Sunday, May 31, 2026

The Great American Quilt Hop

 

Welcome to The Great American Quilt Hop - Celebrating 250 Years of  Independence Through the Timeless Tradition of Quilting

I'm Sandra of Textile Time Travels. I hope you will join in with TEN of my quilty friends for a showcase of the patriotic, Red, White, and Blue: Great American Quilts! Patterns are available for each quilt from the designer (see links/info below), if you have a hankering to celebrate along with your quilty friends too. But either way, I hope you will visit each designer to see more of their quilts and the inspiring stories behind the quilts. Thank you to Jen of Faith and Fabric for spearheading this one day celebration of QUILTS!

Here's my entry - HOME OF THE BRAVE  - 42" X 42"




Home of the Brave  42" X 42'
Home of the Brave is a patriotic wall hanging designed by me (Sandra Starley of Textile Time Travels). It is the perfect pattern to use up UFOs/orphan blocks and lots of fun scraps. Like America, this quilt is a melting pot of techniques: standard, strip, paper and freezer paper piecing. See how to adapt and actually use your orphan blocks to speed up the piecing process. And a great way to learn a variety of quilting techniques. A fun way to celebrate America 250!

Gather up those extra blocks and start collecting red, white and blue fat quarters. For my country look, choose tans and golds as neutrals. Be on the lookout for patriotic prints: stars, flags, and stripes. The more variety, the better.

The paper -physical- Pattern is available in my Etsy Shop, Textile Time Travels  - go directly to the pattern: Home of the Brave


NOW FOR THE REST OF THE GREAT AMERICAN QUILT HOP!!!  

Jen @ Faith and Fabric --Faith and Freedom  


The Faith and Freedom quilt pattern, designed by Jen Frost of Faith and Fabric, was created to honor two gifts that were passed down in her family: faith in God and the freedom we are blessed to live in each day. This patriotic cross quilt combines classic red, white, and blue with traditional piecing to create a design that feels timeless, meaningful, and full of movement! Finishing at 52″ x 72″, this quilt is the perfect size for a throw, a patriotic wall hanging, or a meaningful gift for someone who treasures both faith and country. The design is especially scrap-friendly, making it a wonderful way to use leftover red, white, and blue fabrics while still including full yardage instructions for those who prefer a more planned color layout. Learn more about this pattern at Jen's link above.

Brooke @ Brooke’s Bitchin’ Stitches -- And the Rocket's Red Glare

"This pattern, And the Rocket's Red Glare, is dedicated to my grandfather, Sgt. Stanley Stambersky of the US Army. During WWII, he was a Sergeant in General Patton's Third Army, and received the Silver Star and Purple Heart. He was a war hero who loved and honored his country. He would tell me ""The National Anthem is the most beautiful song I know,"" and I could not agree with him more.
 
And the Rocket's Red Glare is part of my Home Pattern Series, and is a pixelated pattern of the United States of America. This pattern is precut, fabric stash and GO! friendly. This 8 page full color pattern includes 1 throw size quilt design, step by step instructions, and applique templates for the quilt stars & heart. Add a applique heart to the quilt sharing the city & state you call home. Learn more about this pattern at Brookes' link above.


The stunning log cabin block has been a classic and timeless quilt block for centuries. The inspiring red center indicated a safe and welcoming home, as it signified the hearth, or the heart of the home. Although the log cabin block was originally a block created out of necessity, the versatility of this pattern is endless. Whether you use Civil War reproduction fabrics or modern and playful designs, the Triumph pattern will help you to create quilts that will last for generations to come. Learn more about this pattern at Lauren's link above.

Terri @ Lizard Creek Quilting -- Mail Call
My parents-in-law were sweethearts when Dad was drafted into the Korean War. For 3 years they wrote each other a letter every day--and I mean every day--they would apologize if they didn't get one sent. Mom saved those letters in cardboard shoeboxes tied with a cotton string. After they both passed, the family didn't want the letters--so they came to live in my storeroom until just the right time. Hometown Hearts is a quilt designed with small town celebrations in mind. Think 4th of July parades and fireworks. Dad loved a good fireworks display. The fabric collection used in this quilt is called Missing You from Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics). I was inspired to design this collection from the devotion Mom and Dad had to each other along with the strong pride Dad had for serving his country. Learn more about the pattern at Terri's link above.


Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts -- Patriotic Exploding Heart

The Patriotic Exploding Heart quilt, designed by Laura Piland of Slice of Pi Quilts, is a bold burst of patriotic pride! Based on the popular Exploding Heart quilt pattern, this new version is perfect for showcasing red, white, and blue fabrics. The advanced beginner pattern includes two size options - a 72" x 72" throw that is fat quarter friendly and a 36" x 36" mini size that uses fat eighths, plus bonus ideas for enlarging to to twin and queen sizes. The pattern includes cutting options for both traditional methods as well as using a fabric cutter and dies. Make a wall hanging for your home and a quilt to honor a veteran! Learn more about this pattern here.

Teresa @ Crinkle Dreams -- Stars and Stripes
"Teresa Coates has travelled across America as a sewing teacher for a decade, inspiring her to create something special this year: the Quarter Millennial Quilt sew along. This was her way of exploring each state, from its history and geography to its fantastic local quilt shops, by creating a unique block for every state. It's been an adventure in learning new techniques, and the one block that has gotten the most enthusiastic response is this variation of the classic Lone Star. This traditional block can feel intimidating, but making this small, beautiful version is totally achievable for every maker.

The Stars & Stripes block finishes at a versatile 18” x 18”—perfect for a wall quilt, or even a cozy throw pillow with the included instructions. As a beautiful variation on the block she originally designed for Texas in the Quarter Millennial Quilt project, this design is meant to represent the beautiful diversity of all of us across the country, coming together to create something lovely.
Have diamonds always made you nervous? Don't worry! Teresa designed the Stars and Stripes pattern to be a genuine skill-builder. She walks makers through every single step, making that beautiful star shape simpler to sew together than they might imagine. This is their perfect chance to build confidence and try out some fantastic new techniques.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Quarter Millennial Quilt project or finding the block for your state, visit crinkledreams.com/collections/quarter-millennial-quilt. You can also find Teresa on Instagram (@teresacoates) and Facebook (@makewithteresa). Learn more about this pattern at Theresa's link above."



"After the shock and disbelief of 911, my first thought was to fly a flag. Like all Americans, I needed to feel connected and strong to face the changing world ahead, and flying a flag provided that. 
A flag is only a symbol, but to me it's a very special one. In our flag I see one country, united and strong, yet flexible and free.

I designed Patriot to honor veterans--my father, my brother, my aunt. My hope is that quilters will make Patriot to honor the veterans in their lives or to donate to Quilts of Valor.

Patriot is easy to piece, but there are supporting videos on my YouTube channel for those that need more help. Patriot can be cut out conventionally, or with an AccuQuilt cutter--complete yardage and cutting directions are included in the pattern. Learn more about this pattern at Jennifer's link above."

Kris @ PhoebeMoon Designs -- Rockets' Red Glare

I can't honestly say that Rockets' Red Glare was inspired by any one person or event. The design itself was based on an antique quilt that caught my eye, and I adapted it into a modern pattern sized appropriately for a Quilt of Valor. Over the years I've designed many red, white, and blue quilts, including several free patriotic patterns. They are my small way of honoring the men and women who serve our country and our communities. Every stitch is a reminder that freedom is never free, and that ordinary people perform extraordinary acts of service every day. Learn more about this pattern at Kris's link above.


Cheri @ Heartfelt Works -- Enduring Liberty
In this heartfelt reflection, Cheri shares the frightening season in 2011 when she faced emergency open-heart surgery just as her husband was deployed to Afghanistan with the US Navy. Separated by war and recovery, the couple leaned on prayer, perseverance, and humor while navigating months of uncertainty and sacrifice. To keep her hands and heart busy during his deployment, she designed a patriotic quilt that would eventually become her Enduring Liberty pattern. Though the blocks themselves are simple, the quilt carries a deeper story of courage, love of country, and the resilience demanded of military families. With gratitude and patriotism, she closes by honoring both America’s 250-year journey and the men and women who continue to serve it. Learn more about this pattern at Cheri's link above.

Sandra @ Textile Time Travels --Home of the Brave -- You are here



        
Kate @ Quiltin Crazy -- Heartland Boot

The Heartland Boot Quilt Pattern, designed by Kate Eberius of Quiltin Crazy, is a reflection of my roots, which run deep in the Heartland of America. My ancestors settled in Missouri generations ago and lived, worked, and built their lives on the land for many years. This quilt is meant for the farmers, ranchers, and anyone whose life is closely tied to the land. The kind of life that values hard work, simplicity, and family. Heartland Boot is a traditionally pieced quilt pattern and very beginner friendly. This throw size pattern includes detailed diagrams and clear written instructions. Learn more about this pattern at Kate's link above.

Monday, January 19, 2026

Starry Seas Blog Hop - Island Batik/Lumin Fabrics



 I'm excited to be today's quilter on the Starry Sea Blog Hop hosted by the fabric designer Jennifer Fulton, and joining in with Jennifer and 7 other talented quilt designers to create with this awesome new fabric line featuring lots of stars and swirls, starfish, seahorses, and other wonderful motifs. Coming soon -ask for it at your local fabric shop. Designed for Jennifer by Jerry Khiev.

 Don't forget to scroll down to the end of this post for links to all the wonderful projects showcasing Starry Seas with special patterns and more.



There are 20 different fabrics in the collection and I always like to challenge myself to use every single lovely fabric. I received 10" squares which were perfect since I like to work small.

I played with arranging the fabrics into lights, mediums, and darks and also blue, yellow/gold and rusty reds ...  

I chose a traditional block and arranged the colors into 9 blocks. I used my go to foundation paper piecing and went to work. Chain piecing and folding on the pattern pieces aids in the process of sewing and removing paper.


Look at how lovely the fabrics are and the design is really taking shape!



I was happy to find the secondary design of a large Ohio Star and also the on point Nine Patch if you look at it sideways.


Starry Diamond Double Nine Patch!

15" x 15"

Original Design based on traditional block - Diamond in a Square

Sandra Starley 2026

 Batiks: Island Batik (Starry Seas Collection) provided by Jennifer Fulton

Batting/Suffing: Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

ProPlus Iron: Oliso Irons


***Please visit the other wonderful designers on the STARRY SEAS BLOG HOP****

STARRY SEAS BLOG HOP

January 12th - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter  (ENTER TO WIN A FAT QUARTER PACK!)
January 16th - Laura @ Slice of Pi
January 18th - Gail @ Quilting Gail
January 19th - Sandra @ Textile Time Travels YOU ARE HERE
January 21st - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter (WINNER ANNOUNCED!)


Saturday, October 25, 2025

Berry Fun - Berry Crush Blog Hop - Island Batik Lumin Fabrics

 


I'm excited to be today's quilter on the Berry Crush Blog Hop hosted by the fabric designer Jennifer Thomas and joining in with Jennifer and 6 other talented quilt designers to create with this awesome new fabric line featuring berries and flowers. Coming soon -ask for it at your local fabric shop. Designed for Jennifer by Jerry Khiev.
 Don't forget to scroll down to the end of this post for links to all the wonderful projects showcasing Berry Crush with special patterns and more.



There are 20 different fabrics in the collection and I always like to challenge myself to use every single lovely fabric. I received 10" squares which were perfect since I like to work small.

I played with arranging the fabrics into lights, mediums, and darks and also blue/purples and pinks ... 


Then when I decided to make 4 little Log Cabins, I divided them into 4 reds, 8 pinks/lights, and 8 blue/purple/darks. Next step was to decide on a size and number of logs. I picked 6" finished blocks, a good size to work with for a quick pillow. Next, I drew the pattern on 1/4" graph paper (old school) and cut strips and got to sewing. Nothing could be easier than foundation paper piecing with strips. Just add a piece, sew on the drawn line, press open, and repeat. 


Trim the blocks, join them together and voila - a top is ready to become a pillow or a table topper. I hope you are inspired to try paper piecing and even taking a spin at drawing your own patterns.
                Here's option A


            And Option B


Berry Cabins!

12" x 12"

Original Design based on traditional block

Sandra Starley 2025

 Batiks: Island Batik (Berry Crush Collection) provided by Jennifer Thomas

Backing: Garnet (IB Foundations)

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

ProPlus Iron: Oliso Irons


***Please visit the other wonderful designers on the BERRY CRUSH BLOG HOP****



Jennifer Thomas at Curlicue Creations
Laura Piland at Slice of Pi Quilts 
Emily Leachman at The Darling Dogwood
Lisa Pickering at Lisa's Quilting Passion
Victoria Johnson at Forever Quilting For You
Sandra Starley at Textile Time Travels (you are here)
Leah Malasky at Quilted Delights

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Fall Flair Table Runner Blog Hop -Lumin Fabrics - Island Batik Fabric


 

Today's my day for the Island Batik Blog Hop introducing the new Fall Flair Fabric by my friend Jennifer Fulton - The Inquiring Quilter. This beautiful new line is hitting shops now, and it is the perfect fabric for cabins and coziness. It has all the wonderful colors of an Aspen forest, so it fits right with this Utah quilter! Jennifer asked us to make table runners for this blog hop and it was fun to create a small project. 


There are 20 different fabrics and I used each and every one plus a few Island Batik blenders (fabrics that are always available) and pulled out my V Block Tool for Deb Tucker and Studio 180 Designs to make my runner. I enjoyed working with this cool tool a couple of years ago with an IB project and wanted to experiment with it again. I simply cut a V block center, sides, and a matching square from each fabric and started playing.


It is really fun to play with the Studio 180 Tools because you don't have to sew perfectly to achieve perfect points using this cut, sew, trim tool. I made the 6" star using little 2" V blocks and 2" squares. The border has 2" V blocks to make Flying Geese and more 2" squares. *Blocks were 2.5" trimmed and just 2" finished. 


Falling Stars!
12" x 22"
Original Design
Sandra Starley 2025

Border/Backing: Navy Cheerio (Foundations)
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
V Block Ruler: Studio 180 Design

***Fabrics provided by Jennifer Fulton andIsland Batik, batting by Hobbs, V Block Ruler/Tool by Studio 180 Design,  thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz 


Be sure to visit all my quilty friends to see the runners they created using this fabulous fabric line and don't forget to visit Jennifer today March 4th to enter her wonderful give away and win a bundle of FALL FLAIR

February 24th - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter  

February 25th - Pamela @ PamelaQuilts

February 26th - Brianna @ Sew Cute and Quirky

February 27th - Lisa @ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

February 28th - Laura @ Slice of Pi

March 1st - Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing

March 2nd - Susan @ Larkspur Lane Designs

March 3rd - Denise @ Quiltery

March 4th - Sandra @ Textile Time Travels

March 5th - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter — (THE WINNER IS ANNOUNCED!)


Ask your favorite quilt shops for Fall Flair this month! If you aren't sure what stores carry Island Batik in your area, please use the store locator on our website: store locator


Tuesday, December 24, 2024

December Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

This is the last Island Batik Ambassador Challenge of 2024 and my last official ambassador post. After 3 years (2022,2023, and 2024), I won't be returning for 2025. I've had a lot of fun, learned a lot, made many quilts and other items, and it has definitely been challenging. Stay tuned - who knows what I'll be doing next? Probably more antique quilts and patterns and likely more Island Batik projects too.

This month's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge is another fun and open challenge - It's All Up to You (ME). We could make anything we wished and use whatever Island Batik fabric we wanted to work with. Since it is the holiday season, I chose to make a Modern Christmas Tree pattern with colors that will work all year long! 

The design would work perfectly in SEW MANY ways. As a cute wall quilt OR

 A fun table runner OR

                           A super cute pillow that works for the holidays and year around!

 A Dozen Little Trees Pillow
16" x 16"
December 2024
Sandra Starley
Machine piecing
Original Design

Here's what I used to create my pillow.

Fabrics: Peach Blossom Strip Stack (2.5" strips) **All 20 fabrics**
Backing: Ice - Bodacious Blacks -IB Gradations
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight


***Fabrics provided by Island Batik,  thread by Aurifil, needles by Schmetz and Smart Iron by Oliso. ***
I had fun experimenting with making free-form improvisational trees. I cut strip pieces approximately 3.5" x 2.5" and sewed 2 longer strips diagonally from top center to bottom corner to make a triangle tree top. Here's what they look like from the back before trimming. So sew 1 strip on one side, press towards center/tree and trim, then add 2nd strip from center to other bottom corner. Press.


Then I made tree trunks - 2.5" H by 1" or 1.5" ish and added background squares/rectangles to brown trunks.

You can see I had a variety of block sizes and trees and trunks.

I started trimming blocks and ended up with all being 3.5" (3" finished width).

And then I kept on tree trimming or trunk trimming ... If you look at the finished trees, some have really short trunks. I think those look cuter. But you can experiment and have FUN!



 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 and just having fun making whatever made them smile!!!!!



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


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