It’s All Up to You!

The final challenge of the year allowed the ambassadors to do whatever we wanted! Sometimes, this can be very difficult and at other times it’s super easy! This time, it was easy!

I knew that I wanted to do something scrappy.

This fall, I was very inspired by the fall colours of the trees and the leaves. They seemed more vibrant than other years. The following pictures were taken by my friend, Stella MacDonald. (And, she’s hoping that me posting them will make her famous!!). Aren’t the colours rich?

I used the Accuquilt die “Maple Leaf” to cut everything out. (See HERE). This die has the blocks finishing at 8″. I used the free Accuquilt Table Runner pattern as a guide, but I doubled the size and made it scrappier!

Here is the finished quilt:

The “Oh Canada” quilting ruler (from Silly Moon) was ideal for doing an “all-over” pattern on the quilt! Aurifil Thread #4650 was the perfect variegated thread to use on this quilt. It has lots of greens, red, and yellow! I actually laughed out loud when I read that the name of the thread was “Leaves!” Hobbs 80/20 batting is in the middle.

The Janome M7 has a maple leaf stitch and I used it on the binding!

Quilt Stats:

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) and Industry partners! They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador! Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, Oliso Iron, Accuquilt

Island Batik Ambassadors

Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors to see what they made this month:

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

TGIFF and a Matching Finish!

TGIFF is an acronym for Thank Goodness It’s FINISHED Friday. It is hosted by a variety of different bloggers that show their finished quilt or project for that week. You can visit THIS LINK to see who is hosting each week. This week, I am the host!

I made 2 of the Small Clam Up byAnnie bags. You can get the pattern HERE. When I made the Switchback bag in October (see THIS POST), there was some quilted fabric left over. I couldn’t just throw it out. These bags used the perfect amount of quilted fabric! I had used fabric from the “Frosted Folliage” collection by Tiffany Hayes of Needle in a Hay Stack and Whip Cream (an Island Batik foundational fabric).

I know that I’m biased, but I think they turned out so very cute! I will likely use one with my Switchback and will give the other as a gift in the future.

Here they are with my Switchback bag:

Link up your finished project!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Timeless Traditions Blog Hop

Here’s what Island Batik told us about this challenge:

  • Project Type: Quilt
  • Size: Lap or larger
  • Fabric: Must use Summer 2025 fabric bundle
  • Must use as many collection SKUs as possible
  • Technique: Traditionally pieced and any other technique you want to include – applique, foundation pieced if applicable. Must use a minimum of 5 different blocks in your quilt
    • Four Patch Quilt Block 
    • Nine Patch Quilt Block
    • Half Square Triangle Block
    • Quarter Square Triangle Block
    • Friendship Star Block
    • Flying Geese Quilt Block
    • Variable Star Quilt Block
    • Ohio Star Quilt Block
    • Nine Patch Chain Quilt Block
    • Pinwheel Mosaic Quilt Block

I received a “Surprise” package that contained my Summer ’25 bundle. I hadn’t looked it up, so it was a total surprise to me when I opened it!

Here’s what I found when I opened the Surprise bundle:

Isn’t it gorgeous?? This collection is Garden Gate (a Kate Colleran original) and the 2 yard accompanying fabrics are Sparkles-Multi Pink Yellow and Gravel-Purple Regal, both from the collection.

I planned the quilt in EQ8. The blocks I chose to make: All of them are 9″ square, except for the 9 patch that finishes at 3″ square.

  • Friendship Star
  • Pinwheel Mosaic (paper pieced)
  • Pinwheel (paper pieced)
  • Friendship Star Variation
  • Double Pinwheel Whirls (paper pieced)
  • Ohio Star
  • Ohio Star Variation (paper pieced)
  • 9 patch

along with a tiny 9 patch as corner stones:

And yes, there was an “Opps” block … I wasn’t following the colours on the paper piecing … this was suppose to be a pinwheel in the centre …

Here’s a picture of the layout on the design wall before I had all the blocks made:

When I paper pieced, I printed out one set templates for each block and re-used them. I paper piece without sewing on the papers.

Quilting in progress on my domestic machine (Janome M7).

And without further rambling, here is the finished quilt:

And closeups of the custom quilting of each block:

Quilt Stats:

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik and Industry partners! They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador! Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, Oliso Iron

Island Batik Ambassadors

Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors to see what they made this month:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Timeless Traditions Blog Hop

Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) is hosting the Summer 2025 Blog Hop, featuring all of the new collections! Each one is gorgeous!! Make sure that you follow each of the ambassadors and see the quilt that they made for the Timeless Traditions Blog Hop!

November 3: 

November 4: 

Preeti Harris @ Sew Preeti Quilts

November 5: 

November 6: 

November 7:

(Island Batik posts: Blog Hop Week 1 Round Up + giveaway)

WEEK 2

November 10: 

November 11: 

November 12: 

November 13: 

November 14:

(Island Batik posts: Blog Hop Week 2 Round Up + giveaway)

WEEK 3

November 17: 

Lisa Pickering @ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

November 18: 

Connie Kauffman @ Kauffman Designs

November 19: 

November 20: 

November 21:

(Island Batik: End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up)

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Sunday Summary: October 26

Left-overs made into 2 zipper pouches and a placemat. The placemat will go to Meals on Wheels for their Christmas delivery. You can read more about them on THIS POST.

In early September, Teresa emailed me asking if I had the pattern for “Ivan’s Diamonds.” In a very short period of time, Teresa had paid for the pattern and quickly made it. She sent me pictures of her quilt … Isn’t it gorgeous? And the quilting is perfect!! Thank you Teresa for allowing me to share your pictures!

There is a bit of progress on the quilt … Week 1 – 5 are done. I’ve been procrastinating Week 6. The thought of making all those flying geese cutting small pieces does not interest me. I just might skip a row! I haven’t decided yet! You can access the Mystery HERE.

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – September: 262 / 272 days
  • Oct: 25 / 25 days
  • Total: 288 / 298 96%

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Laundry Basket Mystery: Weeks 6?, 7, 8 & 9
  • Work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs

Quilting projects:

  • Island Batik November Challenge

So far, I’m doing good!! My picture shows an orange petal each day that I clean for 15 minutes and the rest of the time is spent sewing … (the petals do not represent the exact time … but when I clean, I set my timer for 15 minutes and I stop when it goes off! [Leanne of Devoted Quilter has a fun way to track your progress. This is for October and November. You can download a form to colour in each day as you work your way through. You can go to Instagram and click on her post HERE ]

This is my current list of WIPS. I’d love to have them all finished by the end of WIPS-B-GONE!!

  • scraps from Splish Splash – done
  • 5 grab bags for guild
  • 5 Dove bags for guild
  • scraps from byAnnie bag
  • November Island Batik project
  • December Island Batik project
  • Test quilt for Songbird Designs

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

The placemat and zipper bags used a yard.

  • Fabric used in the last week: 1 yard
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     202 yards. {68 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    28.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              168.5 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from last week ago:

  1. Laundry Basket Mystery: Weeks 5,√   DONE 6 & 7. XX not done XX
  2. Piecing scraps of Splish Splash (see here) for something. √   DONE
  3. Continue working on Island Batik November Challenge √   DONE
  4. Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs in progress
  5. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √   DONE.
  6. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Laundry Basket Mystery: 6??? & 7, 8 & 9
  2. Make 5 grab bags for the guild
  3. Quilt Island Batik November Challenge
  4. Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs
  5. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  6. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

A Left-Over Friday

When I made the ‘Splish Splash’ quilt, I had a few partial blocks left- over. (See HERE to read more about this quilt).

I’m really trying to use up the left-overs in a somewhat timely manner. It doesn’t always work, but in this case, I made a placemat and 2 zipper pouches as leaders and enders as I worked on my November Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) challenge.

The fabrics are from “Splish Splash”. The inside of the placemat and the larger zipper pouch is scraps of Hobbs Thermore and the smaller zipper pouch has scraps of Hobbs 80/20.

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Sew Stylish Challenge with ByAnnie

ByAnnie generously provided me with my chosen pattern and all the necessary hardware to make Switchback. The only criteria for choosing a bag was to make sure it had an Add-On Video!

Here’s a picture of everything I received from ByAnnie!

Before I began, I pressed all the fabrics with my wonderful Oliso m3pro iron!!! I LOVE this iron for quilting and used it during the making of Switchback when I needed to press a seam.

ByAnnie patterns come with a label sheet so you can label all of your cut pieces. This makes gathering the specific components easy. It is VERY important to do this. It saves lots of re-measuring and prevents future headaches. The picture below is of all my cut & labelled pieces. I pin these onto my design wall for easy access.

For the quilting, I did a wavy stitch with my walking foot. I used the same thread in the bobbin as in the top, that’s why you can see the quilting on the lining. The 2nd picture shows most of the quilted and cut pieces. Yes, I used a Schmetz needle! The 4th picture is close to the end … lots of clips to hold pieces in place! Unfortunately, I neglected to take other pictures as I went along.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the bag: Lots of pockets and extra hardware for keys or a carabiner. The 3rd pictures shows the extra hardware being used for extra security for the bag.

The Switchback can be worn as a backpack, an over-the-shoulder bag or as a cross-body bag.

Here is a picture of the finished bag! I’m loving it!

Bag Stats:

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik and Industry partners! They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador! Island Batik, ByAnnie, Aurifil Thread, Schmetz Needles, and Oliso Iron.

Island Batik Ambassadors

Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors to see what they made this month:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Splish Splash

I’m not in the water … but I’m using a fabulous 2 1/2″ strip pack from Island Batik called Splish Splash by the Whimsical Workshop. It’s full of sea horses, fish, starfish, seaweed, bubbles and stars … just wonderful!

I chose a pattern by the Fat Quarter Shop called Jelly Roll Twist (see HERE). It’s a super easy quilt to make and sews up quickly.

Here are the blocks on my design wall … but of course, I switched them around before sewing them together.

It was a very fun quilt to quilt on my domestic sewing machine. I used Silly Moon’s 4″ Beanie to create the orange peel flowers in the neutral squares. Each short and each long strip was quilted differently. I used rulers for some of them and free motioned many of them. There are swirls, loops, circles, feathers, flowers, hearts, squares, ribbons and many many more.

Here are some closeups of the quilting (one on the front, the rest on the back.) I used a product called “Fireside” which I recently learned is only available in Canada (although some shops may ship internationally). It’s wonderful for the backs of quilts. It’s nice and cozy, but doesn’t stretch or make as much of a fluffy mess as Minky. This took awhile to quilt, but I had fun quilting it!

And the best part: The wedding is on Saturday and the quilt is done!!!

Quilt Stats:

  • Size: 60″ square
  • Fabric: Island Batik: “Splish Splash” by Heidi Pridemore of the Whimsical Workshop and the neutral is Milk Shake (an Island Batik basic that is available year round). The binding is Small Pointed Floral-Tu -a blender.
  • Hobbs Batting: Heirloom 80/20
  • Aurifil Thread: 50 weight
    • Piecing & Quilting: #2600 (Dove Grey)
  • Silly Moon Rulers: Rocket, Cheesie, Charming, Jelly, Turkey, Twinkle, and Beanie (4″)
  • Schmetz Needles: Universal 80/12
  • Oliso Iron

Threaded Chaos Blog Hop

The blog hop is over and there have been a LOT of wonderful and creative crazy quilts featuring new collections and Aurifil thread.

Make sure to check Lumin Fabrics FB and IG post for a round-up of this week’s Threaded Chaos Quilts and enter to win some fabric!

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Threaded Chaos Blog Hop with Aurifil

Here’s what Island Batik had to tell us about this Blog Hop:

Aurifil is proud to sponsor the September challenge – Threaded ChaosBlog Hop! This challenge is all about crazy quilts, texture, creativity, and, of course, lots of thread – because crazy quilts are known for their rich, decorative stitching.
A crazy quilt is a truly artistic creation, featuring irregularly shaped fabric pieces sewn together in an asymmetrical, freeform design. One of its most distinctive elements is the use of decorative embroidery stitches along the seams, adding intricate details and embellishments. Common stitches include feather stitch, herringbone, and chain stitch, among many others.
Beyond stitching, crazy quilts are often adorned with appliqué, lace, ribbons, beads, and even personal memorabilia, making each piece deeply expressive and sentimental. With no strict patterns or rules, these quilts are a favorite for quilters who love to experiment and let their creativity run wild!
Are you ready to embrace the chaos and stitch something spectacular? Join us for this thread-filled adventure! 

I was pretty excited when I initially saw the fabric collection and got to choose which 4 Aurifil threads I wanted. These are the threads I chose:

  • #2880 Pale Green
  • #2110 Light Lemon
  • #5005 Bright Turquoise
  • #2525 Dusty Blue Violet

Now, can you blame me for being excited? I received Fossil Finesse, Designed by Kathy Engle and it will be shipping to shops in September. It was paired with 2 yards of Baby Powder (from Naturally Neutrals) and 2 yards of Jasper-Teal Bermuda from the Fossil Finesse collection. Isn’t it absolutely beautiful??? !!!!

Here’s a picture of the 2 quilts I made. (See below for details!) Each quilt used all 20 of the fabrics!

Quilt #1

Here’s the start of Quilt #1 (with the light sashing). I layered 4 fabrics and cut with straight lines. Then I sewed them onto 12″ squares of Hobbs Batting Heirloom Natural Cotton with Scrim, using a stitch and flip method. When the blocks were all done, I sized them to 10″. I laid them out on the design wall.

I used a variety of different stitches and threads on each of the blocks. The blocks were sashed with the Baby Powder neutral. Once the backing was made, I anchored the backing to the front using decorative stitches and a huge variety of Aurifil Threads. Yes, I am lucky to have a fantastic assortment of Aurifil! And thankfully, Aurifil supplied me with 4 new colours! I used 16 various threads in the top!

The back:

A scrappy binding completed the quilt:

Quilt #2

Then I got to thinking??? Could I do the same thing with curves instead of straight lines?? I know, it’s dangerous to think about it too much!

Again, I layered 4 fabrics of 10″ squares. I made the first curved cut and sewed them together. This time, I had cut 10″ squares from various fabrics in the collection and did a true Quilt As You Go. Once I had the first seam down, I realized that it would be almost impossible to do a second curved cut, so each block ended up having only 3 fabrics. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos of the individual steps that I took.

I chose Island Batik’s black solid fabric for the sashing and only 4 of the lighter threads. They showed up so well on the black sashing!

Here is the back of the ‘curved’ quilt. I used the solid black to bind the quilt and various decorative stitches with the 50 weight varigated green thread to hold the binding down. It worked out great!

And the front!

Quilt Stats: Quilt #1

  • Size: 46.5″ x 58″
  • Fabric: Island Batik: “Fossil Finesse” by Kathy Engle and “Baby Powder” (neutral)
  • Hobbs Batting: Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting
  • Aurifil Thread:
    • Piecing: 50 weight: #2600 (Dove Grey)
    • Quilting: 50 weight: #5832 ( ), #4647 (Variegated Berrylicious), #2110 (Light Lemon), #2880 (Pale Green), #1148 (Light Jade), #2835 (Medium Mint), #4129 (Turf Green), #5005 (Bright Turquoise), #2783 (Medium Delft Blue), #2510 (Light Lilac), #2805 (Light Grey Turquoise), #2581 (Dark Dusty Grape), #2525 (Dusty Blue Violet), #2815 (Teal), #4660 (Variegated Pink Taffy)
    • Quilting: 40 weight: #4654 (Variegated Turquoise Foam)
  • Schmetz Needles: Universal 80/12
  • Oliso Iron

Quilt Stats: Quilt #2

  • Size: 46.5″ x 58″
  • Fabric: Island Batik: “Fossil Finesse” by Kathy Engle and solid black
  • Hobbs Batting: Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting
  • Aurifil Thread:
    • Piecing: 50 weight: #2600 (Dove Grey)
    • Quilting: 50 weight: #2110 (Light Lemon), #2880 (Pale Green), #2510 (Light Lilac),
    • Quilting: 40 weight: #4654 (Variegated Turquoise Foam)
  • Schmetz Needles: Universal 80/12
  • Oliso Iron

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik and Industry partners! They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador! Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, and Oliso Iron

Island Batik Ambassadors

Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors to see what they made this month:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Threaded Chaos Blog Hop with Aurifil Thread

Make sure that you follow along and check out all the wonderful quilts that are being shown!

AND … go to Lumin (Island Batik’s blog) to enter in to win fabric each week!

September 8: 

Brenda Alburl


September 9: 

Sarah Pitcher

Solomae Stoycoff


September 10: 

Lisa Pickering

Renee Atkinson


September 11: 

Connie Kresin Campbell


September 12: 

(ILumin (Island Batik’s blog) : Blog Hop Week 1 Round Up + giveaway)


WEEK 2

September 15

Jennifer Thomas

Preeti Harris


September 16: 

Gail Sheppard

Susan Deshensky


September 17: 

Denise Looney

Kimberly Flannagan


September 18: 

Mania Hatziioannidi

Tina Dilalrd

September 19: Lumin (Island Batik’s blog) : Blog Hop Week 2 Round Up + giveaway)


WEEK 3

September 22: 

Kim Jamieson-Hirst

Carol Stanek


September 23: 

Brittany Fisher


September 24: 

Suzy Webster

Leah Malasky


September 25: 

Connie Kauffman

Emily Leachman


September 26:

(Lumin (Island Batik’s blog) : End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up)

Monthly Viewer’s Choice contest: September 29 – October 6 (winners announced on October 7)


One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Sunday Summary: August 31

This is actually the week’s forcast!

That’s right a squirrel invaded my sewing space. I did NOT need a squirrel to come worming its way into my life! But it promises to be a beautiful squirrel. You probably all know that I LOVE 🩷 LOVE mystery quilts. Laundry Basket Quilts is hosting a Mystery Quilt. You can access Week 1 on their blog HERE. Lately, I’m on a mission to use up my regular stash … not my Island Batik stash. I find that my regular stash is more difficult to work with, it doesn’t retain the shape easily and frays. BUT … I have it and I need to use it up … so I chose one of my older Fat Quarter Bundles … It was bundled with twine and no tag … but a couple of the fat quarters have a selvage that says “Judie Rothermel Presents Textiles inspired by the Old Sturbridge Village Collection for Marcus Brothers Textiles, Inc. I know that I bought it at a quilt store in Stanwood WA that no longer exists …

A Finished Quilt

I finished this quilt this week. It’s “Bloomers,” designed by Denise Looney. You can read more about it HERE.

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – July: 207 / 211 days
  • August: 31 / 31 days
  • Total: 238 / 24298 %

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Rainbow Scrap challenge, Teal fabrics: making Jacob’s Ladder blocks … so pretty!
  • I’ve cut out the pieces for the Magnificent Mystery by Meadow Mist Designs (See HERE … it’s definitely NOT too late to join!). I used fabrics from my stash … they are OLD. I bought them at the Wild Rose Quilt store in Orting, WA, many many years ago!

Quilting projects:

  • Splish Splash is webbed together and needs a backing, sandwiching and quilting.

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

I used at least 8.5 yards of fabric for “the Butterfly Quilt.”Bloomers.”

  • Fabric used in the last week: 8.5 yards
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     172 yards. {56.5 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    24.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              147.5 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from the last week:

  1. Finish “Sliver of Silver” (this is a project for the Boundary Bay Quilt Guild’s 25th Anniversary.) XX NOT DONE XX
  2. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash. XX NOT DONE XX
  3. Finish quilting  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge & bind √   DONE. 
  4. Continue to work on Bloomers – get to flimsy stage √   DONE and finished!!!
  5. Cut out Finish blocks for Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal √   DONE. 
  6. Start on October Island Batik Challenge. XX NOT DONE XX
  7. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! XX NOT DONE XX
  8. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Finish “Sliver of Silver” (this is a project for the Boundary Bay Quilt Guild’s 25th Anniversary.)
  2. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash.
  3. Piece together Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal blocks
  4. Make a decision regarding September’s Scrap Challenge: Pastel blue & green
  5. Start on October Island Batik Challenge.
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

A Beautiful Blooming Friday!

This beautiful quilt was designed by Denise of A Quiltery. It’s a sew along with free blocks every 2 weeks. Or, you can get the embroidery designs and make it in your embroidery machine. That is what I did! I used fabric from the “Radiant Burst” collection by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white. The binding is scrappy fabrics from the collection.

It was free motion quilted on my domestic machine (Janome M7). I stippled around the flowers, used Silly Moon’s Rocket to do paradox lines in the hexies and half hexies. On the border, I free motioned flowers with different petals.

Quilt Stats:

Thank you very much, Denise for the wonderful pattern!!! I’m in LOVE ♥️ with it!

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Sunday Summary: August 24

Purple was July’s colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge hosted by So Scrappy. See THIS POST for more details.

I have attempted to make at least one baby or comfort quilt for each month’s challenge … but unfortunately, I haven’t been totally successful. Here are the ones I’ve made so far: January: pink, February: Blue (3), March: yellow, June: Orange, July: purple (2) I did miss April: red and May: green. Does it count that some of the months I made 2 or 3 quilts? All of these quilts were made with Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics), Hobbs Batting, and pieced and quilted with Aurifil Thread.

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – July: 207 / 211 days
  • August: 24 / 24 days
  • Total: 231 / 23598 %

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Bloomers:” I decided to use fabric from the Radiant Burst collection! And the main blocks are started with Eggwhite and Solid White. All the embroidery blocks and hexi and half hexi blocks are done! Need to add the borders.
  • Rainbow Scrap challenge, Teal fabrics: making Jacob’s Ladder blocks … so pretty!
  • “Sliver of Silver” for the guild’s 25th Anniversary.

Quilting projects:

  • Splish Splash is webbed together and needs a backing, sandwiching and quilting.

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

I used at least 7 yards of fabric for the Butterfly Quilt.

  • Fabric used in the last week: 7 yards
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     163.5 yards. {53 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    24.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              139 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from the last week:

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash. XX NOT DONE XX
  2. Finish quilting  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge & bind √   DONE. 
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – get to flimsy stage √   DONE. 
  4. Cut out Finish blocks for Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal √   DONE. 
  5. Start on October Island Batik Challenge. XX NOT DONE XX
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √   DONE. 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Finish “Sliver of Silver” (this is a project for the Boundary Bay Quilt Guild’s 25th Anniversary.)
  2. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash.
  3. Finish quilting  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge & bind
  4. Sandwich “Bloomers
  5. Get- Teal blocks to flimsy stage.
  6. Start on October Island Batik Challenge.
  7. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  8. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Denise at Quiltery has done a fantastic job of designing this beautiful quilt! The directions come out every 2 weeks. If you want to purchase the embroidery designs, they are also available to purchase for some formats. (I used the embroidery designs!)

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

A Purple Friday Finish

Purple was the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for July. This is hosted by So Scrappy. I do know it’s August, and Teal is the colour for this month. But sometimes, things don’t get done right when I want them to and they need to wait to be finished! This is the Butterfly quilt from the book Picture Patchwork book by JoAnn Lepore. This is the 4th quilt I have made from this book. Hmmm … I think I highly recommend that you buy it!

And here’s a close up of the quilting. I used Rocket for the straight lines, and free motioned the curves on the dark purple and swirls on the lighter purples.

Quilt Stats:

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Sunday Summary: August 17

I finished these 2 Retreat Bags this past week. The blue hexi one is the small size and the bee one is the large … even though the pictures don’t look like it. See THIS POST for more details.

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – July: 207 / 211 days
  • August: 17 / 17 days
  • Total: 224 / 22898 %

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Bloomers:” I decided to use fabric from the Radiant Burst collection! And the main blocks are started with Eggwhite and Solid White. All the embroidery blocks and hexi and half hexi blocks are done!
  • Rainbow Scrap challenge, Teal fabrics: making Jacob’s Ladder blocks … so pretty!
  • I’ve cut out the pieces for the Magnificent Mystery by Meadow Mist Designs (See HERE … it’s definitely NOT too late to join!). I used fabrics from my stash … they are OLD. I bought them at the Wild Rose Quilt store in Orting, WA, many many years ago!

Quilting projects:

  • Splish Splash (an Island Batik fabric strip pack) is webbed together and needs a backing, sandwiching and quilting.
  • Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge : It’s sandwiched

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

I used about 1 yard of fabric for the 2 retreat bags (see above).

  • Fabric used in the last week: 1 yard
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     156.5 yards. {50 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    24.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              132 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from the last week:

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash. XX NOT DONE XX. still need to piece the backing
  2. Quilt  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge in progress
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – finish embroidery blocks √   DONE.
  4. Continue to work on Island Batik September challenge. Finish it! √   DONE. 
  5. Cut out Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal √   DONE. 
  6. Start on October Island Batik Challenge XX NOT DONE XX
  7. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √   DONE. 
  8. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash.
  2. Finish quilting  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge & bind
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – get to flimsy stage
  4. Cut out Finish blocks for Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal
  5. Start on October Island Batik Challenge
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Denise at Quiltery has done a fantastic job of designing this beautiful quilt! The directions come out every 2 weeks. If you want to purchase the embroidery designs, they are also available to purchase for some formats. (I used the embroidery designs!)

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Sunday Summary: August 10

This was my August September Island Batik project. We were instructed to decorate an Oliso carrying case! See THIS POST for more details.

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – July: 207 / 211 days
  • August: 10 / 10 days
  • Total: 217 / 22198 %

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Bloomers:” I decided to use fabric from the Radiant Burst collection! And the main blocks are started with Eggwhite and Solid White. Here are blocks 9 & 10 and the birdhouse.
  • Rainbow Scrap challenge, Teal fabrics … (no picture)
  • I’ve cut out the pieces for the Magnificent Mystery by Meadow Mist Designs (See HERE … it’s definitely NOT too late to join!). I used fabrics from my stash … they are OLD. I bought them at the Wild Rose Quilt store in Orting, WA, many, many, many years ago! Some of it is from a collection called “Buttons and Blooms” and some are from the back wall where the reproduction fabrics were.

Quilting projects:

  • Splish Splash is webbed together and needs a backing, sandwiching and quilting.
  • Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge : It’s sandwiched

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

I used about 1.5 yards of fabric for the ironing mat cover and the decorations for my Oliso iron.

  • Fabric used in the last week: 1.5 yards
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     155.5 yards. {49 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    24.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              131 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from the last week:

I didn’t accomplish much on my To Do list this week. I was focused on completing my September Island Batik project … and it got done! YAY!

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash. XX NOT DONE XX. still need to piece the backing
  2. Quilt  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge XX NOT DONE XX. Still need to quilt it.
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – finish embroidery blocks in progress
  4. Continue to work on Island Batik September challenge. Finish it! √   DONE. 
  5. Decide on Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal √   DONE. 
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! XX NOT DONE XX. I got distracted and decided to definitely do the Meadow Mist Mystery!
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash.
  2. Quilt  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – finish embroidery blocks
  4. Cut out Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal
  5. Start on October Island Batik Challenge
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Denise at Quiltery has done a fantastic job of designing this beautiful quilt! The directions come out every 2 weeks. If you want to purchase the embroidery designs, they are also available to purchase for some formats. (That’s what I’m doing!)

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Hot Stuff Challenge with Oliso

Way back in January, the Ambassador’s all receive an Oliso M3 Pro Iron. I received the coral iron and matching carrying bag. I LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ this iron. It heats up quickly and is easy to handle. My wrists don’t get sore! And the light at the front is awesome. But that’s not what this challenge is about!

Here’s what Island Batik said about the challenge:

It’s time to turn up the heat and give your iron cover a fabulous makeover! In the Hot Stuff Challenge with you will “Glitz-Up” your carry bag. You get to transform your plain iron carry bag into a creative masterpiece using any techniques you like – quilting, embroidery, appliqué, painting, buttons or even a mix of them all!

Show off your unique style, experiment with colors and textures, and make your iron cover as bold or elegant as you like. Whether you go for fun and funky or sleek and sophisticated, the goal is to create something that sparks inspiration every time you press!

Are you ready to give your iron carry bag a glitz-up? Get carried away and turn your carry bag into a work of art!

For those of you that know me, you KNOW that this is not a challenge I would excel at!

So what to do????

I was on Zoom with some quilting friends and was lamenting about this project! I looked up to my magnetic board and saw a flower that was made with a strip of fabric (edges pinked) and a bobbin in the centre. I had made this many years ago and used a magnet and it became a pin. Then, inspiration hit!! What if I covered my iron case with these cute flowers? And I could also use fabric to make leaves … And, using a glue gun to put the flowers and leaves in place, the project suddenly became doable! YAY!!!

I decided to use fabric from the Flutter Fields collection by Jerry Khiev. I thought the oranges/corals coordinated well with the trim on my carrying bag. I used this collection last fall to make Dresden Plates (see THIS POST).

So, with vacation holidays approaching, it was something I could do without a sewing machine. I can’t hand sew for long periods of time, but it was something I could do while travelling, in small bits of time. I prepared all the fabric, pinking the edges … gathering my thread, needle and a thimble … I was all set to go. I prepped 6 strips for 6 flowers.

I cut 6 strips at 15″ x 2 1/4” and used my pinking sheers to pink the edges. The goal was for the strips to finish at 2″. It worked!! Using my Oliso Iron, I pressed a fold in each strip at 3/4” . (This left the opposite side at 1 1/4“.

I made a total of 6 flowers by gathering the folded edge and sewing it onto the bobbin.

For fabric leaves, I found this visual tutorial HERE. There are no instructions regarding size or other details, but I think I figured it out. I cut the squares at 5″ and double folded them on the diagonal. Then, I gathered the ends.

Then, using a glue gun, I glued the bobbin flowers and leaves in place!

Here’s a picture of both sides of the iron caddy, on opposite sides of the pressing mat cover (see below). I ended up using only 4 of the bobbin flowers. When I was positioning the flowers on the side, having 2 on each side was too crowded!

Another friend suggested that I make a matching carrying bag for my Alpaca/wool pressing mat (from Prairie Spirit Alpacas). I started out with these beautiful fabrics from the collection. I decided to do a ‘burrito’ style pillow case. Boy – was that a mistake!!! The ‘cuff’ was only 4 1/2” wide, when usually on a pillow case it is MUCH larger. The 4 1/2” was really skinny. I had to work at it and eventually got it turned right side out. Note to self: Make the cuffs much larger! For the ‘tie,’ I used the gross-grain Island Batik ribbon that comes with many of the collections.

The following pictures show the piece with the front & back joined together, one side and then the other.

Pictures of the Coral Oliso M3P Iron on the iron covering bag: (can you see the light?)

Stats:

  • Island Batik fabrics from the Flutter Fields collection by Jerry Khiev
    • Flowers
      • Sparkle-Multi Pink Orange
      • Butterflies and Leaves
      • Tossed Butterflies – Orange
    • Leaves
      • Dandelion Multi Green
      • Sparkle-Teal Bluegrass
      • Mini Floral-Green Hunter
    • Bag
      • Dandelion-Muli Red B
      • Butterfly Floral Neutral
      • Wavy Leaves-Brown
  • Aurifil Thread:
    • Flowers: #2220 (Light Salmon)
    • Leaves: #2890 (Very dark Grass Green)
    • Bag Piecing & Top Stitching: #2325 (Linen)

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) and Industry partners! They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador! Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Schmetz Needles, and Oliso Iron

Island Batik Ambassadors

Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors to see what they made this month:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Sunday Summary: August 3

I finished the Estrella bag!! I’ve used it for a few days and am LOVING it! Yes, I know that I put the “Handmade” in the wrong place, but at least it was easy to turn it over and put it right side up!

Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!

  • January – July: 207 / 211 days
  • August: 3 / 3 days
  • Total: 210 / 21498 %

Design Wall Mondays

Judy, at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, hosts a linky party for “What’s on your Design Wall” every week.

Piecing projects:

  • Bloomers:” I decided to use fabric from the Radiant Burst collection! And the main blocks are started with Eggwhite and Solid White. Here are blocks 1-5 (with #2 reversed). The Hexi and half Hexi blocks are done.
  • Rainbow Scrap challenge, Teal fabrics …

Quilting projects:

  • Splish Splash is webbed together and needs a backing, sandwiching and quilting.
  • Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge : It’s sandwiched

Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!

No purchases this week, but I used 4 1/2 yards for the orange/grey disappearing 9 patch and I don’t think I added in the fabric from the Estrella kit, so I’m not going to use those amounts.

  • Fabric used in the last week: 4.5 yards
  • Fabric Used in 2025:     154 yards. {49 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
  • Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:    24.5 yards 
  • Net Fabric used:              129.5 yards

Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.

To Do from the last week:

  1. Make backing, sandwich and quilt Disappearing 9 patch: “ORANGE“. √   DONE. quilted and posted!
  2. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash. XX NOT DONE XX. still need to piece the backing
  3. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt   Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge XX NOT DONE XX. Still need to quilt it.
  4. Continue to work on Bloomers – make Hexi and half-Hexi blocks and other embroidery blocks √   DONE.
  5. Continue to work on Island Batik September challenge. in progress
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √   DONE. 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes. √   DONE. 

To Do for this week:

  1. Piece backing, sandwich and quilt Jelly Roll Twist / Splish Splash.
  2. Quilt  Purple for Rainbow Scrap Challenge
  3. Continue to work on Bloomers – finish embroidery blocks
  4. Continue to work on Island Batik September challenge. Finish it!
  5. Decide on Rainbow Scrap Challenge – Teal
  6. Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! 
  7. Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.

Denise at Quiltery has done a fantastic job of designing this beautiful quilt! The 1st block for appliqué is now available HERE and if you want to purchase the embroidery designs, they are also available to purchase for some formats. (That’s what I’m doing!)

Here’s Block #5. I’m in love with these flower blocks!

Don’t Forget

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to:  

Box #3 from Island Batik

That’s correct!! I received another box from Island Batik.

Here’s what it contained:

A 10″ stack of Starry Seas, along with 2 yards of Buttermilk (from the Neutrals collection) and 2 yards of Sea Urchins – Multi Pink (which is part of the Starry Seas collection)

Everything from ByAnnie to complete the Switchback bag:

  • ByAnnie’s Soft and Stable
  • Fusible Interfacing
  • Zippers
  • Strapping
  • Hardware: (D rings, rectangle rings, swivel hook, and wide-mouth slider)
  • Fold-over Elastic

And, just to refresh your memory, these are the fabrics that I already received to make the Switchback bag:

Thank you to the generosity of Island Batik and and ByAnnie. They have supplied the products for free as my role as an Island Batik Ambassador!

And previously, I received products from Aurifil Thread, Schmetz Needles, and Oliso Iron which will all be used to create Switchback!

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

An Orange Friday Finish!

Orange was the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for the month of June.

I showed you a few pictures of this quilt in progress. I used scraps of Island Batik orange and Island Batik solid grey (Lumin Fabrics).

Here is the finished quilt. It was obviously re-arranged from when it was on my design wall. That’s one of the beauties of a disappearing 9 patch!

And a close up of the quilting … I used Silly Moon’s Charming ruler for the big orange squares and the straight edge for the smaller squares and free motioned swirls in the solid grey sections. All quilting was done on my domestic sewing machine (Janome Continental M7).

Quilt Stats:

I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Linking to: