Handi Quilter National Educator, Island Batik Ambassador
Author: Lana
I learned to sew at age 11 at my local Singer store. I was so intrigued by all of the supplies in my friend's sewing tote box I spotted while playing at her house that I rode my bicycle home and told my mom I wanted to take sewing lessons. I found my niche. I made most of my clothes through high school and even made room for my sewing machine (in cabinet) in my tiny college dorm room. I bought my first quilt book when in my early 20"s at the St. Louis arch gift shop. It was a book about the Cathedral Window and I was intrigued with how that was put together. I played around with it, but continued to sew garments for my kids while they were young. I got back into quilting when my son and daughter were in middle school, feeding my need for continued creativity. I took various classes locally, and eventually made my way to Syracuse, NY for Quilting by the Lake, and Carmel, CA for Empty Spools. It wasn't until I took Betty Cotton's Cotton Theory Class at Camp Cotton in Osseo, WI, in July, 2012, that I found what I was looking for. Everything just clicked for me and I felt like I now knew this "secret" that made everything so much easier and more fun and had to share it with other quilters. "Quilt first, then assemble" means no more getting down on my hands and knees on the living room floor and pinning the quilt back, batting and pieced quilt top together and then trying to get it through my machine's throat area or, worse, paying someone big bucks to do it for you. And no handwork. I'm in.
Earlier this year I participated in one of GE Designs Quilt Alongs, Strip Twist. My Island Batik Stash Builders were perfect for this quilt. Stash Builders are 5″ strips by width of fabric that come 4 strips to a roll, 5 rolls per package. That’s nearly 3 yards of fabric and perfect for cutting 5″ squares or 2 1/2″ strips. I whipped this up at my annual quilt retreat using Schmetz needles and Aurifil thread.
Assembled piecesMy first completed block!Trying a layoutAll togetherAdded borders and scrappy binding using more of my Island Batik Stash Builders, Hobbs 80/20 batting, and Pro-Stitcher on my Handiquilter ForteDonated to our guild’s charity chairperson, Darlen,e at our November meeting
I know someone will appreciate this one as it is delivered this month.
Island Batik Ambassadors had the opportunity to choose a ByAnnie bag pattern that we would like to make. We had our choice of any with a supporting video, 29 to be exact. I have made a few ByAnnie patterns and love the results I get from her quality step by step instructions and supporting materials. ByAnnie supplied us with the pattern we selected and all the hardware and supplies to make it! Thank you, ByAnnie!!
We have an Airstream travel trailer and aren’t afraid to use it! We enjoy nature, hiking, biking, kayaking, and the out of doors. It’s always fun to meet and become friends with like minded people we meet during our adventures. I found a bag pattern that will be useful when we are glamping, it’s the I’ll Drink to That bag! We are often toting things to happy hours and pot lucks. This bag will be convenient for carrying our drinks.
The Island Batik collection I was given to work with for this project is Citron Breeze. Citron Breeze is shipping to retailers this month. Ask your favorite quilt store for it. It is a beautiful, very calming collection of greens and blues. Thank you, Island Batik for this beautiful fabric with which to work.
First I quilted the main fabric, foam, and lining on my Handi Quilter Forte (Amara 24). I chose SC Winter Swirls and Pearls design found in PS Patterns. I liked the bubbles and swirls and thought it appropriate for a drink carrier. Then I cut out the pieces from the quilted fabric.
SC Winter Swirls and PearlsAdding binding to one of the piecesThe inner sectioned dividersFront section with padded handle and zippered pouch
Every project deserves a new needle. I use Schmetz needles, normally an 80/12 Microtex, but for this project, sewing through several layers at a time and through Annie“s Soft and Stable foam, I used a size 90 needle. I enjoyed this project very much! Annie’s patterns, directions, and supplies give such a professional look to your finished projects!
Please take a minute to check out what the other Island Batik Ambassadors did for their challenge this month:
Our challenge this month was to use the Accuquilt North Carolina Star block, generously donated to us by Accuquilt. We could use the entire block, just parts to make a totally different design, and/or pair it with companion dies. We could make it into any project we liked, using fall fabrics, if possible.
Accuquilt North Carolina Star
I thought about what fall decorations I needed, and came up with ideas for placemats. Placemats add a finishing touch to a table setting and we host Thanksgiving. Time to get busy.
First, select fabrics. I selected a variety of fall colored fabrics and wanted to use the larger prints as the focus fabrics. They became the 4 51/2″ squares in each corner of the North Carolina Star blocks. Then it was pure fun to play with the other fabrics to see how placement changed the entire look. The block itself was 12″ square and I wanted the placemats to be about 12″ x 18″ so I added some designs on the sides.
Parts and pieces to play with.My first placemat used Pine Leaves Cone-Gr as the focus fabric in the four corners. I really love this one. Other fabrics used were Leaves- Green in the very center, Berries -Orange, Pebbles -Coffee, and Sprig – Yellow in the middle and on the right border, and Rock -Yellow and Copper on the left side.This placemat was made with Leaves – Green Cactus in the four corners, Berries – Orange in the very center with Leaves-Green Grass and Rock – Yellow in the center cross and Rock – Yellow on both borders.This placemat features Pine Leaves from the Sandalwood Collection for the four corners, Leaves-Green from the Sandalwood Collection for the very center, and Leaves – Green Cactus from the Sandalwood Collection, Pebbles – Coffee, Sprig – Yellow, and Berries – Gold and Berries – Orange from the Sandalwood Collection for the rest of the placemat. This placemat features Leaves – Green from the Sandalwood Collection for the four corners, Sprig – Yellow, and Bubbles – Cherry to complete the center, and Copper, Rock – Yellow, Sprig – Yellow, Pebbles – Coffee, Round Petal Floral, and Leaves – Green Grass from the Sandalwood Collection for the side borders.
All placemats are backed and bound with Rock – Green Grass.
I quilted all of them at the same time on my Handi Quilter Forte with the Filigree Leaves e2e design from Pro-Stitcher Patterns.
I was able to use some Hobbs 80/20 batting scraps left over from what they generously supplies us. I don’t like to waste!Quilted on my Handi Quilter Forte (now Amara 24)with Pro-StitcherMy Handi Quilter Glide 2 foot made it so easyQuilted with Filigree Leaves by Pro-Stitcher PatternsI like the way they look on my dining room table. I enjoy some of them more than others, but that happens when you give yourself freedom to play. And they will let good with some of my other solid color placemats to complete the table setting for Thanksgiving dinner.
Many of the fabrics I used are from the Sandalwood Collection, which is a Winter ’22 Collection. These were the only fall colored fabrics I had on hand to work with, so if you see some you like, check your local retailer to see if they still have them. Country Charm or Celtic Fields are Summer ’23 Collections with similar colors and look. Otherwise, check out their current Island Batik fabrics, and I’m sure you’ll find something that needs to follow you home! I can always count on Creekside Quilts near me in Oregon to have Island Batik fabrics.
Remember, every project needs a new needle. I use Schmetz needles, normally an 80/12 Microtex. Hobbs 80/20 batting goes into nearly every one of my quilted projects and this one is no exception. Accuquilt makes cutting fabric so much easier and cutting the pieces is my least favorite part of quilting, so I use my Accquilt whenever possible. This time, it was the North Carolina Star BOB. Aurifil 50 weight thread is used for piecing. And a big thank you to Island Batik, who gives us freedom to play with our fabric and projects!
Please take a minute to check out what the other Island Batik Ambassadors did for their challenge this month:
Thank you to everyone who commented on my blog. It is nice to know I’m not just talking to myself out there!
So… the giveaway ended yesterday and the drawing for this beautiful Royal Crown collection happened this morning!
The winner in a random drawing is Dawn F! Congratulations, Dawn!! If you would please email me your shipping address, I will get this out to you asap!
Thanks, everyone for being here and commenting on my blog. I plan to have another giveaway within the next two months, so consider subscribing to my blog so you don’t miss anything. Time to go play with some fabric!
This month features paper piecing, either English paper piecing or foundation paper piecing. Our challenge included using our collection of fabric assigned to us to make a lap sized quilt or larger. This is week 3 in our monthly blog hop.
The Natural Healing collection is the one I was lucky enough to work with this month. Look for it coming soon to your local quilt shop.
I was given this 1/2 yard bundle by Island Batik to use for this challenge. Isn’t it gorgeous?! Natural Healing is a fantastic name for this collection.
I choose to use foundation paper piecing and found some inspiration in this book:
Paper piecing isn’t my normal mode of operation, so I used this book for some help. Since our collections this month are for spring, I went looking for some springy patterns. I thought these designs were super cute, so I used them to make a small, lap sized quilt to hang over my stair railing to decorate for spring.
We were traveling in our RV for 10 weeks, so I brought my Singer Featherweight and all the supplies I would need to make this project on the road.
Allowing 1/4″ seam allowance around the outside.
I was planning on quilting using rulers and straight lines, since I only had my Featherweight to work with, but we decided to make a bee line for home once our Airstream Caravan was over, so I had time to put it on my Handi Quilter Forte 24 longarm and use Pro-Stitcher for the body of the quilt. I still used rulers around the paper piecing.
Love the buttons and hand embroidery on these cute blocks.
This design is Spritzi from Pro-Stitcher Patterns.
Many times I choose to sew my binding onto the back and flip to the front and use a decorative stitch. That is what I did here.
I used the Serpentine stitch and elongated the width and length to fit the binding.
I think I’m gonna like it as a spring decoration!
I used Hobbs Tuscany batting, which is a cotton and wool batting which drapes beautifully. I always use Schmetz needles, a new one for every project. Hobbs and Schmetz supplied me with the batting and needles for this project.
Be sure to check out what the other Island Batik Ambassadors have done or will do for this challenge and check your local quilt shop for Island Batik fabrics.
AND NOW for the GIVEAWAY! Win this Island Batik Royal Crown 42 piece 10″ stack just by commenting on this blog. Do you enjoy paper piecing? Random winner will be drawn on September 26 (in honor of my grandson’s bday!).
This month was a free month for us to determine what to make and which fabrics to use. I had been wanting to try the ProStitcher Fabric Bins, so that was my choice. The Pro-Stitcher Fabric Bins come in sizes, but you can adjust the size and make them any size you want. I like to keep my Island Batik fabrics separate from the rest of my stash, so these will be perfect for that.
This video shows the pattern stitching out on my Handi Quilter Forte and also the overall shape of the bin before sewing the seams. The program stitches a 1/4″ line to the outside of the design to make it easier to cut it out leaving the 1/4″ for the seam allowance. This project comes with easy to follow written directions. Here is a closer look at both bins flat on the longarm before sewing the side and bottom seams. The top fabric is Round Petal Floral Lemon Lime by Island Batik and the blue fabric on the bottom is Sprout by Island Batik.You can see the one side and one bottom seam. The horizontal seam shown here is made by bringing those two seams together to make the boxed bottom. The lining fabric is Mocha by Island Batik. It’s one of the beautiful foundation fabrics!Bottom seamBinding the top of the bin is the last thing to do! Flip it inside out and voila! My larger bin is bound in Lime solid by Island Batik. It measures 11″ x 11″ x 11″, perfect for storing my scraps I have cut into 10″ squares.Here’s my smaller storage!! It measures 8″ x 8″ by 8″. This will store my 5″ and 2 1/2″ squares. Fabric is Sprout by Island Batik, bound with Cheerio in Bermuda by Island Batik. The bundle inside my bin is Natural Healing. Look for it in September when I’ll be using it for my September Challenge. A different design on each sideA different design on each sideThis is a picture of my Pro-Stitcher history showing some of the designs I used for the sides of my bins.
I used 2 layers of Hobbs 80/20 batting on the blue one and quilted with denser stitching to help make it stand upright. I used Bosal foam on the yellow/green one, which is a heavier batting/stabilizer/foam usually used for tote bags. Then I didn’t feel like I needed to quilt with as heavy quilting because it stands upright easier on its own.
Many thanks to Island Batik for supplying the fabric and Hobbs Batting for supplying the batting for this project! Check your local quilt shop for Round Petal Floral, Lime solid, Sprout, Cheerio Bermuda, and Mocha by Island Batik!
Check out what other creative projects my fellow Ambassadors did for their challenge this month!
Our challenge this month was to make a quilt or table runner using Flying Geese blocks with the Fall or Winter 2022 bundle we received. I had been looking forward to using the Winter 2022 pre cut bundle I received, Holiday at Home, because I love how the peach (Conch) companion fabric brings out the subdued peach in the background of the fabrics. I was also given the Hunter fabric, but didn’t end up using that fabric for this project.
Hunter and Conch
It was back to The Trendy Table for inspiration for my table runner. I’m a sucker for what I call Film Strip sashings or borders, the small squares repeated in a row, as in the runner in the top right of the front cover. So, that was my choice for this month.
I made this at a quilt retreat in April and was so busy chatting with my friends, that I forgot to take progress pictures! I used Aurifil thread and a fresh Schmetz 80/20 needle in my machine. Every project deserves a new needle!
I quilted it using double batting, one layer of Hobbs 80/20 and one layer of Hobbs wool on the top to provide the loft I wanted. Hobbs has many varieties of batting for every need. The digital quilt design is used is Hollies and Berries from Pro-Stitcher Patterns quilted on my Handi Quilter Forte 24 (Handi Quilter Amara 24).
And…it’s reversible!Digital quilt design is Hollies and Berries from Pro-Stitcher Patterns
The Holiday at Home collection can be found at these shops:
Compass Point Quilts
NH
Cotton Cupboard-ME
ME
Creekside Quilts-OR
OR
Hancocks of Paducah
KY
Missouri Star
MO
Nine Patch Fabrics
VA
Quilters Headquarters
SD
Sew What Fabrics/Batiks Etc.
VA
Check out all the other Ambassadors to see how they handled the challenge:
This lion is so detailed and colorful and uses foundation paper piecing, a skill that I had let become rusty. Verushka Zarate, of Pride and Joy Quilting, is the designer and teacher. She is an amazing individual! I’m so glad I decided to attend her session!
Empty Spools offers many 5 day sessions from February through May every year. Each 5 day session has 10 or 12 well known quilting instructors who come to teach a project using their specific skill. Each evening a 3 or 4 of them speak about their inspiration and quilting journey and also about the class they are teaching. There is also time for student show and tell. Many students live in California and are able to drive, but many others fly in and rent sewing machines. There is also a quilt shop set up in case you need to purchase fabric or supplies for your class – or for your stash.
Asilomar Conference Grounds are within the Aramark Park System and has simple, rustic sleeping rooms, but wonderful facilities, including classrooms, a dining hall, a cafe, and a large social hall, among many other amenities.
This is the lodging building I was assigned!Another view of the living areaAsilomar is right on the coast and such a beautiful place for artists to create.This is a quilt that the maker made as a fundraiser for a charity.
This was the first quilt shared as part of the students’ show and tell the first night. Here are some others…
This is a class Sandra Bruce is teaching next year.This is one of Melinda Bula’s class samples. I’ve always wanted to take her class.This is the progress I made on my Heart of a Lion in Verushka Zarate’s class. The youngest student in our class finished the entire lion! Verushka is on the left.One of the beautiful sunsets
Before I arrived at Asilomar this year, I thought it would probably be my last, but after this year, I’m not so sure. It’s such an inspirational experience…
The last week of April, I flew back to Indiana for a quilt retreat I began when I lived there. It was just wonderful visiting with golden friends!! I missed them so much! It highlighted the difficulties of moving across the country during a pandemic. Meeting people and making friends has been challenging here in Washington state due to masking and meetings being via ZOOM. SO being with friends I’ve known for several years was very comforting and enjoyable.
We (eleven friends) have been meeting annually in the same place for 7 years. Nashville, IN is a great locale for our retreat because we don’t have to drive anywhere once we move in. Many places to shop and eat within walking distance. Fabulous sharing and good times!!
Enjoy viewing some quilts that were completed or projects that were worked on during the 4 1/2 days together.
Cheryl’s quiltAnother of Chery’s quiltsChery’s blocksThe two Lindas. One quilts, the other knits.Elaine’s quilt – made from her late sister’s fabric collection for her sister’s sonsMy table runnerKathy’s embroidered shirtKathy’s machine embroidered tree skirt. Each panel of Kathy’s tree skirt is detailed and amazing!Denise’s quilt blocksThree Posh Santa’s – two of Bev’s, one of Lynn’sBev also worked on these blocks for a Christmas quiltCasey’s machine embroidery projectCasey’s machine embroidered blockMore of Casey’s beautiful blocksLore’s beautiful quilt for a special charity. She makes and quilts around 20 quilts for charity every year!!Lore’s work on this Christmas Tree quilt from Missouri Star QuiltsLynn’s baseball quilt for a nephewMy Strip Twist pieces for GE Designs’ Sew A LongThese are what the Strip Twist blocks look likeOur last breakfast. We failed to get a picture of everyone. A few had to leave early.Til next year, Cornerstone Inn!
This month Island Batik challenged each its 25 ambassadors to use a Studio 180 tool that they had received, but not used previously, to make a quilt or a runner with the surprise bundle of the Winter 22 collection each of us received. (Remember the wrapped fabric bundle I couldn’t show you in my unboxing video? ) It is revealed below.
The tools I received were the Wing Clipper Tool and the Quilters Magic Wand. You can find details and directions for how to use the Wing Clipper tool from Deb Tucker herself here and the Magic Wand here.
Studio 180 Wing ClipperStudio 180 Magic Wand
To use the Wing Clipper Tool, first position your block with the long edge of the center triangle at the top, as shown above. Line up the diagonal lines on the ruler with your seam. So, in the sample above, I moved the tool down so the diagonal lines on the tool matched up with the diagonal lines on my pieced rectangle block. Then trimmed the right side and top of the block.
Then turn the block upside down, line it up with the desired size of your block ( in this case, 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ and trim the right side and the top of the block.
This is the Quilter’s Magic Wand. It is used to mark the lines on either side of this tool to indicate sewing lines. I lined it up on the center line where I want to cut the block in two after sewing 1/4″on either side . I found this to be a helpful tool, because I can’t tell you how many times I have sewn right down the middle instead of 1/4″ on either side of the middle of the block.
I used the Magic Wand here to mark these sewing lines. I used a new Schmetz 80/ 12 microtex needle for piecing, supplied by Schmetz. Pieced with Aurifil 50 wt. thread.
And this is Sandalwood, my winter ’22 surprise bundle that was wrapped and tied with bows when I received my box of fabrics and supplies from Island Batik. It’s so beautiful, I had a hard time cutting into it! Sandalwood is shipping soon, so check these shops or ask your LQS.
A Quilter’s Place, Oakdale, CA
Cotton and Chocolate, Simi Valley, CA
Creative Union Fabric, Port Townsend, WA
Creekside Quilts, Gales Creek, OR
KIKI’s Quilt Shack, Fresno, CA
Ocean Wave Quilts, Eureka, CA
Quilt Passions, Mission Viejo, CA
Sew Smart Supply, Los Molinos, CA
Village Sewing Center, Santa Rosa, CA
Will n Beez, Salem, OR
This is the Star Shadows pattern from Studio 180 that was provided to me to make this challenge quilt. Once I decided this is what I wanted to make with the Sandalwood fabric and the Wing Clipper and Quilter’s Magic Wand tools I received, I reached out to Studio 180 and they graciously supplied it to me for this challenge.
This is Island Batik Yellow Amber I used for the back of my quilt and Island Batik solid grey was used for the star shadows. Did you know Island Batik has solids? We were provided with white, grey, and black solids and the grey was perfect for this.
Here is the quilt on my Handi Quilter Forte (now named Amara 24) longarm. I used Hobbs 80/20 batting provided by Hobbs.
Here is the digital quilting pattern I used to quilt it. It’s Mod Petals by Quiltable.
My finished Star Shadows quilt
Check out all the other Ambassadors to see how they handled the challenge:
