Island Batik "It's All Up to You" Challenge

I can't believe it's December and this is the last challenge of 2024. Since this challenge was up to each of the ambassadors to choose their project, I choose to use the remaining holiday fabrics that I had left from the May Blog Hop (Woodland Holiday Collection) for my challenge.

I also subscribed to the The Missouri Star Quilt Company's Advent Box which contained Jenny's Scrappy Fabric Card Making Kit, so I made some gift card holders too with the fabrics. They actually were very easy and the kit was exclusive for those who receive the Advent Box!

I couldn't stop there! I decided to make my free form table runner. I call it that because I use my rotary cutter to cut the curves anyway I want them. No drawing lines, no templates, no pattern!

I turn under and press the curved edges with my Oliso iron so I can topstitch with monopoly thread onto the first fabric which is a rectangle. From there I just keep adding another rotary cut curved section onto the preceding one.

Once the section is pinned in place, I then topstitch the section in place. Once all the sections have been added and I decide I'm done. I add the backing fabric and of course Hobb's Batting and with my wonderful Bernina 740, I start quilting curves in each section matching the cutting curves of that section I'm working in. It's an "easy peasy" table runner to make! 

And here's the finished project! It measures 17" x 48". I just happened to have some fusible white snowflakes which put the crowning touch on the runner!

Thank you Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Oliso Irons, Schmetz Needles, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil, Funky Friends Factory, ByAnnie.com, and Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design! The Ambassador challenges would not be possible if not for these generous partnerships.

And a very special thank you to everyone who has been reading my monthly challenge blog. I want to wish you a very happy holiday season. I do hope I'll see you back in the new year. Just put your email in the subscribe box on the right under my photo and you'll be notified when my blog posts are live!

In case you want to go back and look at all the 2024 Ambassadors projects here's the Island Batik's Facebook link: Island Batik

Plus the 2024 Ambassadors with their website links:

• Brenda Alburl – Songbird Designs
• Renee Atkinson – Pink Tulip Quilting
• Megan Best – BestQuilter
• Pamela Boatright – PamelaQuilts
• Susan Deshensky – Lady Blue Quilts
• Brittany Fisher – Bobbin with Brittany
• Preeti Harris – Sew Preeti Quilts
• Mania Hatziioannidi – Mania For Quilts
• Jane Hauprich – Stitch by Stich Custom Quilting
• Kim Jamieson-Hirst – Chatterbox Quilts
• Victoria Johnson – Forever Quilting for You
• Connie Kauffman – Kauffman Designs
• Connie Kresin Campbell – Freemotion by the River
• Emily Leachman – The Darling Dogwood
• Denise Looney – A Quiltery
• Leah Malasky – Quilted Delights
• Maryellen McAuliffe – Mary Mack Made Mine
• Lisa Pickering – Lisa’s Quilting Passion
• Sarah Pitcher – Pitcher’s Boutique
• Lana Russel – Lana Quilts
• Julia Schweri – Inflorescence Designs
• Gail Sheppard – Quilting Gail
• Carol Stanek – Stitch With Color
• Sandra Starley – Textile Time Travels
• Jennifer Thomas – Curlicue Creations
• Suzy Webster – Websterquilt

Island Batik Dresden Plate Blog Hop!

 

This month is Island Batik's Dresden challenge with the secret fabric bundles.  Remember this from the unboxing?

My surprise package contained the collection "TURLE COVE" which will be shipping to shops in April 2025! Here's a photo of the entire collection.

 

   

In this challenge I wanted to showcase the fabrics and used a pattern designed by Karen Bennett called "Modern Nellie" which measures 42" x 42".  I started working with the fabrics to decide which fabric would go into each circle of fabrics.

  

 

After cutting all my dresden pieces it was time to start assembling my three rings of dresdens and sew them together using Aurifil thread and my Schmetz microtex needle. This was really a fun and easy project to work on.

  

The rings were positioned on the backing fabric and pinned in place. Then came more sewing of the rings onto the backing fabrics one ring of dresdens at a time.

 So far so good!

Once I finished the quilt top I passed it onto my quilter, Pat Yearwood, and she worked her magic.  Again, another great quilt completed and bound!

Hope you love it as much as I do!

Island Batik Fabrics

Aurifil 50 wt thread

Schmetz Microtex Needles

Oliso Iron

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

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!

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!

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!