Island Batik Fabric | If These Threads Could Talk

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

The Island Batik challenge for May is “Playful Pillows”. As I was thinking about what pillow design I would choose, it occurred to me I had a wealth of ideas at my fingertips. So many of my favorite quilt patterns have blocks large enough for a pillow. I decided I would make the center block from Deb Tucker’s “Carolina Lily: One Block” wall quilt pattern.

Carolina Lily is a companion pattern for the Wing Clipper I.

My fabrics from Island Batik & threads from Aurifil.

For each of the 3 flower blocks you will need 4 flying geese units. Two of the flying geese units will have one pink point & one green point as shown above. Deb Tucker’s method for constructing flying geese requires one large square and 4 small squares. The large square is my background fabric. Three of the small squares are my pink fabric, and one is the green fabric. Using your Magic Wand draw two diagonal lines on the back of your small squares.

To make a flying geese units position one green square and one pink square right sides together in diagonally opposite corners of the one large square. Do Not align the raw edges, instead nudge them in toward the center just a few threads & overlapping the two small squares. Stitch on the lines and cut apart.

Press the seams toward the smaller triangles.

Position the remaining pink squares in the corner of the previously pieced units. Nudge the squares as you did before. Stitch on the lines and cut apart as before.

You now have four flying geese units, two with pink points and two with one green & one pink point. For Right handed cutting position your geese unit horizontally on the cutting mat so it points toward you. Align the diagonal guide lines of the Wing Clipper with the sewn seams of the flying geese unit. Trim up the side and across the top. (See your tool instructions for left handed cutting.)

Rotate the unit and reposition the Wing Clipper to align cleanup guidelines with the previously trimmed raw edges and the “X” at the top with the intersection of the seams. Trim up the side and across the top. Do this for all your geese units.

Construct your lily block according to pattern instructions. The lily block measures about a 16 1/2″, I added 2 1/2″ borders all around it. I like the inside of the pillow to be neat with no raw edges showing. I want to quilt this block so I cut a backing and batting larger than my block and pin basted it.

I used my walking foot and cross hatched the basket portion of the block.

I was carefully supervised during this process.

Once I finished with the basket, I outlined the flower parts and squared up the pillow top.

My pillow top now measures 20 1/2″. I cut two pieces of fabric 12″ x 20 1/2″. On each piece, along one of the 20 1/2″ edges fold it over about 1/4″, press it & fold it over again and press it. Stitch on the pressed over edges for a nice finish. Position these two pieces on the pillow with WRONG sides together aligning the raw edges so the finished edges overlap in the middle. Pin in place and stitch around the outside edges of the pillow using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Now you have a pillow with raw edges around the outside edge. I like to add a binding just like it was a quilt. That way the inside of the pillow is completely finished with no unfinished edges, which is nice for washing the pillow case.

I made this pillow for my sister Mary, but I think Tucker & Zoey are claiming it!

#islandbatik #Aurifilthread #islandbatikambassador #debtucker #studio180design

As I was preparing for an upcoming Tucker University Diamond Rects Class I though I would make Deb Tucker’s Refraction. It is a companion pattern for the Diamond Rects tool.

This is a great pattern to make to expand your skill at using your Diamond Rects Tool. Using six 2 1/2″ strips & background fabric this table runner is fun and quick to make.

I chose six 2 1/2″ strips from Island Batik’s “Spoolin Around” Island Strips pack & Cotton Egg-White for the background.

Cutting the Diamond

I opened my strips and positioned 3 strips right sides up ( you can stack more if you are comfortable), aligning the raw edges. I am right handed, so the selvedges are to the left. Align the guidelines of the ruler with the raw edge of the strip. Cut along the angled edge and across the top.

Rotate the first piece around to make the second diagonal cut near the selvedge edge.

Continue to make cuts until you have 7 diamonds from each strip.

Layer 3 more strip and continue to cut as before.

Cut 6 squares 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ from the remainder of each of the 2 1/2″ strips.

Cutting the Side Triangles

Cut your rectangles from the background fabric per pattern instructions.

Position the Side triangle Cutting Section of the ruler against the raw edges of the stacked rectangles and cut along the slanted edge of the ruler.

Stitch, Press, & Trim

Always lay out all the pieces right sides up as they are going to be stitched. Stitch two opposite side triangles to opposite edges of the center diamond. I align the raw edges, but instead of centering the diamond over the side triangle, I personally nudge my side triangle toward the thicker point of the center diamond. This gives me extra when it comes to the trim down process. Press toward the side triangle and away from the center diamond.

Align and stitch the remaining two side triangles to the raw edges of the center diamond as before. Press away from the center diamond.

Place the stitched and pressed unit on the cutting mat. Position the trim down side of the ruler on the unit, aligning the “X’s” and the dashed lines with the seam intersections and the sewn seams. Trim up the side and across the top. Rotate the unit and reposition the ruler, this time align the clean up lines on the previously trimmed sides along with the “X’s” and the dashed lines. Trim up the side and across the top. See tool instructions for left hand cutting.