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!
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.
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.
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:
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:
The fabrics shown in this post were given to me by Island BatikDeb 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.
Shaded Chic
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.
I saw a post on Facebook that asked the question “how many quilts did you make in 2018”. So I went back and started counting.
February included GAlentines day Mug Rug and Mini Love for Island Batik Ambassadors
March included my infamous attempt at a mini tuffet , Hunter Star – Tortola from Royal Treasures Book, Scrapodopolis using the first 6 BlockBuster patterns and Whirling Dervish.
April included Prism and Refraction
May was Pillow Possibilities and The Heron.
June included A Blast form the Past and Crossfire.
July was A Field of Popped V’s & Paris OBW # 64.
August included Split Personality and Firefly.
September was New Years Star & Sue Nami.
October was paper pieced trees wall hanging.
November included Paisley Cats OBW #65, Evening Elegance & Converging Geese
December ended the year with Plume OBW #66, Calm Seas & Holiday Tipsy Tree .
Phew, I’m tired but I’m already working on more projects.
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.
The Island Batik Ambassador’s December challenge was to create a project that is Whimsical & Wonky”. Well, I settled on Tipsy! My Holiday Tipsy Tree is based on BlockBuster pattern # 27 Roll the Dice . This year I have made many quilt projects using Split Rects Units so it is only fitting I end the year with Split Rects.
Cut your elongated triangles according to the Split Rects tool instructions.
Cut your background side triangles the same way.
Lay out your split rects, align and center the two pieces with just a bit of overlap at the ends. Stitch and press seams open. I love using my “Stick Strip” for pressing seams open.
Following the tool instructions trim, rotate & trim again.
Make the 9 Square/Squared units following the Square Squared tool instructions. I chose 9 different unit centers but you could make them all one color if you like. Each side of the square/squared unit will be different to match the fabric used for the split rects units.
Lay out your units as they will be stitched. Choose a square/squared unit for the center, rotating the square/squared unit so the side triangle matches the same fabric used in the split rects unit.
This block is constructed using a partial seam. Place the square/squared unit right sides together with one of the split rects units being sure to match the fabrics and stitch half way down the square/squared unit.
This gives you the next complete edge to stitch another split rects to, again matching the square/squared unit fabric with the split rects fabric.
When stitching the split rects to the square/squared unit, always place the precision cut square/squared unit on top be careful to stitch using the unit center as a guide.
Continue stitching the split rects units and complete the partial seam, pressing toward the split rects units. Make the other 8 blocks the same way.
Tree Trunk: Make one set of 2″ x 4″ finished flying geese using the Wing Clipper I tool instructions. Only 3 flying geese units will be needed.
Tree Star: Make the 6″ finished lemoyne star using the Lemoyne Star tool instructions.
Lay out your quilt blocks and construct the quilt center. Once the borders are added the finished quilt measures 38″ x 38″.
If These Threads Could Talk 