Our challenge this month was to make something of our choice that has to do with celebrations. Well, every celebration involves food, yes??? And hopefully with shared responsibilities. Whether you call them pitch ins, pot lucks, or something else, a proper carrier is needed, so I decided to make a casserole carrier.
And Pro-Stitcher has a design for that! Actually they have a couple. The one I chose is Happiness is Homemade. There is another one called Buttered Biscuit. I combined the two as I preferred parts of each. Directions are included with the download.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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).
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 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.
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.
Check out all the other Ambassadors to see how they handled the challenge:
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!
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.