Another round with Island Batik!!

Super excited to be selected as an Island Batik Ambassador for 2019!!! This box--all 42 pounds of it arrived at my door the middle of January!! So yes I am a bit late in posting the "unboxing".

On the day set up for the "unboxing" posts to happen--I was in Carlsbad, California at the actual Island Batik home office!!

Caleb Willis, pictured here with me, gave my husband and I a personal tour of the facilities. OH WOW that was super super cool! So glad that my husband was along as he asked the best questions!! And Caleb graciously answered all of them!! I was enjoying myself so much that I forgot to take any other photos!! The place is meticulously organized. Rainbows of colors line the towering shelves holding the bolts of fabrics. Oh the quilts waiting to be made in that warehouse!!

From the Island Batik home office--Quilt in a Day is just a short 10 minute drive--so the first day of our winter get-away in California became a quilt shop hopping day!! Eleanor Burns pulled into her special parking spot just as we were walking up and she suggeted a quick photo op!! Too cool!

I have to admit that I did open the box before we left--but just now took the time to photograph all the lovely for you to view!! Lovely threads from Aurifil they are a sponsor again. Watch for a Thread Play challenge later this year.

...so many pretty colors!! The purple/blue piece is a 2 yard cut of rayon--I am thinking that some kind of kimono might be in my future sewing plans.

The much loved Twilight Chic line for Deb Tucker!!! Might have to try using one of her rulers for a project with these!!

You have to wait until August to see what was in these packages--but I can tell you this--the colors will electrify you!!!

All these amazing battings were supplied by Hobbs!! In all the years I have been quilting, I have never tried black batting. Now I can!!

AccuQuilt is a new sponsor to the Ambassador program this year! Super cool!! I do some freelance designing with them, so I was given the opportunity to choose which dies I would like sent as part of the Ambassador program. I went with the newest Qube Companion sets--for a 10 inch 4-grid block. Most of the other ambassdors were sent the Ready, Set, Go--a great beginner package!!

I just had to add this photo of the Qube jackets. Eleanor Burns again!! The brightly colored sampler quilt at the bottom of each photo was made by me and uses some of the 72 Angles  and 24 Corners blocks that I designed for the Qubes. Way cool!!

I will leave you with this beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean from our last night in California!

Check out the link HERE for all 50 other Ambassadors for 2019!! So many great ideas coming your way this year!!!

Floaters.....miniature quilt...

Super excited to be an Island Batik Ambassador again for 2019!! Let the monthly challenges begin.
February the challenge is to make a miniature quilt less than 24" x 24".

This was the state of my sewing studio before I started--not even a speck of clean space to work!!

Ahhhhhh...now some breathing room...let the creating begin!! I find it hard to start a new project in a messy studio--although I have no problem making a mess while creating and sometimes find inspiration in the surrounding pieces of previous projects. So a never ending cycle!!

I had a general concept--concept being the key word--when I started. A soft neutralish pieced background, with a "pixelated" circle applique on top. This quilt is going to do some double dipping--Island Batik assignment and Project Quilting 10.4 pixelated challenge of the week.

I like to think outside the box--or Qube--when designing quilts using AccuQuilt dies. The bow tie
dies included in the Corners Qubes. I am using dies from the 6 inch Qube.

Just look at those tiny pieces!!! The half square triangles have a finished size of 3/4 inch!! The pretty multi-colored fabric is called Moonstone. The triangles were cut from one width of fabric. Look at all the variety of colors in just one strip!!

Fabric closeup time!! Love the swirling dots on that neutral. This one is called Almond--a little gray dot swirl with mostly white background and a little bit of light purple/pink mottle.

Background all pieced together--12" x 12"!! Each sqaure finishes at 1 1/2".  Quarter there for reference. Photoshop overcorrected the colors in this photo--as they are a bit too bright.

Now to add the pixels!! I used the circle dies #55484 and #55155--but wanted to remind you to look at all your dies for multipurpose use. The circles included on the dies to the left could have worked also. Use what you have and think creatively!!

Making a mess and changing my mind more than once!! Lite Steam a Seam 2 is the fusible I chose most. The sticky back lets the shape stay put or be moved around before applying heat for a more permanent fuse.

Now to get to the inspiration for this quilt. A picture of my Dad and I at 6 months old. Sad to say that I never lost that precious double chin--LOL.

My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease when he was only 42. Quite the shock to a hard working self employed farmer and his family.

He fought bravely for 25 years. He passed away 13 years ago--seems like yesterday and a million years all at the same time.

A side effect from one medication needed to help control his tremors would give him "floaters". He would "see" dragonflys floating in his periphial vision for a short while after taking the medication. They would leave after a bit and not come back until he took the medication again. This has prompted my Mom to collect dragonflys over the years.

So I give you Floaters....a memory remade with fabric. Thank you to Island Batik for the amazing fabrics, Aurifil thread for piecing and quilting, and Kim Lapaceke for the Pixel Challenge.

“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” 
― Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Story Girl

Block 3....and 4...The Quilter's Planner SAL....

Back at it here in April!! Besides the fact that Block 3 was probably just as easy to cut with rotary than the AccuQuilt system...my husband and I went through a quite a few health issues in March...so there was no Block 3 SAL post.

But we are both on the mend and getting back into life as normal. That can not be said about the weather here in NW Iowa though. This morning was clean up after a major spring blizzard dropping at least 14" of snow in our area!! More is predicted this week again!! Oh will spring ever show up??

Let's start with Block 3--just because the colors make me happy!!
The fabrics are all from Island Batik. Some were supplied to me in the Ambassador program and some I purchased myself from Hancock's of Paducah.
Look and ask for them in your local quilt shop!!

I chose to rotary cut the pieces for this block. Not affiliated with Quilter's Select--but do really love the mat and rotary cutter. The rotary is said to be completely usable by both right and left hand people. I can say this is true. Yesterday in the blizzard I had my ever so helpful left handed husband do some cutting for me and he really liked it. This was only his second time using a rotary cutter and there was no learning curve or frustration. It worked great for him!!

This block went together fast and easy following the instruction in the magazine. I followed everything except for the final pressing--I spun all the intersections instead of pressing the long seams open.

My little spot of spring until it decides to appear here!!

I really liked the dark background I used in Block 2...so I am thinking I might do 6 blocks with dark background and 6 with a light background and see what happens with that!!

Block 4 will use the GO! Mix & Match 8" Qube.

Die #1-- will need a 5" dark square
Die #3--will need 2 @ 5 3/8" dark squares and 2 @ 5 3/8" light squares
Die #8--will need a 5 1/2" dark square and a 5 1/2" light square

Eleanor Burns talks about "Smart Stacking" the fabrics on the die board before cutting. I have never tried it so this was the perfect opportunity.

The idea is to place the pieces for the HST right sides together before placing them on the the die board. Then when the cut pieces come out they are already stacked together ready to be sewn together.

It was a slick trick and one I will be using again in the future!!

The other thing to pay attention to when die cutting this block--is the orientation of the fabrics when placing them on the die board. I wanted the stripes in the light blue to go around the center square. So pay attention to the fabric choice and how it can be placed on the die board.

Can't wait to have the finished quilt to use in my house!!

I am so enjoying sharing my journey of The Quilter's Planner sew along with you. It has given me just the right boost to keep at it and press on!! Thank you for following along!!

Starting tomorrow--April 16--I will be part of the 2018 New Quilt Bloggers blog hop. This will run for 4 weeks with several different participants, great sponsors and amazing prizes. 

Click on the button in the side bar to find the homepage with all the participants!! 

Hope to see you there!!

Block 2...The Quilter's Planner Sew Along...

Oh man was this block fun and quick to put together...

 Block 2 in The Quilter's Planner magazine looked like a snowflake to me--and we have been getting lots of overnight snow lately--so I went with a dark background. The Island Batik fabrics have such deep saturation of color that it is hard to choose. Check post on Block 1 for the range of colors.

To make this block I used the GO! Mix & Match 12" Qube. You can find the Qube at the affiliate link in the side bar.

The light pieces will use a 7 3/4" square of each color and the #3 Quarter Square Triangle die that finishes at 6".

The dark pieces will use a 4 1/4" x 34" strip of fabric and the #5 Half Square Triangle die that finishes at 3".

 Such perfectly cut shapes!!

Sometimes little strings can build up in the corners of the dies--just carefully use the die pick to remove them.

Since switching from a 5.5 mm to a 9 mm feed dog sewing machine, I have been having a few issues finding that sweet 1/4" spot!! I finally got rid of my pride and attached the seam guide that comes with the Bernina 97D presser foot, and WOW what a difference that has made in my accuracy!!

Trying to decide on color placement...A?

..or B?

Lately I have become quite obsessed with "spinning" the seams on the block back. The time I save by using the AccuQuilt and not having to trim all the dog ears--I put into use by removing those couple stitches in the seam allowance....

.....and spin the seam allowances all in the same direction!! Makes for such a flat center. Try it sometime--your quilter will thank you for it!! Plus the adorable little pinwheel is just too cute for words!!

I went with option B!! It still looks like a snowflake to me.

Thank you to The Quilter's Planner and looking forward to next month!!