June Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

Flying Geese

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 QuiltsNH
Cotton Cupboard-MEME
Creekside Quilts-OROR
Hancocks of PaducahKY
Missouri StarMO
Nine Patch FabricsVA
Quilters HeadquartersSD
Sew What Fabrics/Batiks Etc.VA

Check out all the other Ambassadors to see how they handled the challenge:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

Empty Spools Seminar

Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA

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 area
Asilomar 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…

April Quilt Retreat

Nashville, IN

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 quilt
Another of Chery’s quilts
Chery’s blocks

The two Lindas. One quilts, the other knits.
Elaine’s quilt – made from her late sister’s fabric collection for her sister’s sons
My table runner
Kathy’s embroidered shirt
Kathy’s machine embroidered tree skirt.
Each panel of Kathy’s tree skirt is detailed and amazing!
Denise’s quilt blocks
Three Posh Santa’s – two of Bev’s, one of Lynn’s
Bev also worked on these blocks for a Christmas quilt
Casey’s machine embroidery project
Casey’s machine embroidered block
More of Casey’s beautiful blocks
Lore’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 Quilts
Lynn’s baseball quilt for a nephew
My Strip Twist pieces for GE Designs’ Sew A Long
These are what the Strip Twist blocks look like

Our last breakfast. We failed to get a picture of everyone. A few had to leave early.
Til next year, Cornerstone Inn!

May Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

Featuring Deb Tucker’s Studio 180 tools

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 Clipper
Studio 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:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

April Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

Crazy Quilt with Aurifil

Our challenge for April was to make a crazy quilt with the Aurifil thread provided by Aurifil and any Island Batik fabric provided previously.

The Aurifil thread I was gifted was a three pack collection named Rubber Tree. One spool was a light medium tan and two of them were variegated, one light and one darker.

The Island Batik fabric collection that I was gifted that would show off this thread collection the best was River Walk. And I love this collection, so I had no problem using it again for April.

I had some additional Aurifil threads in my stash that worked well in combination with the Rubber Tree collection, so here is the line up I used to create my crazy quilt.

This pattern came to mind as I thought about making a crazy quilt because I had made it previously. It uses machine embroidery and is fun to make.

I love making decisions about which thread color to use next and sitting back and watching my machine embroider it out for me.

The Aurifil variegated threads seemed to change colors in just the right place. I enjoyed using them.

Here is my finished crazy quilt wall hanging. I really love how it turned out.

I used Hobbs 80/20 batting and a new Schmetz needle for this project and appreciate these sponsors for providing these materials for me to use for these challenges.

Check out these Quilt shops for the Island Batik River Walk collection;

A and A Sewing

Bird in Hand Fabric

Boutique 4 Quilters

Creekside Quilts, OR

Portage Quilt House

Quilting by the Hearth

Sew Creative, OR

Stitch, CO

Check out the other Island Batik Ambassador’s blogs to see what they did for their April Island Batik / Aurifil Crazy Quilt Challenge.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

March Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

Our March Challenge was our choice – choice of one of the fabric collections Island Batik provided and also choice of project. I needed a table runner for our new sofa table, so I browsed my patterns.

I have had this book for awhile, love the table runners in it, but have never made any. I decided on the one in the middle, second from the top. I love the movement in it.

Island Batik Stash Builders

Remember those rolls of fabric from my unboxing video? Each roll has 4 5″ wide strips by width of fabric. I had a nice assortment to choose from, so I choose some of my favs and began pairing them up in pleasing sets of 3. Then I cut 2″ strips.

I made 2″ wide strip sets from each group of 3, then cut them as directed in the instructions and laid out the triangles to make partial hexies which appear to overlap. I’m glad I caught those mistakes in my layout before they were sewn!

It’s loaded on my Handi Quilter Forte ready for quilting,

I sewed leftover 2″ strips for the backing.

I chose the digital design Malachite from Urban Elements.

And here it is on my sofa table. I love it!

Check out the other Island Batik Ambassador’s blogs to see what they did for their It’s All Up to You Challenge.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

Island Batik Ambassador Puff Quilt Blog Hop

Island Batik is celebrating February with an Ambassador Puff Quilt Blog Hop. I hope you have been following along (by following Island Batik on FB) because there have been some really creative ones from our team! I was supplied with the gorgeous River Walk collection designed by Jean Wells of Stitchin’ Post. I absolutely love this collection! It reminds me of hiking, which gets me out in the great outdoors in the PNW where I live.

Isn’t it gorgeous??

I watched several tutorials before I began to help me decide which method I would use. I found Lo and Behold Stitchery to be the most complete and detailed. I followed it except where noted below.

These are all squares after pleating one side. The camo print is what I used from my stash for the back of the squares. It won’t show when finished. The camo squares are 4″ and the River Walk squares are 4 1/2″ before pleating. I decided to make it 18 squares wide by 18 squares tall, resulting in a quilt 62″ x 62″.

Pleating and chain piecing 324 squares!! Pleating approximately in the middle of the 4″ square to make the 4 1/2″ square fit the 4″ square. It’s nice it doesn’t have to be exact. I did this on all three sides, and then when sewing the 4th side, I stuffed the puffs with Polyfil. I used nearly all of a 40 oz bag.

Organizing stacks of same fabric squares.

I made 324 separate puffs before joining them in rows of 18. Then I sewed the rows together to make 18 columns of 18 rows. I decided on this random layout because it reminded me of pebbles in a river. This is a choice I made that differs from the Lo and Behold Stitchery tutorial.

This is the finished quilt top

This is another difference I chose to make from the Lo and Behold Stitchery tutorial. To finish, the next step was to lay the quilt top down right sides up, lay the backing (Island Batik Porcelain) on top of the quilt top, right sides together, and then I added a layer of Hobbs poly batting on top of that. After pinning all three layers together well, I then sewed through all three layers, leaving an opening for turning, turned it inside out and stitched 1/8″ along the edge instead of binding. I’ve never done that for a quilt, but I preferred the look of it better than binding for this quilt.

To quilt, I did a bar tack stitch with my machine at every intersection. If you look closely, you may find a turtle or a frog hiding on the back of the quilt.

Froggie tack on Island Batik Porcelain fabric used for the backing
Turtle tack and bar tack tack on Island Batik Porcelain fabric used for the backing
Almost ran out of Aurifil thread!
The finish! Not difficult at all, just a bit time consuming.
I’m calling it River Rock from River Walk by Jean Wells for Island Batik.

I became an Island Batik Ambassador!

I just love batik fabrics so this was a happy connection! I had been tuning in to a few of my friends who were Island Batik Ambassadors and it seemed like a perfect fit for me. I applied last fall when I saw the post on social media and a few weeks later received the notification that I had been selected. I couldn’t stop smiling! Ambassadors are given supplies to make monthly projects and post them on social media. Some projects are assigned as to a design or a specific fabric line and others are your choice.

In December I received 41 pounds of goodies from Island Batik, with help from Hobbs Batting, Aurifil thread, Deb Tucker’s Studio 180, and Schmetz needles to use for these monthly projects.

Here’s my unboxing video where I show everything up close. So generous of Island Batik and our sponsors for this half of the year – Hobbs Batting, Aurifil thread, Deb Tucker’s Studio 180, and Schmetz needles.

Island Batik Ambassador Unboxing video January 2023

Sunshine and Tulips for Bev

Kimberly by GE Designs

GE Designs released a new pattern in July, Kimberly, and offered a quilt a long. It required 2 layer cakes, so I selected these from my stash. They were identical, in 2 different colorways. I loved the ease of this pattern and enjoyed just sewing and not having to match up seams except for the blocks themselves. I did make sure the diagonal seams in all blocks were facing the same direction. I didn’t have a purpose in mind when beginning this quilt, but its purpose became clear as the next few months passed.

It was easy to take on my travels by car, along with my Singer Featherweight, while teaching closer to home. I was able to finish this top in one of those hotel rooms. It’s such a happy, lively quilt

I found this Tulip Bells digital quilt design by Quiltable.com and thought it would be a great pairing for this quilt, echoing the tulips in some of the blocks. I double batted, with Hobbs 80/20 on the bottom and a layer of wool batting on the top to provide the puffiness and warmth. By this time, it was clear who this quilt had been intended for all along.

One of my very best friends is bubbly, colorful, and lively. She laughs ALL the time – so much fun to be around! She dresses in vibrant, beautiful colors. She would love this quilt, right? Made for her.

Alas , into everyone’s life come some shadows. A difficult chapter in the book of life. Even the bubbly and lively. A difficult health diagnosis shook the ground she walked on. Of course she is tackling this with her natural positivity with all her besties rooting her on. This happy quilt was made for her. Enjoy, Bev!

Mini Pumpkin Patch Quilt

Mini Pumpkins Pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful

My favorite season is autumn and I love this pattern, It has been on my to do list for a few years. Motivation came in the form of a challenge; a Handi Quilter Educator Challenge. This year’s challenge was to make a black and white (grays allowed) quilt, plus one other color that can’t be more than 25% of the quilt.

Time is always a factor, and this quilt being only 36″ x 36″ was doable considering my traveling schedule between now and the due date. Easy decision. I finally get to make this quilt!

Pieces were cut and piecing together was begun in early October.

Two days later it was pieced. However, getting it quilted within the next 9 weeks between several teaching events, a quilt show, celebrating a birthday, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, would be tricky. But a busy schedule makes for efficient planning.

Now to decide how to quilt it. I knew I wanted to make “ghost pumpkins” on some of the background squares to mimic the colored pumpkins, so I played around with ideas for the background. Hay, so it looks like the pumpkins are laying in a patch? Pumpkin leaves with wisps of curls? Pebbles and swirls? I decided on the latter, so the small pebbles and swirls would make the “ghost pumpkins” pop. I added some leaves for interest as well. I also double batted with one layer of 80/20 and one layer of wool on top for the poof.

Challenge accepted and completed on time.

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