What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Well, if you can’t getaway, go to the library for a good book! The Utica, NY Public Library opened in 1904. I love the inside of this Library.

The upper floors of the Utica Library are made of thick glass. I used to love coming here as a child.

In every box of fabric we Island Batik Ambassador’s receive, there is a secret bundle of the newly released batiks. I was lucky enough to be ...

Since the first of the year, my hubby and I have been working on getting back into our exercise routine.  It's been a bit hard since he has started working part time at a horse ranch (hard work, but he is loving being around the horses!), and I've been working an extra day at the quilt shop.  I've also been working on two projects that I don't want to show you quite yet, so there doesn't seem to be much I can blog about at the moment.  Of  course, there is the Island Batik Getaway ...

This is the beginning of week two of a month of posts by Island Batik Ambassadors featuring all of the newest collections of fabric. Today I'm sharing what I made with my bundle of Fortune Teller fabric. Way back in July I was so excited to open this beautiful rainbow of fabric.

My quilt features all 20 fabrics from the collection and is 80" x 96"! I think that makes it one of the three largest quilts I've made. I optimized for using all I had of the twelve fabrics that make up the center of the quilt ...

Hi and welcome to my day on the Island Batik Getaway Blog Hop. Each day during the hop, a different fabric collection is featured. Today, the collection is Fortune Teller.

The fabrics in Fortune Teller are as bright and fun as a Mexican fiesta, and I used that idea as a launching point for my quilt design.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get my quilt finished. I actually was on track to finish at least the quilt top, but life intervened. For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you know that my sister was recently diagnosed with cancer ...

Island Batik Getaway - A Life Saver Quilt

The Island Batik Ambassadors are so glad you have embarked on the month-long Island Batik Getaway.

Last July, as Ambassadors, we received a box filled with Island Batik fabric. It included a large gift wrapped bundle of “surprise” fabric.  My Island Batik “surprise” bundle is 20 fabrics from the Flea Market collection. (bottom right)

The Getaway challenge is to include as many of the “surprise” fabrics in one quilt as we can. Using Electric Quilt 8, I designed a quilt that includes 15 fabrics from the Flea Market collection. 

Have you used Creative ...

Colour Inspiration Tuesday is back! There are New Fabrics in town! And there are Prizes to win!

Welcome to back to our Colour & Inspiration Tuesday routine with my most favourite inspiration of all! New batik fabrics!

It’s that time of year when the newest fabrics fluff up their feathers and put on their most extravagant of courting performances, targeting your hearts and your wallets for a new nest to live in. Fair warning – there are a lot of new pretties out there, and their covet-factor is sky high. Allow these hard-to-cut-into fabrics to come to roost at your place ...

Today kicks off the semi-annual Island Batik Ambassador blog hop. Welcome to the Getaway Blog Hop. We hope you will enjoy the trip across the blogosphere to view these projects, all created with the latest Island Batik fabrics. Bookmark this page so you can come back daily and view the new quilts that have been shared.

Here's a peak of the beautiful rainbow of Fortune Teller batiks that I'll be sewing up this week to share with you next Monday.

WEEK 1

Monday, January 7 - Crystal Ball

Maryellen McAuliffe - Mary Mack’s Blog

Sandra Walker - mmm! quilts

Tuesday ...

Are you all ready for a Getaway?  Seems like dreary cold and wet January is the time we all long for a tropical vacation.  While I can't fly you off to a nice beach vacation, I can invite you to join all of the Island Batik Ambassadors on a month long blog hop looking at the beautiful fabrics that are available now at your local quilt shops and online retailers!  Island Batik's tagline is "The Best from Bali" so these fabrics really are almost as nice as a visit to the tropics.

The Island Batik Getaway Blog HopYay, let the travel excursions begin!  The Island Batik Ambassador...

Hi! I haven’t been online much as you know, but I wanted to post today to let you know about the month-long Island Batik Getaway Blog Hop!

But first, an update. I’m working still on my Island Batik December challenge quilt, Whimsical and Wonky. Here’s a sneak peak.

I’m also working on my challenge quilt this month, which will will be a part of the Getaway Blog Hop, which starts today and runs all month long! My day is next Monday, January 14th. Until then, I'm supporting my fellow Ambassadors and encouraging you to visit ...

I saw a post on Facebook that asked the question “how many quilts did you make in 2018”.  So I went back and started counting.

February included GAlentines day Mug Rug  and Mini Love for Island Batik Ambassadors

March included my infamous attempt at a mini tuffet , Hunter Star – Tortola from Royal Treasures Book, Scrapodopolis using the first 6 BlockBuster patterns and Whirling Dervish.

April included Prism and Refraction

May was Pillow Possibilities and The Heron.

June included A Blast form the Past and Crossfire.

July was A Field of Popped V’s & Paris OBW # 64.

August included Split Personality ...

The fabrics shown in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

Next week, January 7th begins Island Batik’s “Get Away Blog Hop” I’m all ready for my reveal. My secret bundle for this blog hop is Deb Tucker’s Twilight Chic by Island Batik which was introduced at this past fall market.

I participated in Studio 180 Design’s blog hop in November in which I made this version of “Evening Elegance” from the Twilight Chic line.

With fabric I had left I wanted to make a quilt to showcase the seven technique sheets created to ...

I fell in love with the Check It Out yardage I received in my July Island Batik Ambassador Box - so fun, and absolutely perfect for the December Challenge!  Checkerboard fabric makes me think of Mary Engelbreit's designs which I think are perfectly whimsical (playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way).  And even though most of my quilt designs are more traditional, I love to incorporate a touch of whimsy in my choice of prints, or color combinations.  As far as wonky (crooked, off center or askew) goes, I have to admit that I don't ...

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik, including products from Aurifil.

Our December Island Batik Ambassador challenge was to make something Whimsical and Wonky. I knew just the project. Ever since I made the Improv Tumbler mini almost two years ago for the first MQG Swap I’ve wanted to make another.

I opted to make use my 10” stack of Bright Paisley Dot. I love the bright rainbow of color! I did all of my cutting with a rotary cutter and no ruler. I started by cutting the squares approximately in half, then ...

I don't mind cutting, but I definitely like sewing more, so I try to be as efficient as I can when cutting out my pieces.  Sub cutting units from strips is a great way to speed up the process, so I do that when I can.  I also use strip piecing when I can - a great example of this is making four patch units.  The fabrics I am using are from Island Batik for use in my December Challenge.

My current challenge project needs a total of 64 four patch blocks that are made using 2 /12 inch squares ...