm #

    Love it! Such a cool quilt.

  3. Anja @ Anja Quilts September 15, 2015 at 4:03 pm #

    This is awesome. Can’t wait to see more.

  4. Cindy in N C September 15, 2015 at 4:45 pm #

    I am not a modern quilter, but I find the combination of this pattern and these blocks stunning.

    • Allison September 15, 2015 at 8:25 pm #

      Thank you Cindy, what a great compliment!!!

  5. Christine September 15, 2015 at 4:47 pm #

    Oh, I LOVE this!! I’m usually all about the color… but this is just gorgeous.

  6. Melissa Bratland September 15, 2015 at 6:11 pm #

    Will you be sharing a pattern, or at least what you cut your strips? Would love that!

    • Allison September 15, 2015 at 8:28 pm #

      You bet Melissa! It’s pretty easy and all the strips are 2 1/2″ wide to begin with. The corner square is 2 1/2″ square, the second “layer” pieces are 2 1/2″ square, and a 4 1/2″ strip, the second layer pieces are a 4 1/2″ layer strip, and a 6 1/2″ layer strip, the 3rd layer is a 6 1/2″ strip and a 8 1/2″ strip, and the fourth layer is a 8 1/2″ strip and a 10 1/2″ layer strip. You make an even number of blocks alternating the light/dark strips, and that’s it! I had to draw it out/color it on graph paper so I could remember how many strips to cut but it’s not too bad!

      • Melissa Bratland September 16, 2015 at 10:58 am #

        Thank you so much! I love how this looks–just beautiful!

  7. Sarah September 15, 2015 at 6:54 pm #

    OMG. I love, love, LOVE it. slp.acp@gmail.com

  8. Little Black Cat Quilting September 15, 2015 at 7:17 pm #

    I love it all! The fabric is awesome and i love the black and white. The pattern and colors are perfectly suited for each other. :)

  9. Penny J Holliday September 15, 2015 at 9:06 pm #

    Love this quilt!! and….. love the Mini Quilts Patterns I recently purchased from you! You are so generous ~ the designs & instructions for 8 beautiful little mini quilts all in one booklet format is wonderful!!

    • Allison September 15, 2015 at 9:08 pm #

      I’m so glad you like it Penny! The patterns stuffed into one booklet was kind of an experiment…but I think it works well!!!

  10. Colleen September 15, 2015 at 9:19 pm #

    Wow wow I have been looking for gray fabrics to make an elephant quilt (patchwork 2.5 inch squares) so it looks like this jelly roll would be perfect but leave lots of left overs but less then buying yardage to get many different grays ….. but hmm did you end up with left over grays or use them all up?
    If I bought these jelly rolls and “copied” your quilt are there left overs ?
    Or I buy these jelly rolls make my patchwork elephant quilt and use the left overs for a quilt like yours

    Thank you for showing off your quilt and these fabrics
    Colleen

    • Allison September 16, 2015 at 10:22 am #

      Hi Colleen!

      This quilt used almost all of my Jelly Rolls, but I also wasn’t super “careful” with my cutting. There is probably at least 10″ or so scraps of some of the strips, and 5″ or so of all of the strips.

      I’ve had so many people ask for a pattern that I will work on a tutorial today and post it tonight! -Allison

  11. Charlotta Norby September 15, 2015 at 9:54 pm #

    I totally love what you’ve done! Is it all one quilt? Will you please show off the big picture/finished project if/when something like that is ready to be shown off?

  12. pennylanequilts September 15, 2015 at 10:07 pm #

    Love the look you achieved with the variety of grays!

  13. Hildy September 16, 2015 at 12:10 am #

    Love your ‘un-halloweeny’ quilt! It’s good that you can leave it all year long because it’s way to beautiful to hide it 3/4 of the year!

  14. Ada September 16, 2015 at 2:10 am #

    The blocks look lovely. I would put a black binding around it. I think that that will enhance the grey.

  15. Marianne September 16, 2015 at 3:21 am #

    Keeping my fingers crossed you go with an orange binding. :)

  16. Marjorie September 16, 2015 at 4:21 am #

    ohhhh I love it Allison….great jelly roll, and yiu picked the perfect pattern for it!

  17. Carol Baum September 16, 2015 at 5:21 am #

    Your choice of the quilt pattern to this fabric is perfect. I rarely make modern looking quilts, but some family members on my gift list would love this pattern idea. Thank you!

  18. Cindy in N C September 16, 2015 at 5:31 am #

    Thanks for giving the cutting directions In your comment to Melissa. I figured this was how the pieces were cut, but it’s great to have confirmation. Looks like there are a lot of us who are in love with this quilt.

    Cindy in NC

  19. Ellen September 16, 2015 at 5:55 am #

    What a great jelly roll pattern. I have a Bali Pops roll that I bought “on spec” a few years ago and have never until now seen a pattern that really spoke to me. Thanks for the idea and instructions.

  20. susanmp14 September 16, 2015 at 6:32 am #

    Love this, can’t wait to see the entire quilt.

  21. Nancy September 16, 2015 at 7:31 am #

    This is the quilt I plan on making for our king-size bed. I plan on putting pops of yellow, but use more gray than black. I wanted to see it done before I started such a monumental task and now I know I’ll like it. Thank you for sharing.

  22. Angela Atkins September 16, 2015 at 7:59 am #

    OHH. I have a half roll and now I can’t even remember what I was planning to do with it. It clearly needs to be combined with some white strips and pieced like this.

  23. robinsnestquilting September 16, 2015 at 9:20 am #

    Gorgeous! I’m in awe of those that can design patterns like this! Will this be a paper/download pattern? I sell your patterns in my shop & would love to add this one!

    robin :-)

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/244264136/basket-case-by-cluck-cluck-sew-quilt?ref=shop_home_active_7

    • Allison September 16, 2015 at 10:24 am #

      Hi Robin! I’m going to do a quick tutorial for this one because I’ve had so many people ask for it and want it NOW! But maybe in the future. :) Thank you for carrying my patterns!

  24. Lisa September 16, 2015 at 3:41 pm #

    It looks great. I need a whole lot of greys for a guild challenge and I think these just might be the ticket.

  25. Carole September 16, 2015 at 9:23 pm #

    Allison it’s fantastic. Cute and sophisticated at the same time!

  26. Sandra September 25, 2015 at 12:29 pm #

    Love this quilt, I would like to know if you find the material will shrink, always seem to be advised to wash before sewing with fat quarters. Do jelly rolls Shrink?

    • Allison September 28, 2015 at 11:20 am #

      Hi Sandra! Nope you don’t need to wash your jelly rolls…and if you do you’ll have a tangled mess in the washer/dryer! I don’t prewash any of my fabrics unless they are red, or black solids…and even then it depends on if it’s good quilt shop quality or not. I’ve found my cottons shrink very little, mostly it’s the batting in a quilt that will shrink up anyways. Thanks!

  27. Sandra Wyatt October 24, 2015 at 6:26 am #

    I found your quilt this morning, been looking for a pattern in grays blacks and whites as I have about 50strips left over from a bargello and found yours, started straight away cutting them up. Noticed a few comments on adding a colour,I am thinking about it, about how many places would you put one.

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