Zen Garden

Zen Garden was designed by Judy and Brad Niemeyer as a beginner pattern to introduce quilters to paper piecing and constructing an exploded star quilt layout. The project requires (24) diamond blocks. We chose the Shimmering Star Mixer Block for this design and added the Striped Pieced Mixer Border. We created the diamonds using a Quiltworx Strip Set, which has (48) 2-1/2” x 42” strips that have been selected and sorted by Judy and Judel Niemeyer into (6) color groups with (8) fabrics ranging from light to dark. The quilt requires paper piecing and traditional piecing skills, including curved piecing, to complete.

There are many ways to expand your Quiltworx designs into larger sizes with compatible border packages by clicking the Buy Now button. If listed, you should purchase the Introduction Booklet for the size quilt you want. Then, you should select expansion borders of your choice. The following information explains ways to expand your quilt.

To expand this to a 118″ King, add a Group H, 118″ King Border of your choice listed under the Buy Now button
To create a 99″ quilt, leave off the outer border in the pattern, and purchase a 242D border listed under the Buy Now button.

Once you’ve finished this quilt, we recommend checking out Quiltster to see a variety of other diamond blocks that could be used to create this design. Likewise, if you would like to expand it, there is a border option that replaces Group C and will extend the design to 99” x 99”. Quiltster will give you yardage and an image of your expanded design. It also gives you border options, so there is more than one expansion option to increase the size of your quilt.

This pattern is available in Quiltster! This means you can color the quilt with your favorite fabric collections in Quiltster before you make it. Quiltster will even provide you with yardage!

Click on the Project button to access the pattern templates and begin coloring with fabrics uploaded from your stash and/or fabric collections from across the industry! If you’d like to color your project and ultimately purchase the pattern and a kit within the app, click the Marketplace button! You may need to log into your account for the links to work.

If you do not have a Quiltster account already, you will need to subscribe and log in before these links will work. Subscriptions can be obtained by going to http://www.quiltster.com, click on Subscribe!

Click below for a downloadable .PDF of various kitting handouts!

Pattern Size: 80″ x 80″
Price: $65.50
Pattern Includes: Instructions, Cover Sheet, Yardage Information, Foundation Papers