Monday, March 24, 2025

Island Batik "It's All Up To You" March Challenge

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were allowed to make a project of their choice, using Island Batiks fabrics. We could do the project in any size using any technique.

As many of you may know I’m also a BeColourful Authorized Teacher do trunk shows and workshops with quilt guilds and quilt shops, plus I’m required to attend a master class every year with Jacqueline de Jonge, the pattern designer of BeColourful quilt patterns. I am currently working on the “Catch Me” pattern for my upcoming master class I will be in the beginning of June. This pattern has been consuming the majority of my sewing time and so this month Island Batik challenge project is small! The next few months will be super challenging!

For the March Island Batik challenge I choose Island Batik’s JUBILANT batik 2 ½ strip set. This collection I thought would be perfect as stained glass. I created my own foundation paper pattern to create my project.

The full fabric collection

Here's the finished table topper

Here's a close up of the individual block

This table topper was made with Island Batik Jubilant strip set (1/2 pack) and solid black batik, foundation paper pieced with Aurifil 50 wt thread, sewn with Schmetz 70/10 Microtex needles, pressed with my Oliso Mini Pro Iron, and quilted on my Bernina using Hobbs fusible batting. The table topper measures approximately 18 x 21 inches.

A very special thanks to all the sponsors of the Island Batik Ambassador program.

Please visit my fellow 2025 Ambassadors to see what projects they’re working on!

Brenda Alburl - https://songbirddesigns.blog

Renee Atkinson - https://wordpress.com/posts/pinktulipquilting.studio

Susan Deshensky - www.ladybluequilts.com/blog

Tina Dillard - https://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/

Brittany Fisher - www.bobbinwithbrittany.com

Kimberly Flannagan - https://www.kimberlysquilts.com/blog

Preeti Harris - https://sewpreetiquilts.blogspot.com

Mania Hatziioannidi - www.maniaforquilts.com

Kim Jamieson-Hirst - https://www.chatterboxquilts.com/blog

Connie Kauffman - Kauffmandesigns.blogspot.com

Connie Kresin Campbell - https://conniekresin.com/

Emily Leachman - https://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/

Denise Looney - https://quiltery.com

Leah Malasky - www.quilteddelights.com

Susan Michaels - https://dragonflyfiberart.blogspot.com/

Lisa Pickering - https://lisasquiltingpassion.blog/

Sarah Pitcher - www.pitchersboutique.com/blog-1

Gail Sheppard - https://quiltinggail.com/

Carol Stanek - stitchwithcolor.blogspot.com

Solomae Stoycoff - https://cuddlecatquiltworks.com

Jennifer Thomas - https://curlicuecreations.com

Suzy Webster - www.websterquilt.com

Be sure you’re following me on Facebook and Instagram so you won’t miss out on what I’ll be creating next!

#luminfabrics #islandbatik #islandbatikambassador #loveislandbatik #createwitholiso #olisoconnects #aurifl #aurifilthread #schmetzneedles #bernina #hobbsbatting #hobbsinside #followers #quiltersoffacebook #quiltersofinstagram

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Island Batik Ambassador RUNNER UP BLOG HOP and GIVEAWAY!

Hi everyone,

This is the Island Batik Ambassador's first project challenge of 2025 and the first Blog Hop using a Studio 180 tool! My challenge was to create a table runner using the Studio 180 Wing Clipper. The fabric bundle that was given to me to use was "FALL FLAIR" designed by Jerry Khiev for The Inquiring Quilter. Here's a photo of the fabric bundle and coordinating fabrics I received for this challenge. Fall Flair will be shipping to quilt shops in February and there is a link at the bottom on how to find the fabric and enter our weekly raffles which end on each Friday in February.

In less than 2 weeks I designed my runner in Electric Quilt, which took awhile to come up with a design I liked. I choose to use the neutral fabric for all my geese and use all the assorted bundle of fall colors to make the wings on my geese.

Here are some photos of the process sewing and making the flying geese with Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design Wing Clipper. I decided to make geese that finished at 2" x 4" from the instructions that come with the Wing Clipper. I cut all the fabrics accordingly and started sewing the smaller squares onto the larger squares using my favorite Schmetz Microtex Needes.

I finger press my seams as I work through all the steps of sewing the geese, then I take the finished geese and give them a good pressing with my new Oliso iron before using the Wing Clipper trim tool.

Here's my steps to the assembly...

And now for the reveal....

The fabric that our Ambassadors will be using in their Runner Up creations just started shipping to your local quilt shops! Find out which stores carry Island Batik near you by using our Store Locator; just enter your zip code, and your local shop will pop up on the map – it’s incredibly convenient and helpful!

Every Friday, we’ll compile round-ups of the projects and host a giveaway of two Fat Quarter bundles from the new Island Batik collections highlighted during that week! Make sure to explore all the amazing creations on the Ambassadors’ blogs and join in on their additional giveaways for even more chances to win.

Below is the complete list of Ambassadors, the collections they’ll feature in their projects, and their scheduled post dates:

WEEK 1

February 4:

February 5:

Brittany Fisher, Bobbin with Brittany

February 6:

November 7:

We will post the first two projects of the Island Batik Runner Up Blog Hop next Tuesday, but the first week’s giveaway is live right now! Follow the simple Rafflecopter prompts below for a chance to win one of the two fabulous Fat Quarter bundles of collections by our very own Jerry Khiev – Botanical Dreams or Fall Flair.

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

RAFFLE

This giveaway ends on February 8. Two random winners will be notified by email on February 8. Please check your spam folders!

WEEK 2

February 10:

February 11:

Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

February 12:

February 13:

February 14:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

February 17:

February 18:

February 19:

February 20:

February 21:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Final Giveaway

WEEK 4

February 24:

Kimberly Flannagan, Kimberly’s Quilts

February 25:

Tina Dillard, Quilting Affection Designs

February 26:

End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Unboxing The Island Batik Ambassador Box For 2025: Find Out What's Inside!

I’m a 2025 Island Batik Ambassador!

This will be my second year as an Island Batik Ambassador and I’m so thrilled to have been chosen from all of the applicants who applied.

There are so many great things about being an Island Batik Ambassador. First there is the challenge they give us to grow as a quilt makers and designers. Then there's the wonderful opportunity to play with the fabulous batiks that Island Batik produces. And there's more... We are provided with the best quilting products from all the sponsors.

We received our first Ambassador box which weighed, I believe, 29 pounds! In this box contained fabrics for us to use in our challenges the first half of this year along with products from the sponsors. These items are provided to all Ambassadors by Island Batik and their industry partners. The partners include Aurifil Thread, AccuQuilt, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, Oliso Irons, Funky Friends Factory, ByAnnie.com, Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design. I received these items as part of my role as an Island Batik Ambassador.

Check out my Video of the items I received.

Here are all the items I received in my first Box of 2025 with more details!

Oliso – They sent us their small “Project Iron”. They also sent the handy carrying bag to go with the iron.

Accuquilt Go! Irish Chain – I received the AccuCut Go!me since I didn't have one. Thank you AccuQuilt!!! This Irish Chain die will be used during our May Blog Hop.

Island Batik – This Surprise Package is the fabric designed by Jerry Khiev and will be used in our May Blog Hop. The fabrics in this surprise bundle will be shipping to quilt shops in May.

Island Batik – 10″ Squares – Opulent Orange. 20 fabrics, 40 pieces.

Island Batik – Gradations – Breathtaking Brown – 2 1/2″ strips. 20 fabrics, 40 pieces.

Island Batik – Cosmic – 2 1/2″ strips. 20 fabrics, 40 pieces. Plus two yards of coordinating fabrics – Cream and Wavy Dots-Black.

Island Batik – 3 sets of Stash Builders – 5″ strips of fabric – 2.8 yards in each package. These are great as giveaways to Quilt Guilds or to use in our projects.

Island Batik – Foundations set – 12 fabrics each 1/2 yard each. Assortment of solids to gradations to mottled batiks.

Island Batik – 6 yards of a Neutral plus 4 yards each of Black, White & Gray.

Island Batik – “Fall Flair” – Fall 2024 collection by Jerry Khiev for Jennifer Fulton, The Inquiring Quilter. This fabric ships to shops in February. This is the fabric I will be using in our February Blog Hop Challenge. There are 20 fabrics, each 1/2 yard.

Aurifil – The only thread I using for my quilts! We received 3 spools of 50 weight thread, Dark Antique Gold (2372), Neon Orange (1104), and Orange Mustard (2140).

Schmetz Needles – In our Schmetz bag we received three sets of needles, Vinyl, Piecing & Quilting, and Universal. A Schmetz luggage tag, and Schmetz ABC pocket guide, and a Schmetz notepad. These are the only machine needles I use!

I should have the second box arriving this week, from Hobbs Batting and Deb Tuckers Studio 180 designs. I can’t wait to share those with you as well. Funky Factory Friends are providing a pattern for us to make a stuffed animal for one of our monthly projects.

Please visit my fellow 2025 Ambassadors to see what fabrics they received in their shipments and also to see the finished projects they make!