Create for a Cause with Studio 180 Design - June Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

Create for a Cause Project

This month's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge is a special project. We received a Studio 180 Design - Deb Tucker Tool and a brief to create a bed sized quilt for a child in need. Deb Tucker initiated Quilts Across America to get quilts made for children and is working with Sleep in Heavenly Peace which provides beds for needy children. She aims to provide a quilt to go with every bed made by Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Such a great cause - to get children "off the floor, into a bed, and under a quilt!"

I received the Split Rects tool - It is a great way to make this angled block which is hard to make with traditional piecing and kind of a bother to paper piece.

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I  was amazed at how many different blocks/designs can be made with the ruler. 1st - it makes 8 different sizes of half rectangle blocks, from the tiny 1/2" x 1" to 4" x 8" finished with 6 sizes in between. But the real magic is how easy the tool makes creating the tricky angled block. It cuts the tight angle  You cut the pieces slightly bigger, sew them together, and then trim them down to size.  

I grabbed a wide variety of Island Batik fabrics and added a solid grey IB to keep things from getting too wild. After a LOT of sewing and trimming, I had a bunch of blocks.

 

I needed to decide how to use my blocks. I initially planned on using single split rectangle blocks arranged in rows like sawteeth or shark fins. 

And then I started experimenting with different arrangements with pairs of blocks creating triangles and then diamonds.

I finally decided on a zigzag diamond setting. But oh no, I had pressed all my seams to the patterned batiks and now I needed to press open almost 200 seams with lots of bias, But it did reduce the bulk at the points and intersections. After a lot of piecing/joining in vertical rows, etc. VOILA

Zigzag Diamonds

48" X 72"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2024

 Batiks: Assorted fabrics from Island Batik (stash builder strips)

Batting: I'll be using Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: I'll be using Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Split Rects Ruler: Studio 180 Design

Smart Iron: Oliso

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs,  Split Rects Ruler/Tool by Studio 180 Design,  thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz and  Smart Iron by Oliso. ***

Remember to visit my fellow IB Ambassadors and see the beautiful quilts they are donating to this great cause.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting

Megan Best - BestQuilter
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Julia Schweri ~ Inflorescence Designs
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

Prisms Blog Hop -Diamond Kites Pillow

Today is my day on the Prisms Blog Hop launching a new fabric collection by my friend and fellow Island Batik Ambassador: Claudia of Create with Claudia. This new fabric is like a joyous rainbow or colorwheel. It will make you smile! I think Izzy Bear likes his new pillow.

Isn't it an awesome collection! Since I was working this month with Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Split Rects tool (ruler) for my Ambassador project, I decided to use it for my Prisms Collection too. Chaining piecing my half triangles cut with the Split Rects Tool. It really makes creating with this shape FUN!

Look at my rainbow colorwheel

I used all of the 20 fabrics from the collection to make my little pillow. 

The final project

Diamond Kites Pillow

12" x 12"

June 2024

Sandra Starley

Cut with Studio 180 Tool, standard piecing

Original Design

Here's what I used to create my pillow.

Fabrics: Island Batik Prism Collection

All 20 fabrics

***Fabrics provided by Claudia (Island Batik), Split Rects Tool by Studio 180 Design, thread by Aurifil, needles by Schmetz  ***

For more inspiration and delight, see all the amazing variety of wonderful quilt projects in the Prisms Blog Hop - Visit Claudia's Blog  She's got a couple of great fabric giveaways too !!

Check Out All of the Participants of the Prisms Blog Hop

There’s a new project every day from June 16 – 28, 2024.

June 16 – Claudia – Create with Claudia 

17 – Suzy – Webster Quilt

18 – Andi – True Blue Quilts

19 – Gail – Quilting Gail

20 – Kate – Katie Mae Quilts

21 – Jane – Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

22 – Sandra – Textile Time Travels  <— You are Here

23 – Claudia – Create with Claudia

24 – Denise – A Quiltery

25 – Connie – Kauffman Designs

26 – Elena – Otter and Thyme

27 – Susan – Lady Blue Quilts

28 – Claudia – Create with Claudia

Candy Corn Stars - May Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

 This month's challenge is Paper Pieced Celebrations!! A great opportunity to play with a great Halloween Collection and experiment with one of my favorite techniques. I decided to do a modern makeover on an antique quilt. 

Here's a peek at the piecing.

So here was the challenge

and the BOOTIFUL Fabrics with which I got to work. It is a fabulous Halloween Collection!!!  

I have several antique hexagon quilts but I decided to recreate this antique hexagon beauty from my sister Donna's collection. Here's when we first saw it on Instagram. Stay tuned for pictures of the old and the new together.

You can see I needed to do lots of cutting and piecing.

 I started out strip piecing - sewing on straight lines on lengths of  freezer paper and then I decided to try something new. I copied a ruler onto copy paper, taped several together, and simply sewed on the lines 

 I started out foundation paper piecing/strip piecing - sewing on straight lines drawn on freezer paper and then I decided to try something new. I copied a ruler onto copy paper and simply sewed on the lines. It was pretty easy and relaxed sewing. 

And look at the results.

Lots of points coming together for perfect paper piecing.

Figuring out the stars from my strip sets.

Playing with designs.

The black/orange star.

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And one of the purple stars.

And here's the full quilt. Taken outside in a thunder and lightning storm. Perfect Halloween weather.

Candy Corn Stars

50" x 60"

May 2024

Sandra Starley

Original pattern - an adaptation of an antique pattern

Fabrics: All 20 of the Island Batik Bootiful Collection 

All 20 of the Naturally Neutral Collection

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Piecing with Schmetz Needles

 Pressing with Smart Iron from Oliso 

Batting: I will be using Hobbs Tuscany Wool 

Visit Island Batik  for giveaways of the awesome new fabrics we Ambassadors are using and to see all our creations for the May Blog Hop

(Winter’23 collections

Week 3:

May 20:

Hatziioannidi, Mania Bootiful

Starley, Sandra Bootiful

May 21:

McAuliffe, Maryellen Snowed In

Atkinson, Renee Snowed In

May 22:

Jamieson-Hirst, Kim The Grove

Looney, Denise The Grove

May 23:

Thomas, Jennifer Woodland Holiday

Stanek, Carol Woodland Holiday

May 24: 

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

------------------------------

Week 1:

May 6:

Boatright, Pamela Reflections

Pitcher, Sarah Reflections

May 7:

Russel, Lana Dots and Doodles

Johnson, Victoria Dots and Doodles

Webster, Suzy Dots and Doodles

May 8:

Kresin Campbell, Connie Fall Gatherings

Fisher, Brittany Fall Gatherings

May 9:

Alburl, Brenda Fire and Ice

Harris, Preeti Fire and Ice

May 10:

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

Week 2:

May 13:

Best, Megan Lavandin

Malasky, Leah Lavandin

Kauffman, Connie Lavandin

May 14:

Pickering, Lisa Oasis

Schweri, Julia Oasis

May 15:

Leachman, Emily Peppermint Sprinkles   

Sheppard, Gail Peppermint Sprinkles

May 16:

Deshensky, Susan Prisms

Hauprich, Jane Prisms

May 17:

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