Needle, Paper, Scissors

The fabrics used in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

October’s Island Batik Ambassador’s Challenge was to use any paper piecing technique.

I love Gail Garber and her book Flying Colors. Gail’s projects are awesome and inspiring. She encourages you to create your own design and gives you the tools to do it. I created free form flying geese with this book, but this time I used Gail’s pattern for Tiny Trees. The Tiny Trees block measures 12′ x 12″, with borders it project measures 19″ x 19″.

All the components parts are numbered. I began by tracing all the elements in the pattern onto freezer paper, including their assigned number, grainlines and registration marks.

Cut out the pattern pieces adding a generous seam allowance. Press them onto the wrong side of your chosen fabric and cut them out.

Above shows the tree foundations and fabrics to make them.

Add A Quarter ruler is absolutely recommended. I use a piece of plastic template material. You can also use a post card.

Begin by positioning the wrong side of the fabric to the waxy side of the freezer paper against the portion numbered “1”. Press this in place making sure the fabric has covered the number 1 section. Place the strip, fabric side down on a cutting mat. Align the template material with the line that separates pieces 1 & 2.

Fold the paper over the edge of the plastic and position the “Add A Quarter” ruler against the plastic edge and trim. You have now trimmed the fabric leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Align fabric piece 2 to the raw edge that has just been trimmed, placing the fabrics right side together.

Turn the foundation over so the paper is on top. Stitch using a 1.5 stitch length along the seamline, stitching a couple of stitches beyond the end of the line. A smaller stitch length aids in removing the paper later.

Press.

Prep for piece 3, add fabric, stitch.

Press and trim as before leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Continue up the tree until all pieces are stitched down. I trimmed the excess fabric from the side of mine with very sharp scissors.

After all the trees, sky and foreground are completed, begin piecing them together in the order they are numbered.

I added a 1″ inner border and 3″ outer border. I quilted the sky following the movement of the trees, and stitched in the ditch around the inner border.

Thank you Island Batik & Aurifil!

#islandbatikfabrics #aurifil #paperpiecing #GailGarber #islandbatikambassador #islandbatik #iheartislandbatik

New Years Star

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The fabrics featured in this post were given to me by Northcott Fabrics.

This fabulous pattern, “New Year’s Star” by Deb Tucker is fun to make using your V Block & Tucker Trimmer I tools. It can be made in 3 sizes: 50″ x 66″, 66 x 82″ & 82 x 102″. I love pink and aqua & retro fans. I guess you can say the photo above shows my fan club (HAHAHAHA).

I chose 4 fabrics from Northcott’s “Strokes of Brilliance” collection. The colors are so deep and rich.

Pinwheels: Making the pinwheels begins by making half square triangles using the 3″ dark & medium squares. Trim to 2 1/2″ with your Tucker Trimmer. Arrange the trimmed squares into pinwheels.

Use Care Here!. The blocks should spin exactly as shown in the pattern instructions.

V Block High/Low:

I have cut my background squares and side triangles for unit construction.

Following my pattern instructions I trimmed the background square and stitch a side triangle to it.

Press toward the side triangle, add the square to make the second low side triangle and trim.

Trim using the V Bock tool as shown above. Rotate and trim again.

By placing the high/low units around the pinwheels we get a great looking wonky star!

Framed Squares:

Make 8 of these easy framed squares.

Combination Units:

Using the Magic Wand draw 2 diagonal lines on the back of the 5 1/2″ the background squares and align with the medium squares, stitch on lines.

Cut apart and press toward the darker fabric.

Using the Magic wand draw 2 diagonal lines on the back of the half square triangles (HST). Center the HST’s on a dark 5 1/2″ square, stitch on the lines, cut apart & press toward the large triangle.

Trim using your Tucker Trimmer, rotate and trim again.

Each set makes mirror image combination units. Both are used in the pieced inner border. It is a good idea to keep the units organized into left and right groups. You’ll be glad you did.

Lay out your units.

Stitch into rows.

Add your inner borders.

Add your pieced inner borders and your final outer border.

I love the backing too. This quilt was completed with Quilters dream Batting! Thank you Northcott for letting me create with your beautiful fabrics. The description I’ve shared in this post does not answer every question you may have. Please feel free to contact me with questions.

#northcottfabrics #strokesofbrilliance #debtucker #studio180design #tuckertimmer #vblock #newyearsstar

Starstruck, in a SueNami Kind of Way!

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The Island Batik Ambassador’s challenge for September is “Starstruck”. We must incorporate “stars” into our project. I chose the Hunter Star block and Sue Tuckers award winning quilt pattern “SueNami“. This really fun quilt was made with 5” blocks using Deb Tucker’s Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite tool and measures 68″ x 68″.

This fat quarter friendly quilt requires 8 dark & 8 light fat quarters. I used yardage for light background instead of fat quarters. Of course, all my fabrics are from Island Batik.

Every hunter star block consists of 2 trapezoids, 2 triangles, 4 star points. I made 64 blocks – 32 blocks with dark trapezoids and triangles & 32 blocks with light trapezoids and triangles.

The first layout is with un-trimmed triangles. Take care when laying out the triangles that when ever dark star points come together that none are the same so when the stars are formed, every star point is a different color.

Having a design wall is very helpful.

Once you are satisfied with the balance of color, stitch blocks together, press seam open and trim using your Hunter Star tool. Full instructions are included with the pattern & hunter star tool.

Once your blocks are trimmed, stitch them together into rows.

Join the rows together to complete the quilt center.

The inner border was made with flying geese using Deb Tucker’s Wing Clipper I tool. A flying goose with a large light triangle always follows a flying goose with a large dark triangle. This fools the eye into seeing chevrons.

Stitch the geese into pairs, you will then have 8 chevrons from each color fabric. Divide the chevrons into four piles containing 2 chevrons from each color. Decide how you want the colors of your geese to flow, and organize each pile of 16 chevrons, we will use 15 per side. Each strip of stitched chevrons will end up in the same order, with 4 chevrons left over.

The pattern calls for quarter Square triangles as the cornerstones. I decided to use four patches, (there’s a story there). Using Deb Tucker’s Four Patch Square Up tool for the four patches is so quick and easy.

This quilt comes alive with color because of the Island Batik fabrics I used.

#islandbatikambassador #islandbatik #iheartislandbatik

And the Winner is….

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Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and comment on my blog for Island Batik’s Great Outdoor Blog Hop!

The winner of the Island Batik “Spoolin Around” charm pack is Elizabeth S. from California! Thank you Elizabeth!

Stay tuned, we will be having another Island Batik Blog Hop in January 2019!

#IheartIslandBatik

Great Outdoor Blog Hop Week 4

Great Outdoor Blog Hop Week 3

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I love Island Batik fabrics, Studio 180 Design Tools & EQ8! So I wanted to share some of my Sunday morning creativity.

I started with BlockBuster 19 Exploding Lemoynes (you can find all the BlockBuster patterns on http://www.ifthesethreadscouldtalk.com). There are 3 different color versions of this block. These blocks require the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star tool.

This is Exploding Lemoynes version 1

This is what happens when you put 4 version 1 blocks together.

Exploding Lemoynes version 2 block.

Exploding Lemoynes Version 2 with 4 blocks.

Exploding Lemoynes version 3 block.

Exploding Lemoynes version 3 with 4 blocks put together. These are so cool and easy to make with the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star tool that makes Lemoyne stars in 10 sizes from 3″ to 12″ blocks!

I want to share links to Island Batik’s Great Outdoor Blog Hop for week 3:

Monday, August 20 – Ocean Odyssey
Toby Lischko, Karen Overton

Tuesday, August 21 – British Rose
Busy Hands Quilts, Mania for Quilts

Wednesday, August 22 – Dear William
The Inquiring Quilter, MMM Quilts, Living Water Quilter

Thursday, August 23 – Dragonfly Dreams
Inchworm Fabrics, BeaQuilter

Friday, August 24 – Fur-ocious Friends
Quilting Affection Designs, Dizzy Quilter

Be sure to visit all the links and enter to win “Give Aways”.

#iheartislandbatik #islandbatikfabrics #studio180design #debtucker #EQ8 #electricquilt

The Great Outdoors Blog Hop

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The products in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

Back in February when I received my Island Batik Ambassador Box 1 it contained a secret bundle that could not be shared until now! Through out the month of August “The great Outdoors Blog Hop” is featuring Island Batik Ambassador’s creations using fabrics that were introduced at the 2018 Spring Market. Go to Island Batik for links to all the Ambassador Blog Sites.

I was given fabric from the “Spring Blossom” line:

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I managed to use 20 different fabrics from this gorgeous line in my quilt as shown above.

I named my quilt “Firefly”. It is my original design, and uses Studio 180 Design Split Rects & Corner Beam tools. It measures 66″ x 78″. It is designed using one 6″ finished block.

Each block contains 1 – 4″ finished Corner Beam unit, 2 mirror image 2″ x 4″ finished Split Rects units & a 2″ finished square.

I chose 7 different fabrics for the Split rects units and 10 more fabrics for the Corner Beam units and squares.

I got one star block by place the corner beam units in the center and a 2nd star block by placing the 2″ squares in the center which created the “Firefly” in the center, how cool is this? I had so much fun making this quilt.

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To celebrate the great out door places in Utica, NY, my sister Mary & I went all over taking pictures of my travelling quilt. We went to the historical Utica Train Station, Forest Hills Cemetery (the tree was up the hill from John Quincy Adams granddaughter’s grave), Rutger Park 1 & 3, Franklin Square, Liberty Bell Corner, Bagg Square & Utica Bread (fabulous bakery) and then upstairs to Jay Groah Realtor Group (his office has the coolest 70″s vibe), we finished up at the Eagle with a beautiful view of Utica.

GIVEAWAY: Please leave a comment about this post and I will choose a winner to receive this Island Batik Spoolin Around Charm Pack! (Giveaway is US Only and ends September 5, 2018. Please leave your email in the comment.)

#greatoutdoorsbloghop #islandbatik #islandbatikambassador

If These Threads Could Talk

Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor

Needle, Paper, Scissors

New Years Star

Starstruck, in a SueNami Kind of Way!

And the Winner is….

Great Outdoor Blog Hop Week 4

Great Outdoor Blog Hop Week 3

The Great Outdoors Blog Hop

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