March Quilt - Amalfi Magic - Island Batik and Aurifil Italian Color Builder Project

My March Island Batik Brand Ambassador project is centered on the Amalfi (Italy) Color Builder Thread Collection and embroidery work.

Amalfi Magic

18" x 14"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2022

The Amalfi Italian Color Builder Thread Collection featured 3 beautiful purples  2562, 2520, 2545 

I found the text from the collection box very inspiring:

"Wind whips through your hair as your '63 Alfa Romeo speeds along the edge of the Mediterranean coastline. The brightly colored houses look like an impressionist painting, highlighted by blue skies and twinkling sunlight. A burst of color catches your eye and you pull over to admire the Bougainvillea, its beauty accentuated by the soft hum of the bumblebees." Here's the piece before I did A LOT of quilting/embroidery/threadpainting with all 3 purples from the Amalfi Collection. Click on each quilt picture to see the difference the thread makes! **Note - I used 2 layers of Hobbs Batting (a wool and a cotton) for stability and to hold up to heavy stitching.

I think I've shown the beautiful coastline, colored houses, blue skies, twinkling sunlight, and the bougainvillea. I also had to add the ever-present colorful boats and beach umbrellas. The variety of bright saturated colors in the new Contempo and Woodcut Blossoms helped me bring my vision to life.

In addition to the inspiring text and thread, I did a lot of googling to create my design. Here's a bit of the beauty of Amalfi.

 

Words were foundation paper pieced - improv piecing blocks, featuring new collections- Contempo, Woodcut Blossoms, and Graphix Batiks 

plus a number of Brilliant Blue gradations (perfect for sky and ocean)

Backing: Cloud (Brilliant Blue Collection)

** 2 Battings: Hobbs Premium 80/20 Bleached Cotton Batting and 

Hobbs Premium Wool Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

75/11 Chrome Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley 

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

 I had sew much fun using the new collections and creating a portrait of the beauty of AMALFI.

To see more amazing Step By Step Quilts showcasing the Gradations, visit my fellow 2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Megan Best ~ Bestquilter
Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts
Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio
Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ 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
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads
Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute And Quirky
Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt