Monday, March 18, 2024

Island Batik Finishing Spree Part 2

Last week I posted my first finish of the month, a project for Island Batik ambassadors using up some of my scraps and my Accuquilt Pickle Dish Die. 

Today I have another Accuquilt finish.  This is the Carpenter's Wheel die.  It too uses Island Batik fabrics and has been sitting in my closet for over a year waiting to be quilted.  I love how soft this one is.

I had just 10" squares of many of these fabrics and I added a few fat quarters.  Funnily enough when it was sitting in the closet I happened to go into a quilt shop that had the same background fabric which I bought to go on the back.  It of course uses my favorite Hobbs 80/20 cotton/poly batting, Aurifil thread, and I used Schmetz Microtex needles, and my trusty Oliso iron.


I love the way the quilting looks on the back.


I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Island Batik Ambassador's It's All Up To You Challenge

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were given the choice of what they wanted to create.  I decided to take this as motivation to finish up some of the numerous quilt tops I have.  Most of which are Island Batik.  I tend to be pretty good about getting the top complete.  And then they languish. 



I actually had 7.  Yes 7!  Quilt tops that were pinned and ready to quilt.  So I got busy!  There will be a parade of completed quilts coming your way the rest of the month!

Here is the first.  I have a love of the pickle dish block.  And the fact that I can cut it with my Accuquilt makes it that much easier.  I decided to cut all my small scraps into triangles for the blocks.  I ended up with enough for 48 blocks.  I had NO IDEA how long it would actually take me to sew it together.  I found some of my favorite Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly blend batting and it showed the quilting so nicely.  The quilting is done in Aurifil thread with Schmetz Microtex needles.

But it was my goal to get it done and I did!  


The backgrounds are all assorted tan and gray light prints.  The center marquis shapes are a dark gray solid Island Batik.  This quilt is twin size.  I had no idea it would get that big!

I didn't want to get bored quilting this monster so I decided to different background fills in a trip around the world style.  The center 4 blocks have one fill, then a ring of the next, etc.  Here are some closeups.

Here we have some large swirls and some ribbon candy (? I forget the common name for this) in the center dark gray areas.  I repeated this in the inner border and added some classic feathers on the outside border,


I also used my own design I call webster clams for some of the backgrounds.


In the very corners I used matchstick quilting.


I sew down most of my bindings by machine these days and my new Oliso iron is fantastic for pressing over the binding before sewing it down!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Island Batik Ambassador's Log Cabin Blog Hop

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were challenged to do a log cabin quilt.  I have done many log cabin quilts in the past and was looking to do something a little outside the box.  In order to achieve this I went into Electric Quilt and typed "log cabin" into search.  What came up?  Log cabin flower blocks!



To make my quilt I was given the incredible Flutter Wings Collection by Kathy Engle.  It is a gorgeous mix or orange, yellow, and teal.  So pretty and good gradations for building log cabins.


I tried redesigning the Log Cabin Flower block so that I could piece it instead of paper piecing it.  I finally decided the original was the best.  It was relatively simple and quick paper piecing.  Here are my finished blocks.


I think started in on the pieced blocks.  I used my new Oliso iron to help me get rid of wrinkles.   It is AMAZING for getting yardage ironed flat.  My Accuquilt GO! Big was very handy for cutting out all my strips for the log cabins.


For this quilt I went with a Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly Bleached batting.  This quilt is so pale that I wanted a white batting in it.  One of the things I love about cotton batting is the way the fabric catches the batting and "sticks" to it.  It makes it so nice to layer and pin my quilts.


I had a great time quilting my quilt.  I love to do feathers.  They are so quick for me to do.  That's why the background of this quilt is exclusively feathers.  I also had a fun time designing the center to include flying geese.  It is of course quilted in my favorite Aurifil Thread using Schmetz Microtex needles.  They are so slick for going through batik fabric.


I happened to be photographing as the light was coming through the quilt.  I love the effect it has on this photo.


I am really happy with the end results of this project.  It's one of my favorites for sure!


Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter for Island Batik's giveaways! 



I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

February 6:

February 7:

February 8:

February 9:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

February 12:

February 13:

February 14:

February 15:

February 16:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

February 19:

February 20:

February 21:

February 22:

February 23:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway

February 26:

February 27:


Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Island Batik Ambassador's 2024 Box 1

Check out my first Island Batik Ambassador box of 2024!  Thank you to Oliso, Studio 180, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, and of course Island Batik!

I hope you come back to see all my projects this year!

I hope you get to quilt today too!

Suzy

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Island Batik Ambassador's Celebration Challenge

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were challenged to make a holiday related project.  Since it's almost Christmas I decided I needed a new Christmas table runner. 


For this project I decided I wanted to play with Accuquilt's Tangled Star die.  I've owned it for awhile, but not used it.  And the center has 8 pieces coming together which could be fun in red and white like a peppermint.

Here you can see my center!  It turned out just as I wanted.


I did some matchstick quilting in the white areas to sink them so the red could really pop.  I used my favorite Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly batting, Schmetz Microtex Needles and Aurifil thread.


It fits so nicely with my Christmas tree and will be beautiful for Christmas dinner!  


I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Island Batik Ambassador's It's In The Bag! Blog Hop

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were asked to create a bag from byannie.com.  I chose the Clam Up zippered pouches because I have been needing small bags to take my tools around with me.




Having made a few by Annie patterns this was by far the easiest I've made.  It has an added bonus of having and Add-On Video Tutorial which I watched and really helped me make my bag.  

I decided to make three of these bags and am happy to report that I had them done in just a few hours using by favorite Aurifil Thread and Schmetz Microtex Needles! 

For this project I received the cute Vintage Charm collection by Kathy Engle for Terri Vanden Bosch of Lizard Creek Quilting.  It was a fun color palate to play with. 

I recently went to International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas and needed to take some supplies with me for my classes.  These cute pouches worked PERFECTLY!

I was able to fit my oval pin cushion in to the small bag.

I was able to fit all my pens and marking tools and scissors into the large bag.

It was perfect!

Island Batik is hosting a giveaway for this Blog Hop!  Be sure to enter below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Be sure to check out all the other AMAZING Island Batik Ambassador's blogs!

November 1:

November 2:

November 3:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

November 6:

November 7:

November 8:

November 9:

November 10:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

November 13:

November 14:

November 15:

November 16:

November 17:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway

November 20: