3D Blowing in the wind..with Island Batik...

Here we are....the 30th of December-2019..what a whirlwind of activites this past year has been!!! And I have enjoyed every minute of being an Island Batik Ambassador during that time...but have decided to let the experience go so that I can make time for other new and exciting things to come!!

But let's leave that for another time...and move on to my last monthly challenge--make something 3D with Island Batik fabrics!!

The weather is cold and frightful with a strong north wind today--so the thought of taking photos outside--just went out the window--as I took this photo out my studio window!!

My concept for this  3D design challenge started long ago when I was at Spring Market in Kansas City.  I was browsing in The Fat Quarter Gypsy's booth and fell in love with their Windsock Pop-Ups. She offered me a pattern in return for mention in the blog post. You have to go check out her designs--they are amazing.

The pattern comes in booklet form with step by step photographs that were easy to follow. Some of the steps may seem a little tricky--but just follow the pattern--and it will work perfectly!! Finally cutting the spring loose was my favorite step!!

I started with strips leftover from Electric Desert by Jackie Kunkel for Island Batik. See what else I made with these gorgeous fabrics HERE.

As  you can see by comparing above photo with pattern cover, I don't always follow directions well!! I chose to put a traditonal sawtooth star in the pop-up portion of my windsock. I used the 6" Qube from AccuQuilt to cut out the star pieces.

Sooooo pretty--I can't wait to hang it out on my patio next summer!!

I chose the enclosed seams option for the tails--and by using a different fabric on the back--such a wonderful riot of color I should get when it blows in the wind. And yes, I did actually lay on the floor to get this shot!!!

I just had to figure out a way to get a blowing in the wind photo....so here the windsock is...hanging in my open studio door!!! It took a few shots to get this lovely swirl of tails, but oh so worth the cold!! Good thing nobody drove by on the road and saw this crazy quilting lady taking photos in an open doorway with her pj's on!! But now you know the behind the scenes!!

So it is....I close the door on this time as an Island Batik Ambassador. But have no fear, I still have plenty of batik fabrics and ideas left!! Plus, I still plan on designing patterns with their amazing fabrics!! Thank you to Island Batik for this AMAZING opportunity--I am forever grateful!! To the other sponsors--Aurifil, AccuQuilt and Hobbs Batting--thank you!! And to The Fat Quarter Gypsy for this super cute project!!!

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.
Ashley Smith

"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."  John 3 : 8

Library Llama tote with Island Batik....

Here we are...the last Island Batik assignment for 2018!! Whimsical and Wonky is the theme.
My brain being the Squirrel that it is---had another project in mind--and even half started--I still really like it so will finish it sometime.....

.....but then this adorable Llama just spoke to me with his whimsical attitude and challenged me to some play time!!!
Earlier this month I joined an online club offered by Jaculynne Steves called The Art of Home Club.
Once a month she provides a collection of line drawings to either embroider or possibly applique, along with ideas for quilts, totes or various other items to use the drawings with. Llama is from the Hipster Animals collection.

After tracing the design onto the Basic white batik with a Micron pen, I applied a tear away stabilizer to the fabric back. Put the #23 embroidery foot on my Bernina. Threaded the machine with black Aurifil. Lowered the feed dogs......

......and started to free motion thread sketch, following the black traced lines as best I could. I was going for a doodly whimsical look.

Then it was time for some fun. Coloring!!! Playing with Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils is something I don't do enough of!!! The color will always look different after liquid is applied, so I made a little chart with actual colored samples to help in choosing the right pencil!!!

Look at the vibrant color that appears after the textile medium is applied!!! The nice tight weave of this batik makes this process so smooth and easy!!

Next, I used 4--10" sqaures from the Spirit Rythm by Bella Nonna stack leftover from THIS bucket bag project.
The sqaures were cut in half, then randomly sliced up and sewed back together again to form the border strips.
Partial piecing was needed to make the borders spin around the center block.

By now it is evening, and I am thinking it is time to be finished in the studio for the day. I find this 12 weight Aurifil hand quilting thread in just the right color!! Off to my chair for an evening of slow stitching!!!

What great definition this thread gives the front and back pieces. Along with the Theramore batting from Hobbs!!!

The corners were boxed. Then my camera batteries died!!!

And the Llama Library tote is finished!!!

My grandson just loves the Llama Mama book series, so I am thinking this might become his library tote!! Doesn't this face just make you smile?!?!

Thank you to Island Batik, Hobbs and Aurifil for supplies to create this tote!!

Smoke Stacks..the sequel...with Island Batik....

November assignment.....log cabins....one of my least favorite blocks. I am not sure why, as it really is a versatile and quite easy to do block. It just is not on my list of can't wait to make quilts.

But being a good Island Batik Ambassador...let's carry on and get this party started!!! I was making another project and had all these leftover super cute wool circles cut out--with my GO! Circles die from AccuQuilt--and they just matched too perfect not to share!!

In the blog hop this past January for Island Batik, I designed and made Smoke Stack with the fabric line City Culture 2. You can read about that HERE. I promised a pattern...so the log cabin challenge this month seems the perfect time to release it!! But you will have to look at all the pretty pictures first!!

I am just loving these soft yet vibrant colors in the Victoria and Albert fabric collection.

I used them in Peace Seeker...you can find this pattern on my Craftsy site HERE. And I also used it for Star Spin HERE.

Fabrics all cut and sorted look so pretty!!

Chain piecing....and piecing...and piecing....

Auditioning block placement.

This springy green color #2886 by Aurifil was the perfect match. I am trying to brush up my domestic sewing machine free motion skills again!! I know they are somewhere in my muscle memory, but it seems that the long arm muscle memories are much closer on the list of how to's in my brain!! But again--carry on and finish strong!!

In between working and quilting....I bring noon lunch and supper out to the fields where my farmer husband is putting in long hours to get the harvest finished this year!!

During one of my lunch bringing runs I remembered we had this pile of old wooden fence posts in the grove on the farm that would make a great backdrop for a log cabin quilt!!!

And I may have had a bit of fun with it...

So there you have it...Smoke Stack the sequel!! The pattern is available as a PDF download on my Craftsy site HERE.

Thank you again to Island Batik for supplying the fabrics and to Aurifil for supplying the threads fot this project!!

Frosty Times Four...December Assignment

Frosty Times Four is my answer to the Table Scraps assignment for the Island Batik Ambassadors
this month. Find this quick and easy pattern on my Crafty account here.

These deep saturated colors of Mountain's Majesty were provided to me by Island Batik. Aren't they
just soooo pretty together.
Since the assignment was scrappy--I decided to make each block in the runner a different color. This worked out very easy by choosing 2 strips from each of 4 colors in the strip pack.

I am sure you have heard of chain piecing---but how about chain cutting??? I stacked my strips on the cutting mat. Then with only 4 passes with the rotary--all 64 pieces were cut out--Chain Cutting!! Works great!!

Then for some chain piecing!!!

I just love a good fabric closeup, don't you?!?
And how about that awesome cloud reflection on my sewing table insert?!?! Just love the majesty of the Lord!!!

Then there is the reality of those pretty closeup photos. Stacks of fabric needing to be turned into quilts, quilts hanging over the long arm frame needing to be quilted, piles of papers needing to be written into patterns!!! The real snapshot of my life!

And the occasional needing to unsew a seam or two!!!

487 Superior Threads So Fine! was just the right color for quilting. I quilted it with a free hand allover windy swirl. Just a nice generic background design.

All ready for Christmas!!

Our cute little 4 year old evergreen trees don't provide much wind protection yet--but they sure are great photo props!!

We don't have any snow yet--that is supposed to be coming on Thursday!! Thanks again to Island Batik for this great assignment. If you want to make this quick and easy Frosty Times Four table runner for yourself--get the pattern here on Craftsy!!