I posted about Challenge # 1 HERE.
Island Batik did not say we needed to do 2 challenges this month … this was my choice. Especially since this project is also 3D. And, since I need to make sewing machine covers, this just made sense to me!
Aurifil Thread
3D Challenge #1
When this challenge was first mentioned, it sort-of indicated that it was to be something 3D … so I got to thinking … bags, sewing machine covers … oh the possibilities. Then, in late September, a quilt was indicated. Something with a 3D effect. I knew exactly which quilt to make and which fabric to use!! Continue reading
Monday update
Tool Time
This month, half of the Island Batik ambassadors were involved in the “A Piece of …” Blog Hop and the rest of us were challenged to use our favourite tool and make a quilt. I started out with one idea and made the top. However, I had forgotten to take pictures of me using the tool with the Island Batik fabric. Now that was plan dumb!!! So – that quilt got put aside and I changed my tool and design. I did use EQ to plan both quilts. That was tool #1. Continue reading
A Friday finish!!! :-)
Yes, you read that correctly! I have a finish. YEAH!!!!
Top it Off
October’s Island Batik challenge is “Top It Off.” We were told to create a holiday themed table runner or table topper that includes appliqué. Well, you all know how much I love applique (NOT!!). However, with my Janome 500E embroidery machine, applique has become SEW much easier!
Child’s Play
Webbing a Quilt
In the spring, at our guild, I demo’d how to web a quilt. They asked me to provide written instructions. Well, that proved extremely difficult for me. SEW … as I was webbing my demo quilt for the Baby Quilt Marathon, I decided to do a video. You can see it on YouTube HERE. The quilt in the video is below.
Artsy-Fartsy with Aurifil Thread
At first I was Scared
This challenge scared me! I’m not an artsy-fartsy quilter. I don’t do “art.” The challenge directions were: Use any fabric art/non-traditional quilting/sewing/thread painting technique using 3 Aurifil thread weights. Oh me, oh my … what to do? I literally had NO idea. None at all. I was wondering if I could skip this challenge? Perhaps pay someone to do it for me? no … that’s not my style … I couldn’t live with the guilt!
Inspiration
Then, I was looking at a crazy quilt hanging in a sewing machine store and it hit me!!!
R-e-l-i-e-f !!!
YEAH!!! Suddenly, I knew what to do. I would do a crazy quilt block, embroider it with at least 3 weights of Auriful thread, make it into a little bag and call it done! What a relief to have a plan!
And, thankfully, I had the perfect fabric left-over from my Christmas RAPPing table runner. (see HERE). Along with pieces from the Island Batik Stash Builder bundles.
In April, we travelled across the country, which meant a few LONG plane rides. I quickly made my crazy quilt blocks, sewing them onto Hobbs 80/20 batting. One was partially embroidered on our trip.
Here is the first block
Happy Canada Day!!!
July 1
Is Canada Day! And the start of:
Earlier this spring, Jennifer Strauser. an Island Batik ambassador, reached out and asked if any of us would like to do a Quilt of Valor. I said, “yes,” provided I could do a Canadian one. The answer was “yes!” SEW, I knew I would be using only the white and red fabrics. We were all sent a stack (like a layer cake) of red, white, and blue fabric. Along with yardage: a solid white, 2 reds and 3 blues. It was a bit of a challenge to use just the red and white in the package. I did end up using one navy with red poppies on it. Also, I needed to use a red fabric from a stash builder bundle and some white=ish fabric left over from my “Stars on Ice” quilt.
Here is a picture of the stack from the Freedom line:
This quilt is my own pattern “Ivan’s Diamonds” and I’ve made it several times. You can check them out HERE, HERE, and HERE. Although, this is the first time I’ve put a maple leaf in the middle. I used the Artistic Cutter to cut out the Maple Leaf.
The quilt will hang in the Quilt of Valour display at the Ladner Car and Quilt Show in August. After that, Lynn, our guild’s Quilts of Valour volunteer, will deliver it to a representative from Quilts of Valour and it will eventually be presented to a past or present member of the Canadian Armed Forces who is ill or injured as a result of their service to Canada.
Here is a close-up of the centre of the quilt. This picture shows the true colours better than the above picture. It is grafitti quilted with a light grey, Aurifil #2600 and Hobbs 80/20 batting. I did bind it with a dark navy as there was not enough red fabric left for binding.
Visit the other blogs in the hop.
Today it’s
Becca Fenstermaker — Pretty Piney
Denise Looney — For the Love of Geese
Gail Sheppard — Quilting Gail You are already HERE! 🙂
Tomorrow, July 2
Pamela Boatright — Pamela Quilts
Anne Wiens —Seams Like a Plan
Wednesday, July 3
Bea Lee —Bea Quilter
Carla Henton — Creatin’ In the Sticks
Thursday, July 4
Emily Leachman — The Darling Dogwood
Joan Kawano — MooseStash Quilting
Jen Strauser – Dizzy Quilter
Friday, July 5
Steph Jacobson — Steph Jacobsen Designshttp://Dizzyquilter.com
Leah Malasky — Quilted Delights
Anja Clyke — Anja Quilts
Maryellen McAuliffe — Mary Mack Made Mine
Disclaimer: The products featured in this Blog post were given to me by Island Batik, and their program partners: Aurifil, Hobbs Batting & AccuQuilt!
Happy Quilting!
Gail
Try It!
Try It!
The Island Batik challenge for this month is: “Try a Technique” Challenge. Oh, lots and lots of things to choose from!!! I had been wanting to try Angela Walter’s “Free Motion Challenge, Layered Quilting.” Sew, that became my project!
Angela Walter’s
Make it Modern with Hobbs
When we were in Hawaii in January, we went to Pearl Harbour. I was captivated by the history of the bombing and intrigued by the “Tree of Life” relief. According to “A Day at Pearl Harbor – USS Arizona Memorial” the design “has come to be known as a symbol of peace and harmony”.
I had already recieved an outline from Island Batik of our upcoming projects. “Make it Modern” was the title for the month of May. As I looked at the structure and took the photo, I pondered, “Could I? Should I? Can I?”
And the answers to my questions were: Yes, yes, yes…. Continue reading
Christmas RAPPING
What’s this? Christmas in May? Well, yes and no. The blog hop from Christmas RAPPING is in progress … and just because the book is titled “Christmas,” it doesn’t mean that you have to make the projects in Christmas colours. I was tired of winter and wanted to do a quilt in spring/ summer colours! Island Batik generously sent me the fabric I requested. I also used Hobbs 80/20 batting and Aurifil thread #5008 (blue) for the quilting.
If you know me, I know you’re surprised and saying “look at all those appliquéd stars.” Well … read on … (and the centre block is paper pieced, not appliquéd!
Continue reading
PHD in 2019 – April Update
I have 5 UFO finishes for 2019!
The first picture shows, Ivan’s Diamonds, Carpenter’s Wheel and a Star Table runner
My 2 April finishes are Good Fortune and a Retreat Bag.
I have an Inlinks party for PHD in 2019 participants to link up to. However, you you want to link up, feel free! Just be sure to mention this blog in your blog post, Instagram or Pinterest picture!
I did Promise you
Close up pictures of a couple of quilts: This first one was the Island Batik Accuquilt Challenge. Free Motion quilting did not call to me and it’s totally stitched in the ditch. (And yes, I used my ruler foot and a ruler for most of the quilting.) I used Aurifil Thread and Hobbs batting. The fabrics are Island Batik and mostly came from the Stash Builder Rolls or my yardage.
This is a Close up of Good Fortune and the quilting. I just did an all-over pattern that was inspired by Roseanne of Home Sewn by US, but then it morphed into my own design.
Christmas RAPPing BLOG HOP
This awesome blog hop is continuing. If you haven’t checked out the great projects – be sure to do so. And, there is a chance for YOU to win! Check it out!
April 29 Joan @ MooseStash Quilting
April 30 Linda @ One Quilting Circle
May 1 Kathy @ Kathy’s Kwilts
May 2 Bea @ Beaquilter
May 3 Sherry @ Powered by Quilting
May 4 Jennifer @ Dizzy Quilter
May 5 Barbara Gaddy @ Bejeweledquilts by Barb
May 6 Nancy Myers @ Patchwork Breeze
May 7 Vicki @ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting
May 8 Gail @ Quilting Gail THIS IS ME come back and see what I made!
May 9 Michelle @ Creative Blonde
May 10 Maryellen @ Mary Mack’s Blog
May 11 Denise @ For the Love of Geese
May 12 Maria @
CHANCE TO WIN
Click on the Rafflecopter giveaway link to have a chance to WIN 9 Island Batik FQ’s and 3 Aurifil spools of thread to 2 lucky winners!
Happy Quilting!
Gail
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Linking to:
- Midweek Makers @ QuiltFabrication
- Wednesday Wait Loss @ Inquiring Quilter
- Happy Needle and Thread @ My Quilt Infatuation
- Muv / Free Motion Mavericks @ Lixxie Lenard Vintage Sewing
- Can I get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
- Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
- Sherry @ Powered by Quilting
- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty
- TGIFF @ A Quarter Inch from the Edge
AccuQuilt Baby Quilt Challenge and TGIFF!
PHD in 2019 – March Report
Island Batik
If you want to see the newest fabric and patterns from Island Batik … go to the Spring and Summer 2019 Catalog. Be prepared for an online magazine full of the most beautiful fabric and tons of patterns for wonderful quilts and tuffets, clothing and other projects.
I received these Aurifil threads in the mail today! The dark purple is 40 wt, blue is 12 wt and the pink is 28 wt. Very pretty!!! I need to use all 3 weights in an upcoming Island Batik Challenge.
What will I do? I’m not sure. I haven’t used 12 wt or 28 wt thread before. I used 40 wt once on a quilt. It will be fun to come up with something that uses all 3 weights of thread! Continue reading
Stars on Ice: Vintage Reimagined
Woohoo! My first UFO finish of 2019!
That’s right, I finished a UFO!!!
This one has been sandwiched since the fall and I finished quilting it yesterday!
Magnificent Mini
This is our Island Batik February challenge. We were instructed to use any Island Batik fabric in our box, but not the “surprise” fabric. It was to be smaller than 24″ x 24″. Once I decided what to do for my mini … the rest was easy. Decision: A smalll Sudoku Quilt!
For my mini, I needed 9 fabrics plus a background. I received 8 wonderful fall colours. I added a vibrant green from a stash builder’s roll. And I used the neutral fabric for the sashing, border and back (the yummy butter fabric).
The next step was to cut all of the 2 ½” squares. I used the GO Cutter to do this … Once the strips were cut, I lined them up on the GO cutter and the squares were ALL cut all at once as they went through the cutter!!! (Sorry, I didn’t take a picture of this! But it was pretty quick work!)
I found a Sudoku puzzle and wrote it out so that I would have an easy visual to use.
I have numbered pins, but they are scattered all over … SEW, I took a piece of selvage with the coloured dots on the side. I cut the dots individually and stuck a pin through them. It made it easy to keep track of which colour was which number!
I then began sewing … one block at a time. No rushing this one. I would have had a lot of ripping to do if I did. As I finished a block, I added the sashing to the left of the block.
The corners were able to be twirled or swirled, but it took me a bit to figure it out. (I LOVE twirling where the seams meet – it makes it sew smooth when free motion quilting!)
The blocks were all joined together … and I checked carefully to ensure they were all in the correct placement. The quilt was sandwiched with Hobbs 80/20 batting, using a spray baste.
I started quilting on my domestic machine. I used Aurifil thread 50 wt (top & bobbin). 
I stitched in the ditch along each seam and extended out into the borders. In the sashing, I sewed wonky ¼” seams. (I call them wonky because they were not all perfectly straight! grin!) I thought I was done quilting, until I looked at it closely and saw that the 2 brown fabrics, although quite different, read almost the same colour. As well, one of the oranges had a lot of green in it, and definitely did not read the same colour throughout. No Problem! I decided to just quilt a tiny motif in each block to hopefully define each colour … Thankfully, I have lots of Aurifil thread in many colours … SEW that was easy. Then I had to decide which motif to use. Eventually, they all spoke to me and soon it was done! This little mini measures 22″ x 22″.
The wind is blowing up to 90 km gusts today, so it was hard to get a picture without the quilt being blown away.
I tried to be a bit artistic with my photos … The one on the tree (left) is the closest to the true colours … the right and bottom one are both washed out a bit.
Tiny motif’s in each 2″ square
On the huge boulders on the side of our yard.
Can you see the tiny motifs in the 2″ squares?
If you want to see the Magniifcent Minis that are already posted, go to these blogs:
- Clever Chameleon
- Adventurous Applique and Quilting
- Little Bunny Quilts
- Carolina Asmussen
- Creative Blonde
- Gene Black, Creative Soul
- Pretty Piney
- Free Motion by the River
There will be many many more minis being posted during the rest of the month. You don’t want to miss them! There is a tab at the top of my blog that lists all the 2019 Island Batik Ambassadors. If you go to each of their blogs and “follow” each one, you will ensure that you don’t miss a single post of all of their creations!
Disclaimer: The products featured in this Blog post were given to me by Island Batik, and their program partners: Aurifil, Hobbs Batting & AccuQuilt!
Happy Quilting!
Gail
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Linking to:
- Caroline @ SewCanShe
- Tish @ Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
- So Scrappy Saturdays @ So Scrappy
ME? oh YEAH!!!
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????
Quilting Gail 