What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

July is the time when the Island Batik Ambassadors celebrate Christmas! We have just received our second shipment of supplies and they did not disappoint. 

Here is the Unboxing Video. 

It is all about the supplies. I am losing my looks and the fabric gets prettier every year :-D

The Bounty

In September, we will be making a Crazy Quilt. I will be using the Everlasting Collection designed by Jerry Khiev. This collection will be in stores in September 2025.

Everlasting Collection

Dark & Light Yardage to Match

It’ s again this time of the year. Summer at Kea (Tzia) and my boxes from Island Batik arriving there even before me. The weather is very windy but the sea is shiny and bright. And let us have a look at the content of my boxes.

Ήρθε και πάλι αυτή η εποχή του χρόνου. Καλοκαίρι στην Κέα (Τζιά) και τα κουτιά μου από τα Island Batik έφτασαν εδώ ακόμα και πριν από μένα. Εχει πολύ αέρα, αλλά η θάλασσα είναι λαμπερή και φωτεινή. Ας πάμε λοιπόν να δούμε τι περιείχαν αυτά τα κουτιά.

And for those who prefer photos ...

It’ s again this time of the year. Summer at Kea (Tzia) and my boxes from Island Batik arriving there even before me. The weather is very windy but the sea is shiny and bright. And let us have a look at the content of my boxes.

Ήρθε και πάλι αυτή η εποχή του χρόνου. Καλοκαίρι στην Κέα (Τζιά) και τα κουτιά μου από τα Island Batik έφτασαν εδώ ακόμα και πριν από μένα. Εχει πολύ αέρα, αλλά η θάλασσα είναι λαμπερή και φωτεινή. Ας πάμε λοιπόν να δούμε τι περιείχαν αυτά τα κουτιά.

And for those who prefer photos ...

It is July and the dog days of summer are upon us. 

Meet Joyful.

Joyful

This pattern was published in the Special Christmas Publication by Annie's Attic Quilting. 

Published

Special Publication

Nine Festive Projects

Originally designed with black accents, Joyful finishes at 51" by 53". Bright yellow replaced black in ...

This month, the Island Batik Ambassadors are doing something a bit different. We’ve been tasked with creating stuffed Funky Friends, and our sponsor is Funky Friends Factory. Each ambassador has chosen one of their patterns for this challenge. After visiting Scotland last year, I fell in love with Highland Cows, so I decided to make Harmony the Highland Cow.

Next, I needed to choose the fabrics for making this cute cow. I aimed for Harmony to resemble a real Highland Cow as closely as possible. For the main body, I selected the Red Burgundy Mushroom Time from the Fall ...

Island Batik's June Challenge is co-sponsored by Funky Friends Factory. 

I chose Dizzy Dolphin.

Bubbles!

Let's start from the beginning.

I downloaded and printed the pattern. I chose a light and a dark fabric from an older Island Batik collection, called Exuberance. I had used this collection to make Trevor (the quilt with dimples).

2nd fabric in 1st column, 8th fabric in the 2nd column

The dots gave the impression of playful bubbles.

Pattern and Fabrics

The step by step directions were clear and the pattern was easy to make. I used Schmetz 80/12 Microtex needle for ...

I chose this panel for all the horses I have loved.

Mystical horse by Rubin Design Studio is so vibrant, I just love it.

This is me on Buck, our first horse. In 1966 I was living in Las Vegas. I was in the 4H Club. Every year we participated in a parade down the Las Vagas Strip. I was such a tomboy. I once caught a wild mustang and brought it home. He was tearing up the corral so bad I had to set him free the next day. At least he had water and a meal.

Mystical Horse ...

Welcome to my stop on the Island Batik + Accuquilt Irish Chain BlogHop. 

Directive - Create a stunning quilt using the GO! Irish Chain Die from AccuQuilt!

Here is my response!

A Stunning Finish, as requested!

But let's start at the beginning. 

The Challenge

Fusion  by Jerry Khiev for Swan Amity Studios

Inspiration Board

Accuquilt Die to make 10" Finished Irish Chain Block

Dull

Meh

Whatever

I have always used the Irish Chain as an alternate block, not the focus block. Naturally, I was ...

Welcome to week three of the Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) Ambassador Irish Chain Blog Hop! This month, we are excited to have Accuquilt as our sponsor. Each ambassador received the GO! Irish Chain Block on Board (BOB) 10” die. This month's task is to create an Irish Chain quilt using this die and a special Winter 2024 fabric bundle.

Today, Carol Stanek from Stitch with Color and I are sharing our interpretations of Irish Chain quilts made with Jerry Khiev's Merry Moments Winter Fabric Collection. Additionally, we received 2 yards each of Green Christmas Trees and Neutral Champagne ...

Have you met Niko? 

Niko

He is handsome and stylish. He is friendly to jelly rolls and he can be yours!

Niko was first published in Make Modern Issue 62, published in January 2025.  

Published

Designed in EQ8 and made with the Island Batik collection Shadow Blooms, Niko finished at 60" by 84", making him suitable for TV time and naps on the couch. He is a perfect picnic partner and just as happy to go on car rides.

Finding Happiness

But Niko isn't just fun and games. He is also just right for charity quilts including Quilts of ...

Have you seen the Petal Poetry fabric collection by Island Batik from Lumin Fabrics?

Seriously, drop everything and go find this collection.  If you know me, you also know that I love the bright reds, shiny golds and vibrant oranges. So when a collection that is NOT red/gold/orange/pink but still catches my eye, you know it has to be super special.

How special?

Well, I designed two separate quilts, one traditional and one modern, and they were both published in two separate magazines.

Let's Dance was published in Quilter's World.

Let's Dance

Designed in ...

This month's Island Batik Ambassador project theme was Drunkard’s Path! We were tasked with designing quilts that featured the timeless Drunkard’s Path block, which needed to be at least lap size or larger.

Misty Morning

Dark Grey and White Solids

For my project, I used the Island Batik Misty Mornings fat quarter bundle. I also incorporated solid white and dark gray fabrics, with the dark gray being a perfect accent.

Black Accent

Dark Grey Accent

I selected the design I had created a couple of years ago, but had never used. My original design featured 6-inch appliqué ...

Island Batik's April Challenge requires us to make a lap-sized (or larger) quilt using the timeless Drunkard's Path Quilt Block, making sure that the technique used is curved piecing and not applique.

Naturally, many ideas were considered and discarded. I am saving them to a very long list of possible future quilts.

In the end, I chose the quilt block - Moon Over the Mountain. I have been fascinated by this quilt block for a long time. I looked for tutorials and found few but none of them appealed to me.

It was time to design it myself.

Thank ...

Welcome to TGIFF – Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday on my blog – we open Thursday evening and close Saturday at midnight to allow bloggers from all over the world to post their finished quilt projects. 

Austin was first published in the Make Modern Magazine Issue 60.

It is now available in my Etsy Shop as a standalone pattern. 

Designed in EQ8 and made with Island Batik fabrics from the Peppermint Sprinkles collection, Austin finished at 60" by 80". It is a perfect size for charity quilts.

Austin

Austin is a modern take on the Quilt of Valor theme. A longitudinal design ...

March is Ambassador's Choice. 

March brings a free month for you to determine your own project of any size, using any theme and any technique!! This is an opportunity for you to express your creativity without guidelines. Have fun!

Here is my response.

Dreaming of Daylilies

Designed in EQ8, and made with Poetic Bouquet collection, it is a combination of Irish Chain blocks and appliqued Daisy blocks.

This is a lovely collection with beautiful gradations in purples and aquas.  I wanted to show off these value gradations in the design.

EQ8 Mock-up

Value Gradations

The petals are lightest in ...

March’s Island Batik Ambassador Challenge is called "It’s All Up to You," meaning the Ambassadors have a month to create any project of any size, theme, and technique using Island Batik fabrics. This gives us a chance to have a little fun this month.

Welcome to my stop on the Sunlit Garden Blog Hop. 

I was thrilled when Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations asked whether I would like to join the Sunlit Garden BlogHop.  Of course, I said YES!

Here is my quilt, named Miracle Fish!

Miracle Fish, 60" by 60"

The red and green together is evocative of Christmas, but this collection has vibes of Spring with floral reds and leafy greens. Christmas made me think of Christ and Christ made me think of Fish.

EQ8 Mock-Up

If you missed Part 1 of the tutorial for this block, you can find it here

To download the block, click on this link.

When creating your block size, please consult your pattern-cutting charts and tool instructions to determine the starting size for the squares and strips.

Unit B

Begin with Unit B: Half Square Triangles. You will need 16 half-square triangles divided into two different color combinations.

Island Batik's February Challenge and BlogHop requires the ambassadors to use their assigned Fall 2024 collection (I got Radiant Burst) and the Studio 180 Design Tool (I got Wing Clipper) to make a Table Runner or a Bed Runner.

Sounds simple? Yes. But wait there is more.

1. We must make at least 12 units.

2. Use as many fabrics (from the 20 in the collection) as possible.

NOW, we have a challenge :-)

Well, here is my response.

Glowing Front

And I used leftover blocks from Mirabelle to make the backing, so it is two-sided. 

Moody Back

Double-Sided Runner ...