Category Archives: Island Batik Fabric

Stars Over Tucson, Shining on Lake Havasu

Life is good! Here I am in Central, NY making a very special cactus quilt for a newly discovered sister. I have a half sister (Mary) whom I have known my entire life. Two years ago Mary wanted to submit our DNA to Ancestry.com to see if we really did have Native American ancestor’s as our mother said. Turns out we don’t.

My mother used to tell me in a hushed voice “you have sisters in Canada”! I always wondered if that story was true. Turns out it is true! I have two sisters on my Father’s side. My sister Marti contacted me and we have been emailing, Facebooking and messaging each other for the last 2 years! And get this, Marti is also a quilter. You can’t make this stuff up! We have not met each other yet. Marti lives in Arizona and as I said, I’m in Central NY. Marti is one determined quilting sister. She has been trying to get a local Arizona quilt guild to schedule a class with me so we can finally meet. She did it! The Havasu Stitcher’s Quilt Guild is bringing me to Lake Havasu, AZ in January 2020 to teach a One Block Wonder Workshop at their event “Quilting at the Lake”! I am beyond excited.

I was looking through my quilt book library and saw this quilt by Jean Biddick from her book “Blended Quilt Backgrounds”, and just had to make it for Marti. I know that this type of cactus only grows near and around Tucson but it is such an iconic cactus that always makes me think of Arizona.

So, of course I opened up my EQ8 to redesign & Tuckerize it. I made a few changes. I decided on 12″ finished blocks,

and of course varying shades of purple from Island Batik!

The star points are made using Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I. Tuckerizing a pattern is one of my favorite things to do, and the Wing Clipper is the best way to make flying geese!

Start by making the small stars that form the center of the large stars. There is a link to a complete supply list at the end of this blog post. Make 21 of these double star blocks.

Once the star blocks were made I started to work on the cactus.

These blocks make up the cactus. (See link below for a complete supply list.)

Marti this quilt is just a simple hug from me to you. Can’t wait to meet you!

This quilt is also Tucker approved! Click here for the Stars Over Tucson Shinning on Lake Havasu Supply List.

Gender Neutral Color Palooza

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

I’m so lucky to be an Island Batik Ambassador! Especially this year. This year Island Batik has partnered with Accuquilt! We were given an Accuquilt Go Cutter and dies. I received the Mix & Match 8″ Block set of dies (Go Cube!). We were tasked with creating a Baby Quilt.

This set includes 8 dies & 13 block patterns. With these dies you can make 72 different block designs! Wowza!

I chose my blocks and started designing in EQ8 to see what it would look like.

When I was satisfied with the fabrics and balance I started cutting.

I pulled my Island Batik fabrics and started with the Diamond Star Block Pattern.

I needed 8 side triangles for my flying geese units, so I folded my fabric into quarters, centered it over the die, placed the cutting mat on top and rolled it through the cutter. Presto – 8 side triangles.

Now this is a fun “Gender Neutral Color Palooza” Baby Quilt! It measurers 38″ x 56″. It was lovingly pieced with Aurifil Thread, filled with Hobbs Heirloom Premium Cotton Batting and creatively cut with my Accuquilt Go Cutter! Not to mention these fabulous colorful fabrics from Island Batik!

#islandbatik #Aurifilthread #Hobbsbatting #Accuquiltgocutter #GoCube

Bear Paws – Vintage Reimagined

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

Island Batik Ambassador assignment for March is “Vintage Reimagined”. Hmmmm, I had several ideas, some just didn’t work out. I started to look through my quilt book library. I picked up Harriet Hargraves’ Heirloom Machine Quilting book. I was intrigued by a small quilt, 35″ x 35″ called Bountiful Vineyard by Joanie Poole. Turns out Joanie Poole teaches heirloom quilting. This is ironic (more on this later).

I chose to use the Snow Berry collection, simple gorgeous. I went to my EQ8 and started drawing.

Once I created the block I could also figure out the quilt layout. I love this block!

First I made the Bear Paw unit. I used Deb Tucker’s “Eight at a Time” Technique Sheet to make fast work of 80 Half Square Triangles.

Then add the side rectangles.

Pop off the corner of the rectangles using the Studio 180 Design Corner Pop tool.

Add replacement triangles according to the tool instructions and trim. Easy peasy, the Corner pop tool trims the corner & leaves the seam allowance so adding the replacement triangle is accurate with plenty to perfectly trim.

Stitch the corner popped rectangles to the bear paw unit. Make 20 – 10″ finished blocks.

I laid it out on my design wall, stitched it together and added the borders.

I usually meander my quilts on my Nolting mid arm, but this time I decided to quilt each quarter diagonally with all seams going toward the center with my domestic Bernina 570. It seemed like a good idea. I have never tried this on a large quilt. Bear Tracks measures 70″ x 70″. I stitched in the ditch down the center vertically and horizontally. Then corner to center diagonally. Then stitch in 1/2″ increments, first to the left of the center diagonal then to right. I did this in each quarter stopping at the inner border. What I didn’t realize was how much this close stitching would shrink the center of the quilt, making the borders very wavy. I loaded Bear Tracks onto my quilt frame and meandered the borders to try and shrink them down. It helped a little but the edges of my beautiful quilt are wavy. Drat!

Bear Tracks is wavy, but oh so cuddly. I love it! I think I need a quilting class from Joanie Poole!

This quilt was pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread and finished with Hobbs batting.

Click here for Bear Tracks Quilt Supply List .

#islandbatik #aurifilthreads #hobbsbatting #studio180design #debtucker #joaniepoole #cornerpoptool #eightatatime

Magnificent Mini’s

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

Our assignment for February was to create a “Magnificent Mini” using any technique we chose. The only criteria was the size: 24″ x 24″ or smaller. It seems I’m always collecting quilt blocks for hearts and Christmas Trees. The first thing I do is fire up my EQ8 and start drawing.

Last year I made a heart mug rug. The drawing above consists of mirror image split rects and two squares that have had the corners popped using Studio 180 Design Split Rects & Corner Pop tools.

These hearts are made from a large flying geese and two smaller flying geese. I used Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I, Tucker Trimmer I & Square/Squared tools. Click here for the fabric requirements for Hearts Abound Mini.

The center block contains:

1 – 6″ finished Square/Squared

4 – 3″ x 6″ finished flying Geese

8 – 1 1/2″ x 3″ flying geese

4 – 3″ finished Half Square Triangles

4 – 2″ x 6 1/2″ red rectangles

4 – 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ background rectangles

4 – 3 1/2″ background squares

I added 2″ finished borders with 2″ finished Square/Squared units for the cornerstones. Hearts Abound measures 22″ x 22″.

My Hearts Abound Mini was made from Island Batik fabric, with Hobbs 80/20 cotton batting. Pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread.

#islandbatik #hobbsbatting #aurifilthread #studio180design

Twilight Chic Week

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The fabrics featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik and Studio 180 Design.

Welcome to Studio 180 Design’s “Twilight Chic Blog Hop”. I have been lucky enough to make 4 quilts from Twilight Chic line of batiks by Island Batik for Deb Tucker.

For this challenge I chose to make a hunter star quilt from Deb Tucker’s book “Hidden Treasures” using the Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite tool. Hidden Treasures offers you 29 different lap size quilt patterns and 7 bed runner patterns for the hunter star.

The same pieces can make very different quilts. There are just 3 different block configurations used in these patterns.

The pattern I chose used the first two blocks.

I made 24 of each.

With these blocks I could choose from 16 different quilts or 3 bed runners.

These two are Curveball page 30 and Checkmate page 32.

Strawberry Fields page 40 and Spring Fling page 48.

La Belle page 50 and Pele page 74. These 6 quilts are just a sample of what you can make with these blocks. So what did I choose………

I chose to make Autumn Twilight on page 66. But, I call mine Twilight Treasure!

This book is definitely a treasure!

Click here for a chance to win a Twilight Chic Fat Quarter Bundle.

Be sure to see all the creations by my fellow Certified Instructors:

Monday, February 4

Gaggle of Geese Tuffet with Sharyn of The Tuffet Source, here on the Studio 180 Design Blog

Tuesday, February 5

Wednesday, February 6

Deb Tucker – Twilight Chic Projects

Thursday, February 7

Friday, February 8

Saturday, February 9

#islandbatik #twilightchicweek #debtucker #studio180design #HiddenTreasures #Hobbs #Aurifil

Island Batik Ambassador Box Opening 2019

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It’s that time again, a new year of challenges from Island Batik. I’m blown away by the generosity of Island Batik, Aurifil, Hobbs Batting and Accuquilt Go Cutter! We have some great projects to share with you this year. I’m almost done with February and March’s challenges and can’t wait to share. Here is a video of all the products given to me as an Island Batik Ambassador:

https://youtu.be/XQlO1hkqj3s

Thank you Island Batik!

Island Batik Getaway Blog Hop

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

Deb Tucker’s Twilight Chic by Island Batik

Well, if you can’t getaway, go to the library for a good book! The Utica, NY Public Library opened in 1904. I love the inside of this Library.

The upper floors of the Utica Library are made of thick glass. I used to love coming here as a child.

In every box of fabric we Island Batik Ambassador’s receive, there is a secret bundle of the newly released batiks. I was lucky enough to be assigned Twilight Chic by Deb Tucker for Studio 180 Design. This is my third quilt from the Twilight Chic line.

Shaded Chic is based on BlockBuster # 35 Hidden Blossoms.

Each block has 8 Shaded Four Patch units and 8 Sliver units.

This block is made using Studio 180 Design’s Tucker Trimmer I & Corner Beam tools with the Shaded Four Patch & Sliver Technique Sheets.

Shaded Chic consists of nine 12″ blocks and measures 50″ x 50″.

Be sure to visit Island Batik to enter their give away of 20 fat quarter bundle.

Here is the list of all the ambassadors for this month-long hop!

WEEK 1

Monday, January 7 – Crystal Ball

Maryellen McAuliffe– Mary Mack’s Blog

Sandra Walker- mmm! quilts

Tuesday, January 8 – Ditty

Stephanie Jacobson – Steph Jacobson Designs

Michelle Roberts – Creative Blonde

Wednesday, January 9 – Elk Lodge

Connie Campbell – Free Motion by the River

Anna Branch– Ark Angel Creations

Thursday, January 10 – Feline Fine

Bea Lee– Bea Quilter

Sharon Parcel– Yellow Cat Designs

Friday, January 11 – Flea Market

Geraldine Wilkins– Living Water Quilter

Jessica Caldwell– Desert Bloom Quilting

WEEK 2

Monday, January 14 – Fortune Teller

Sarah Goer– Sarah Goer Quilts

Sherry Shish– Powered by Quilting

Jennifer Fulton– The Inquiring Quilter

Tuesday, January 15 – Gypsy Rose

Jen Strauser – Dizzy Quilter

Janet Yamamoto– Whispers of Yore

Wednesday, January 16 – Paisley Park

Dione Gardner-Stephen– Clever Chameleon

Nancy Scott– Masterpiece Quilting

Thursday, January 17 – Soul Song

Carole Lyles Shaw– Carol Lyles Shaw

Toby Lischko – Gateway Quilts & Stuff

Friday, January 18 – Twilight Chic

Jackie OBrien – If These Threads Could Talk

Tina Dillard– Quilting Affection

WEEK 3

Monday, January 21 – Winter Park

Jennifer Thomas– Curlicue Creations

Anita Skjellanger– Quilt In a Not Shell

Tuesday, January 22 – Bazaar

Karen Overton– The Quilt Rambler

Alison Vermilya– Little Bunny Quilts

Turid Bakken– Den syende Himmel

Wednesday, January 23 – Blossom

Karen Neary – Sew Karen-ly Created

Leanne Parsons– Devoted Quilter

Thursday, January 24 – Boho

Laura Piland– Slice of Pi Quilts

Suzy Webster– Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Myra Barnes– Busy Hands Quilts

Friday, January 25 – Brookview

Vicki Schlimmer – Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Amy Warner– Sew Incredibly Crazy

WEEK 4

Monday, January 28 – French Blue

Pamela Boatright – PamelaQuilts

Joyce Mullis– Hearts Creations

Tuesday, January 29 – Midsummer Night

Kathleen McCormick – Kathleen McMusing

Connie Kauffman– Kauffman Designs

Wednesday, January 30 – Oh Deer

Jen Shaffer– Patterns by Jen

Jeanette Jones– Inchworm Fabrics

Thursday, January 31 – Snow Berry

Sally Mannke– Sally Manke Fiber Artist

Joan Kawano– Moosestash Quilting

Friday, February 1- Candy Cane Lane and Icicle

Terri Vanden Bosch Icicle – Meanderings along Lizard Creek

Anne Wiens- Icicle – Sweetgrass Creative Designs

Mania Hatziioannidi Candy Cane Lane- Mania For Quilts

Barbara Gaddy – Candy Cane Lane –Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

# Islandbatikgetawaybloghop #islandbatik #twilightchic #debtucker #studio180design #bestofbali

Twilight Stars

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

Next week, January 7th begins Island Batik’s “Get Away Blog Hop” I’m all ready for my reveal. My secret bundle for this blog hop is Deb Tucker’s Twilight Chic by Island Batik which was introduced at this past fall market.

I participated in Studio 180 Design’s blog hop in November in which I made this version of “Evening Elegance” from the Twilight Chic line.

With fabric I had left I wanted to make a quilt to showcase the seven technique sheets created to expand what you can do with the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star tool.