StitchWithColor

Monday, October 28, 2024

Island Batik "What's In A Bag" October Challenge

This was a fun challenge. For October Island Batik partnered with ByAnnie - Pattern's by Annie to give the Ambassadors a fun challenge making all sorts of bags with the beautiful fabrics. The pattern I chose is called Renaissance Ribbons Bags.

For this challenge I chose fabrics from the Misty Mornings collection. This pattern called for using various sized ribbons, but I was going to use batiks and embellish with smaller ribbons. Island Batik and ByAnnie provided all the supplies and fabric required to make the bags.

This is not the first ByAnnie project that I’ve made and I really like their instructions. They are well written, picture details, and helpful online videos.

I would love to share more with you on the directions and assembly... but I cannot share those details. Above you can see I sewed the ribbon and fabric onto the "Soft & Stable" (photo on left) and when I turn it over to the front (photo on right) of the bag you can see the bag along with the inside fabric.

And now for the finished bags... I love how they turned out!!!

I would like to thank all the sponsors who provided the products that were used in this October challenge:

ByAnnie Pattern

Island Batik Fabrics

Aurifil 50 wt thread

Schmetz Microtex Needles

Oliso Iron

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Island Batik Adventurous Applique Blog Hop

The Island Batik fabrics shipped to me for this Challenge are the

TRANQUIL MOMENTS fabric line.

The quilt shops carrying the TRANQUIL MOENTS fabric line are listed below:

QUILT COUNTRY, Lewisville, TX

UNIQUELY YOURS, Rolla, MO

DUTCHMANS STORE, Cantril, IA

LAURAL'S FABRICS AND MORE, Lino Lakes, MN

UNIQUELY YOURS, Rolla, MO

The challenge Using Aurifil Thread

Project Type: Quilt
Size: Lap or larger
Must use the Spring 2024 fabric bundle Tranquil Moments
Technique: Edge-coloring appliqué

To finish the edges of our appliques, each Ambassador received 5 small coordinating thread spools from Aurifil Thread.

I started my project in EQ8 and used a stabilizer on the back of the fabrics for my flower petals, centers and leaves by sewing the stabilizer to my fabrics using my Schmetz Needles.

After all the stabilizer was sewn onto the fabrics, I trimmed all the pieces and started sewing them onto my background fabrics.

I kept building my flower blocks and start to thread sketch applique my flower parts on the background fabric. I added sashing and another flower in the center of the quilt.

And my funky flowers are coming together!!

And the final quilt top is done!

It still needs to be quilted and I will share that photo a little later this month.

Thank you to the 2024 Island Batik partners

@aurifilthread, @hobbsbatting, @studio180design, @schmetzneedles, @patternsbyannie, @funkyfriendsfactory, @olisohome

Don't forget that I am an affiliate for the Missouri Star Quilt Company. If you use my link

https://glnk.io/mzmmj/stitchwithcolor

you can get 20% off any order of $50 or more and I may receive a small commission.

Thanks Missouri Star Quilt Company!

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Island Batik Ambassador Marvelous Mini Challenge

August is all about Mini Quilts and I do love a mini quilt challenge! We were challenged to make a quilt in the size range between 12 to 24 inches on a side and no larger than 24 inches.

I decided to use two Island Batik's Stash Builder rolls to make this mini quilt blue and yellow. I found a 3" finished pineapple foundation paper and made copies on foundation paper.

Now the sewing begins and I'm using my favorite notions,

Aurifil Thread and Schmetz Microtex (Sharp) Needles.

My initial plan started with two 6" pineapple blocks to be included with the 3" blocks, and I wasn't pleased with the result of this combination and various layouts.

So I changed my mind and only used the 3" blocks with setting triangles. I tried a few different layouts and decided on this one and completed sewing my little quilt top. I gave the finished mini quilt top a good pressing with my Oliso Iron before quilting it with a small piece of Hobbs Tuscany Collection batting.

The finished quilt measures 8-1/4" x 14-1/4"

I hope you enjoyed seeing my finished mini quilt. Please follow the Island Batik Facebook page if you want to see all of the Ambassador's finished challenge projects. The finished projects are always amazing!

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Island Batik Ambassador July Unboxing

It's like Christmas in July for all the Island Batik Ambassadors because they receive their second shipment of supplies and goodies for the second part of the year's challenges.

I live in Georgia and it's hot and humid here! Rather than be outside in the heat, I'm indoors sewing and I have already started on my August Miniature Quilt Challenge and will be moving onto the September Challenge very soon! I'm loving the fabrics that Island Batik shipped to me and am happy to share them with you.

I have to be honest, I'm not video savvy ... Yet! I recorded two videos, one for the box of fabrics and the other for the box of battings. Here are the links to my unboxing videos...

Box 1-Fabrics & Box 2-Battings

Here are photos of each of my supplies shipped by Island Batik and provided by our wonderful sponsors.

One Half-Yard Bundle of Spring 2024 Collection - TRANQUIL MOMENTS for the September Challenge and Blog Hop. This bundle includes 20 half yard cuts plus 2 coordinating 2 yard cuts of fabric which will be available in shops later in the year. Plus matching thread from Aurifil for our Adventurous Applique Challenge in September!

Spring 2024 Precut - Poetic Bouquet with Matching 2 yards each of light and dark yardage.

Gradations Precuts - Brilliant Blue 2.5" Strips

Gradations Precuts - Playful Purple 10" Squares

Stash Builders are a set of 5" wide strips, 20 per pack.

A By Annie Kit to make our October Challenge project.

One Half-Yard Bundle of Summer 2024 Collection for our November Challenge and Blog Hop. This will remain a surprise until November!

Island Batik provides us with a generous supply of a Neutral, a Black, White and Dark Grey, so we have plenty of background fabrics or backings too!

We received a full box of assorted battings from Hobbs.

As an Island Batik Ambassador I am thrilled to be working on these monthly challenges along with designing my quilts in the EQ8 software. Every month is an adventure of playing with different quilt ideas and fabrics. I do hope you sign up to follow my blog so you get notified when I post my completed monthly challenges and please also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for weekly posts and sharing of other Ambassador's projects.

Don't forget that I am an affiliate for the Missouri Star Quilt Company. If you use my link

https://glnk.io/mzmmj/stitchwithcolor

you can get 20% off any order of $50 or more and I may receive a small commission.

Thanks Missouri Star Quilt Company!

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Create for a Cause - Island Batik June Challenge

The month of June Island Batik Ambassador challenge was to make a Quilts Across America donation quilt.

Studio 180 provided me with the Four Patch Square Up trim down ruler so I made LOTS and LOTS of four patches!

I gave a lot of thought to the fabrics I could use from my January shipment that children and teens would like. I had a good amount of the Heavy Metal line of fabric left over from my February challenge and knew purples would be something kids and teens would love. So I started making four patch blocks from all the leftover fabric and used the remaining large chunks on the back. I used the Studio 180 Four Patch trim tool on all the four patches to make sure they were all the perfect size. I do hope this quilt makes the child receiving it very happy. It was made with lots of love and good wishes for the recipient.