Funky Friends Island Batik April Challenge

 

https://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/

For our April Island Batik Ambassador Challenge I chose to make the Patch Pussy Cat pattern. Of course I didn't choose a beginner pattern, I jumped in the deep end! I've never made a stuffed animal, ever! This was a first for me!

Being new to the Ambassador program I had to choose fabrics from my initial shipment and selected a Halloween theme coloring for my cat.

I followed the instructions to the letter and it was a challenge for me since I had more experience making quilts, clothing and home sewing projects. I used buttons for his eyes and was trying to get a calico look.

All the pattern pieces were printed out on my printer to regular printer paper. I cut them out an pinned them to my fabrics and cut exactly as the directions indicated. There was also a downloadable photo tutorial which was very helpful in making this project. If you follow all of Pauline's instructions, you too will be able to create an adorable stuffed friend. Do go to the Funky Friends website to see all the downloadable patterns available. There are so many to choose from! If this is your first time at making one, do start with a beginner pattern!

Thank you Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Schmetz Needles and Funky Friends Factory! The Ambassador challenges would not be possible if not for these generous partnerships.

 

The March Island Batik Ambassador challenge was up to the Ambassadors!  I just love the Flutter Wings precut strips so I created stars with these fabrics and I made very colorful stars using  Electric Quilt (EQ8).

I used strips for my star points and the squares from the yardage as the backgroup fabric.  The stars come together as an easy nine patch.  Here are the smaller stars that I decided to put in the center of the quilt  after I designed it.  The blocks are 12" squares and the border is 2.25" making the quilt a 40" X 40" square to be used as a wall hanging or table topper.

The Sponsor's products used to make this quilt were Electric Quilt EQ8, Aurifil Thread (50 weight), Schmetz Microtex Needles, Hobbs Batting and the Oliso iron (which I'm loving!).  And here's my finished quilt...

and with some of the scraps I made a table runner!

This was a fun challenge and I love the way the quilt turned out.  Now on to the April challenge!

Island Batik Log Cabin Challenge and Blog Hop

This month Island Batik Ambassadors were challenged to create a log cabin quilt with their fabric bundle. I've dabbled a little with Electric Quilt EQ8 but thanks to being an Island Batik Ambassador, I'm now inspired to learn to use my EQ8. I created a traditional log cabin and added geese.

The fabric bundle I received for this challenge was the Island Batik Heavy Metal Collection by Kathy Engle. It's full of beautiful purples and blues with a few creams. From the 20 fabrics in the collection I used 18 fabrics and decided to use the white batik for the geese so they would stand out. Here is the photo of the completed quilt which measures 48" square.

I love and always use Aurifil Thread (50 weight) for all my quilting and sewing projects. I also always use Schmetz Microtex Needles for piecing my blocks. These needles are wonderful when working with batiks and also when foundation paper piecing, which I do a lot of and teach it too!

I don't quilt medium to large tops and for this one I asked Pat Yearwood at Stitch'n Quilt to do the quilting for me. She used a non-directional pattern which I think works really well with the log cabins. Hobbs Batting was also used in this quilt.

Here are some photos of the steps used in creating my log cabin blocks. Every step of the way I pressed seams with my new Oliso iron! I love hand sewn bindings but have learned how to do machine bindings and keep the hand joints much happier!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck with the giveaway!

Check out other Island Batik Ambassadors' blog pages this month to see their challenge quilt and for more giveaways happening this month!

February 12

Carol Stanek

Gail Sheppard

February 13

Brittany Fisher

Renee Atkinson

February 14

Jane Hauprich

Victoria Johnson

February 15

Susan Deshensky

Connie Kresin Campbell

February 19

Lana Russel

Julia Schweri

February 20

Jennifer Thomas

Maryellen McAuliffe

February 21

Connie Kauffman

Lisa Pickering

February 22

Denise Looney

Kim Jamieson-Hirst

February 26

Mania Hatziioannidi

Sandra Starley

Happy Quilting!

Carol

January 2024 Island Batik Ambassador Unboxing Video

It’s exciting to be selected as an Island Batik Ambassador for the first time! This year we have some really terrific challenges and I know you’ll all love seeing what the 26 Ambassadors create each month from the different fabric lines shipped to them. This is your chance to see our Island Batik Ambassador's boxes of fabrics that were shipped to each of us via everyone's unboxing videos. To see the other ambassador's videos just scroll down to 2024 Island Batik Ambassadors and click the links next to their names. Here's my video!

2024 Island Batik Ambassadors

Alburl, Brenda: https://songbirddesigns.blog/

Atkinson, Renee: https://pinktulipquilting.wordpress.com

Best, Megan: www.bestquilter.com

Boatright, Pamela: www.Pamelaquilts.com

Deshensky, Susan: www.ladybluequilts.com

Fisher, Brittany: https://bobbinwithbrittany.com

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

Hatziioannidi, Mania: www.maniaforquilts.com

Hauprich, Jane: www.stitchbystitchcustomquilting.com

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

Johnson, Victoria: https://foreverquilting4you.wordpress.com

Kauffman, Connie: www.kauffmandesigns.blogspot.com

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

Leachman, Emily: http://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com

Looney, Denise: https://quiltery.com

Malasky, Leah: www.quilteddelights.com

McAuliffe, Maryellen: https://www.marymackmademine.com/

Pickering, Lisa: www.lisasquiltingpassion.blog

Russel, Lana: http://lanaquilts.com/blog/

Schweri, Julia: inflorescencedesigns.com

Sheppard, Gail: https://quiltinggail.com/

Stanek, Carol: https://stitchwithcolor.blogspot.com

Starley, Sandra: https://utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com

Thomas, Jennifer: https://curlicuecreations.blogspot.com

Webster, Suzy: https://www.websterquilt.com/

The 2024 Island Batik partners are @aurifilthread, @hobbsbatting, @studio180design, @schmetzneedles, @patternsbyannie, @funkyfriendsfactory, @olisohome

 Follow my blog so you're notified as soon as posts go live and keep informed on upcoming raffles!  There's one coming in February!

Island Batik Fabrics are available at the following local Georgia shops I teach and shop at:

Cottontail Quilts   2259 Lewis Street, Kennesaw, GA 30144

Thread Bear   515 Sawnee Corners Blvd, Cumming, GA 30028

Quilt ‘N Kaboodle   1628 GA-115, Cleveland, GA 30528

Magical Stitches   4126 Hartley Bridge Road, Macon, GA 31216