Today I have some exciting news that I hope will be useful to all of you creative folks. The patternjam.com website is revived and adding new features. Mike and Jaime Utley recently acquired the website and taken on the challenge of expanding the service provided with new blocks and new options.

If you don’t know about PatternJam let me give you a little introduction. PatternJam was a website created in the beginning for a fabric designer to be able to showcase her designs and give users an opportunity to see how her fabrics could work in different quilt patterns. Over the last few years it has morphed into different areas, finally becoming an online tool where anyone could create their own patterns and preview them using uploads of their own fabric stashes. Another amazing feature of the site is that the cutting instructions and fabric requirements were provided for the designs. I have been affiliated with PatternJam for several years and believe strongly in the concept and the ease of use. I have been able to use the program to block out quilts that I am making and having a tricky time getting the design the way I wanted.

The quilt at the top is one that was commissioned for a student of the University of Utah and I used PatternJam to create the giant block U and place the borders to get the size I needed.

These are some of the features that they have already added:

• 20 New Blocks
• Access to a user support group
• Early access to new free content
• Access to new premium blocks added regularly
• New design tool enhancements
• Ability to create quilt designs from mobile devices

They are still working on lots of new ideas and features. The fabric library is due for some new choices, but you also have the option to add scans or pictures of fabrics in your stash to preview designs in your style and color preferences.

I used PatternJam to figure out placement of the extra dark panels to extend this Dream Big panel to make a queen sized quilt.

PatternJam has also been handy to arrange colors for a tee shirt quilt to space different shirts on the top.

This is my favorite use of PJ ever. I had a quilt commissioned by a friend who wanted a ski resort logo on one side and thought it would be “nice to have mountains on the back”. I played around with blocks until I arrived at this suggestion of mountains. She loved it!

Here is the pattern as shown on PatternJam when the design is saved. It has a clear picture of the quilt with slight lines that show where the blocks are and shows which blocks are used, how many, what shapes and how many to cut, and the fabric requirements including the back and binding. It couldn’t be any easier!

I designed this one for a user who had a photo of a tile floor that he liked. It turned into a striking pattern.

These two are patterns I designed to see how fast I could design a couple of quilts as I was working on this newsletter. Each of these took about 5 minutes. I used original block designs along with some new blocks that Mike and Jaime have recently added. You can see how amazing this design tool can be for your creative design needs.

There are thousands of quilt designs on PatternJam that you are free to browse and if you find something you love you can pull up the design and the cutting and fabric instructions. Or you can use it to edit the colors or the size to suit your needs. There are hundreds of viewers every week who do just that.

Here is the single most popular design for the last few years on Pattern Jam. It has been remade in several colors, sizes, and even inspired a quilt along with a user in France!

Be sure to get on to patternjam.com and start playing around. It is an incredibly useful tool and a fun way to try things that you may have been thinking about without all that cutting and sewing. We wish the best for Mike and Jaime and can’t wait to see what else they have in store!

— Queen Bee

1. Start with Inspiration: Look for inspiration in nature, art, architecture, or other quilts. Mood boards or sketchbooks are great tools to gather ideas and visualize your design concepts.

2.  

   Plan Your Color Scheme: Choose a color palette that reflects the mood or style you want. Tools like color wheels or digital design platforms can help you experiment with combinations. Balance lights, darks, and mid-tones for depth.

3. Consider the Quilt’s Purpose: Think about how the quilt will be used (e.g., bed quilt, wall hanging, or gift). The function may influence your design choices, from the type of fabrics you select to the complexity of the pattern.

4. Balance Simplicity and Complexity: While complex designs can be stunning, sometimes simple, clean designs are equally striking. Balance intricate piecing or appliqué with areas of negative space to create harmony and visual interest.

These tips will help guide you through the creative process of designing a quilt, from concept to completion!

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