Monday, February 26, 2024

Wonky Love and Peace Log Cabin - Island Batik Challenge

 This month's challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is make a Log Cabin quilt with a brand new fabric collection. I received the awesome black and white word play Zen Funk collection designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works.

I do love a great black and white collection and fabric with words is a special joy of mine! I also really like Log Cabins and have made several wonky little Log Cabins and also have a couple in my antique quilt collection. I decided to work with this one. But I chose to focus on the center.

 
Antique Log Cabin c. 1880s, Starley Antique Quilt Collection


Add the Zen Funk Collection and wonky piecing and voila!!! I think I captured the look of the original and yet made it funky and FUN!

Wonky Love and Peace Log Cabin 
47" x 47"
February 2024
Sandra Starley
A modern original adaptation of a traditional pattern

I really had fun working with slightly wonky and freewheeling piecing. In fact, I had sew much fun that I got my top done and decided I wanted to make even more blocks. I'll be making it bigger - 6 x 6 instead of 4 x 4. I will be using my beloved Hobbs batting and Aurifil thread and Schmetz needles to quilt it. 

Here's what I used to create my wall quilt.

Assorted other Island Batik fabrics for centers
Batting: Hobbs Tuscany Wool and 
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Strip piecing for efficiency

Love and Peace

Pressing along with my Oliso Smart Iron!

Visit Island Batik's Blog this week  for links to all the stops on the BLOG HOP and for weekly GIVEAWAYS  and to see all the beautiful Log Cabins that have been created this month.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

I'm an Island Batik Ambassador for 2024 - Unboxing Photos

 I'm excited to announce that I am a brand ambassador for Island Batik again for 2024. 

Here's my unboxing photo gallery. It is really fun to get a box jammed full of beautiful fabrics from IB and wonderful tools for our industry sponsors. Above is the full box of treasures revealed.

Let's start with the beautiful Island Batik fabrics.

The new Fall Gatherings Collection  10" squares with coordinates of Flour and Bluegrass

2 collections of IB Gradations - Glorious Greens 1o" squares and Naturally Neutral 2.5" strips plus 4 yard cuts of solids in black, white, and grey.


A Surprise package -a beautiful collection that will be revealed in May. Plus a dozen half yard cuts of solids, neutrals, and prints.

 
Three sets of stash builder strips - strips are 5" wide by 42" and there are almost 3 yards in each package!


Another awesome new collection - Flutter Wings with orange and brown coordinates.

A fabulous new collection: in 1/2 yard cuts: Zen Funk designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel with light and dark coordinates. And in the back a yummy neutral Mocha, 6 yard cut.

And now from our sponsors
The awesome Oliso Smart Iron!

Another sponsor is Funky Friends Factory. This is Ollie I made 2 years ago and I'll be making a new Funky Friend for him. And I'm excited to start working with my new Split Rects ruler from Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Designs.



And our long time sponsor - Hobbs Batting sent two batts, one silk and one cotton. And last but not least, is Schmetz Needles who sent a great selection of needles and other treats. Hobbs will be sending more batting later and we'll also be getting Aurifil Thread.
 

Thank You!


Thursday, December 21, 2023

December Challenge - Celebrations - Island Batik Ambassador- Double Churn Dash


In honor of the many holiday celebrations that occur in December, this month's Island Batik Challenge is Celebrations. We could do any holiday from New Year's, Easter, Diwali, Channukah, etc.


I do love Christmas and the traditional red and green color scheme along with the classic Churn Dash quilt block. If you've been following me at all, you know I really like recreating and giving new life to old blocks and I really enjoy using batiks to give a modern look to traditional blocks. Churn Dash is one of my favorites and I really like my variation of the Double Churn :) 


Double Churn Dash Christmas Pillow
16" x 16"
December 2023
Sandra Starley
Machine piecing
Machine Quilting
Original Design

Here's what I used to create my pillow.

Fabrics: Assorted Island Batik Fabrics
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
Quilting Thread Aurifil Aurifil #50 weight


***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, thread by Aurifil, needles by Schmetz  ***

If you want to want to make your own Double Churn Dash pillow - you can find the pattern for the block here. Add 2 1/2" strips to all 4 sides and add a backing and you'll have your own super fun and easy holiday pillow.

For more inspiration and delight, see all the amazing variety of wonderful quilt projects, my fellow Island Batik Ambassadors made in December celebrating their favorite holidays.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt


Tuesday, November 7, 2023

November Blog Hop -- It's In The Bag - ByAnnie Bags - Island Batik Ambassador



Welcome to Week 2 of the "It's In The Bag!" Blog Hop!!! After you read about my adventures be sure to visit Island Batik's Blog each week this month for links to all the stops on the BLOG HOP and for weekly GIVEAWAYS !!

Night and Day -Green version of Tote and  Purse

Night and Day -Blue version of Tote and Purse


This month's Island Batik Ambassador challenge is a partnership with ByAnnie Bags and Island Batik with the Ambassadors receiving new IB Collections and a pattern  and all the hardware and supplies to make a bag from ByAnnie.com




From our partner By Annie -I received the Night and Day pattern and this generous kit with everything needed to create 2 bags: Annie's own's Soft and Stable stabilizer, Fusible Interfacing, handle strapping, magnets, clips and other metal hardware.

 And Island Batik sent several sets of beautiful Flour Sack fabrics. I added interest by choosing a couple of pairing with strong contrast and lots of FUN!


I consider myself a newbie when it comes to making bags. I made a few eons ago and I made some basic but easy containers in last year's challenge. This year I was a little braver and I learned a lot. I tried a lot of new things like sewing zippers, sewing straps, adding hardware and sewing in magnets!! Thank goodness my sister Donna, who's made several ByAnnie Bags, helped me make this set. It was great to have someone to guide me through all the new techniques. The pattern also comes with a coupon for the ADD-ON Videos that help walk you through the tricky parts of constructing the bags.


Here are the 2 sides/sections of the Night and Day tote - joining the two sections together.


then the 2 sections wrong sides out need to turn right sides out through the bottom of that pocket.
\

Working them through ...


Here's me birthing them through the pocket. It looks weird and is a bit tricky but its works! You just have to trust Annie! She really does know what she's doing.

And now the 2 sections have become ONE and are ready for the final joining. This ingenious method creates a reversible bag with all finished seams. And the bottom of the pocket gets sewn in the final joinder. Annie thinks of everything.



Here are some of the parts for the clutch purse of the set, the second bag I made. The flap with sewn in magnet. I feel sew accomplished after sewing with all these new to me materials. My handy Schmetz Needles got quite a work-out!! I needed to use a couple.


Sewing on D rings for the cross body strap. It can be used on both bags.

Making box corners on the purse, before and after.  This creates finished seams and a third pocket and a bag that can stand up.


Here's the finished set!



And the reversed tote


Look at all those beautiful ByAnnie zippers :)

 Night and Day Bags - Reversible Tote 9" x 16", 
Purse w/magnetic flap 6 1/2" x 12"
Sandra Starley 2023

Fabrics by Island Batik: (Flour Sack Collection)
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
                                        Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley  (My stunt double quilter (sister Donna) quilted the main bags fabrics).

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, pattern - stabilizers and vinyl
 from By Annie, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz. ***

The purse fits in the tote so you can have an extra bag for your purchases or extra supplies.


I love the new Flour Sack Collection. I like how the bags are different but work together well. Flour Sack is a lovely collection!

Look for Flour Sack at your local quilt shop

Visit Island Batik's Blog each week this month for links to all the stops on the BLOG HOP and for weekly GIVEAWAYS !!







Tuesday, October 31, 2023

October Challenge - Falling for AccuQuilt: North Carolina Star - Island Batik Ambassadors


 Since it is Fall -this month's challenge is "Falling For AccuQuilt". A partnership with Island Batik and AccuQuilt. As Island Batik Ambassadors, we received the AccuQuilt North Carolina Star Die for cutting with our AccuQuilt Machine. The die is for a 12" finished block and is a BOB die meaning all the pieces for making a block are together and can be cut in one pass through your cutter.

Here's our brief:  "You don’t have to make a North Carolina Star block, feel free to come up with a new block design using the pieces of this die! There is no requirement to what kind of project you make: table runner, wall hanging, throw quilt, sleeping bag, tote bag - let your imagination run wild!"

To start, I cut out the pattern/die pieces from paper so I could really see them and play with them. I also printed out their on-line pattern guide and the block coloring sheet. I got out my coloring pencils and got to work! Sometimes, old-school methods are just right. 


I decided to eliminate quite a few pieces by making those quarter-square triangles into squares. I then watched the AccuQuilt Video for the NC Star die and saw a new arrangement that I liked.


Luckily, I found a few pieces of Fall Fabric :)


You can find Celtic Fields at the following stores:

Creekside Quilts

Bird in Hand Fabric

Cary Quilting Company

                                                                Here's my photo shoot





Falling For North Carolina Stars
28" x 28"
October 2023
Sandra Starley
Machine piecing -AccuQuilt Cutting
Machine Quilting
Original Design - Adaptation of NC Star

Here's what I used to create my wall quilt.

Assorted other Island Batik fabrics
Border - Dot Multi Green - Maple Island
Backing - Porcelain - Naturaly Neutrals

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
Quilting Thread Aurifil #50 Golden Shrimp Plant
Schmetz Needles

Who says you have to paint a barn quilt - I sewed this one!

Stop by all the other Island Batik Ambassadors' blogs to see their amazing North Carolina Star projects. Everyone pieced and colored the stars in very different ways and made unique items. They range from full size quilts, to wall quilts, table runners, place mats, pillows, project bags, and boxes.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...