Guess what ???????????????

I was chosen to be an Island Batik Ambassador!  WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can see their official announcement HERE.

Can you tell HOW EXCITED I AM????

SEW … how did this come about, you ask?

Well, last year, I noticed that many of my favourite bloggers were Island Batik Ambassadors and in November, one of them mentioned that the applications were available.  I filled it out and mailed a sample block to Island Batik.  They stated that we would be notified in December.  December came and went, so I figured that I wasn’t selected.   Then the day before I left on holidays in early January, I found out that I would be a 2019 Island Batik Ambassador!!!!!!!!!!!  Packages were being shipped and I was miles and miles away. I connected with the group and watched videos of box openings and pictures of what people received.  I was drooling!

The fabrics everyone was getting was wonderful!  And it seems like everyone was getting different lines of fabric.  SEW exciting!!!!   Finally, my neighbour informed me that one box had arrived … then eventually the 2nd box.  What a relief!!! Both boxes greeted me when I returned home from holidays!  (and yes, in spite of getting home at 2 am … I must admit, I did have a peak before I went to bed!)

Now … Over the next year, I am challenged to make 12 quilts or projects (from mini to lap sized or larger) using Island Batik fabrics, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil thread and the AccuQuilt cutter.  Each month we are given a theme and a suggested size.  I LOVE challenges!  Very do-able, I’d say!  Oh yes!!! My mind is already designing and planning!

I’m just SEW excited!!!

Here is a picture of what was in the 2 boxes!!!!

Talk about awesome! Going from the back of the table to the front:

AccuQuilt

There is the AccuQuilt Go Cutter with 8″ cube dies, a 2½” strip die and an Eleanor Burns  book.  And tucked in there, is a pick for removing threads from the cutter.  I’ve already used a couple of the dies … perfect sized pieces!!!

Hobbs

There are 3 Queen size batts, (80/20 natural, bleached and black), a silk throw size, one cotton crib size, and Thermore batting.  (I already know that I LOVE Hobbs 80/20 and had just purchased a 30 yard roll the week before I found out I was going to be an ambassador!  SEW … I’m well stocked for batting!)

Aurifil

Has given us 5 spools of thread. They are all different from my usual 50 weight thread, so I’ll have fun playing and experimenting with them! This will definitely stretch me!  I usually just use cones of 50 wt for piecing and quilting and piecing and quilting.

Island Batik

There is a bounty of fabric from Island Batik!  There are lots of cotton batiks: basic, coordinating fabrics, a yummy yellow for background, a 10″ stack “Icicle” with 2 coordinating fabrics, and white, grey and black solids.  See the multicoloured rolls of fabric?  They are stash builders rolls: 5″ x WOF … and they make my scrappy heart sing!  As well, there is a gorgeous rayon batik scarf and 2 yards of rayon batik fabric.  Oh …Do you see the packages marked “Surprise?”  Well, I can’t show you the fabrics in there until I make a quilt and show it during a Blog Hop in August.  And there were 3 “Island Batik” buttons!

Slide Show

Here is a slide show so that you can have a better look at what I received.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I’m feeling totally spoiled and priviledged at the same time!  

And yes, I will be showing you pictures of the creations as we go along!

Here is a list of my fellow ambassadors (there are 50 of us from all over the world).  I suggest that you go take a look at each of their blogs and see what they are making in the next year!

I do hope you follow along during the year and watch our bounty turn into some great creations!

Who and What is Island Batik?

You can go to their website HERE.

The following information in blue is copied from a document I was given.  (Scroll down if you want to see what I received!)

Company History

Island Batik has been a leader in the batik industry for over 15 years!  We’re a dynamic company located in Carlsbad, California, and we pride ourselves on quality products and outstanding customer service. Our bread and butter product is cotton batik that is mainly used in the quilting industry, however our product line also includes batik rayon for apparel use.

Our fabrics are designed by our lead designer, Kathy Engle, along with additional fabric artists and designers, and are handmade in Bali, Indonesia by skilled artisans. Every yard of fabric is created using a wax resist method, a process of using wax and dye, to create patterns and give the fabric outstanding depth and range of color. Once made, the fabrics are laid out in the sun to dry and allow the colors to set.  

We are a wholesale only operation; our customers are mainly independent quilt shops across the United States, although we do work with distributors to bring our fabric to quilters all over the world!

Products

• Batik Cotton – 100% cotton, 44”-45”, new lines launch in the Spring (May) and Fall (October)
• Strips and Stacks Precuts – Precuts are made with our cotton fabrics. 2.5” Strips contain 40 strips from 20 different fabric designs. 10” square Stacks contain 42 pieces, typically from 21 different fabric designs.
• Stash Builder Precuts – Small rolls of miscellaneous fabrics, great for giveaways
• Batik Rayon – 100% rayon, 44”-45”, new fabrics launching each Fall
• Rayon Scarves – 100% rayon scarves sold in packs of 13, offered in two colorways – one in warm colors, the other in cool colors

To know more – go to their website HERE.

Disclaimer: The products featured in this Blog post were given to me by Island Batik, and their co-sponsers Aurifil, Hobbs Batting & AccuQuilt!

Happy Quilting!
Gail