Island Batik Studio 180 Design - Tool Craze Blog Hop - Maple Island Table Runner

 This month's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge is sponsored by Deb Tucker and Studio 180 Design. Each of us is working on a "Tool Craze" project using a new Island Batik Collection and a ruler tool from Studio 180 Design. 

The brief was to use the assigned new collection: Maple Island (a beautiful grouping of pinecones and maple leaves and aspen trees)

and the Studio 180 Design ruler. I received the  Four Patch Square Up Ruler which makes 4 patch blocks  in 12 different sizes from 1/2" finished to 6" finished. I needed to make at least 30 units and at least 2 different sized blocks. 

I ended up making 60 units and 6 different blocks in 4 sizes.
    1" finished (4 Patch and Offset)
    2" finished (4 Patch and Offset)
    3" finished (4 Patch)
    4" finished (4 Patch)

Look at those teeny 4 Patches on the back - a key to the tool's precision is to spin and press the seams or intersections.

*I used the extra Technique Sheet for Offset Four Patch using the same tool. The Offset or uneven blocks add extra interest and pizzazz to the regular Four Patches. I made regular and offset Four Patches that finished at just ONE inch!!! See those little 4 patches in regular and the double 4 Patches (offset). 

I was really impressed with the accuracy I achieved using the Four Patch Square Up tool even working with those tiny pieces.

Walking Through the Woods

16" x 28"

Original Design

Sandra Starley May 2023

 Batiks: Maple Island Collection - every fabric (20 pieces)

Backing: Pincecone (Foundation Basics)

Batting: Hobbs Heirloom Cotton/Poly Bleached Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Four Patch Square Up  Ruler: Studio 180 Design

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, Four Patch Square Up  Ruler/Tool by Studio 180 Design,  thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz

GIVEAWAY

I have lots of little pieces cut from my experimenting with the tool and design process, Leave a comment for a chance to win. USA addresses only. Please make sure I can reach you if you win. I'll do a random drawing at the end of the blog hop - end of May. And visit Island Batik's blog for their weekly giveaway.

 To see more of the new Island Batik Collections and what my fellow ambassadors are making with them and the Studio 180 Design Rulers/Tools AND to have chances to win new Island Batik fabrics, follow along with this month's Blog Hop. Some of the other ambassadors are doing giveaways too (links below).

WEEK 1

    May 1

Celebrate

Susan Deshensky, Lady Blue Quilts
Randi Jones, Randi’s Roost

    May 2

holiday-at-home

Elita Sharpe, Busy Needle Quilting
Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts

    May 3

Let it Snow

 Brittany Fisher, Bobbin with Brittany
Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts

    May 4

Make a Wish

Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

    May 5

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

    May 8

Maple Island

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts   

Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels -  you are here - leave a comment for the Giveaway!

        May 9

Sandalwood

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
Lana Russel, Lana Quilts

    May 10

Sea Cookies

 Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia
Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum

    May 11

Sorbet

 Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

May 12

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

May 15

Summer Twilight

Victoria Johnson, Forever Quilting for You
Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

May 16

Sunny Meadow

Sarah Pitcher, Pitcher’s Boutique
Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting

May 17

Wild Blooms

Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

May 18
End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up

Crazy Quilt Challenge - April Island Batik Ambassador Project with Aurifil Thread

April's challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors was to create a Crazy Quilt inspired project showcasing one of the Aurifil 2022 Color Builders set.  More about the thread in a minute. The project could be any type or size, it just needed to feature crazy quilting. The fabrics could be any from our Winter box. I picked two of the Island Batik color Gradations - a strip pack of Playful Purples (2.5") and a stack of Bodacious Blacks (10"). Interestingly, the Black collection has more light fabrics than the purple. I decided it would be fun to make a crazy quilt pillow!

Back to the Aurifil threads - the mini collections we were using are based on Rainforest plants and each feature 2 variegated threads and a complementary solid in 50 weight thread. I received the Golden Shrimp Plant Collection with a really fun multi-colored variegated thread, a yellow variegated (subtly) and a cheery yellow/orange. Perfect colors to contrast with purple! I had a lot of fun joining fabrics randomly to create folky funky stars.

I used lots of crazy quilt stitching with the Aurifil thread to embellish the crazy pieced star blocks. This is how the blocks looked BEFORE the machine quilting/embroidery (and a bit of hand quilting).

And here they are AFTER

And the finished pillow

Crazy Stars! Pillow

14" x 14"

April 2023

Sandra Starley

Freeform, crazy piecing

Machine Quilting - hand quilting

Original Design

Fabrics: Island Batik Playful Purple and Bodacious Blacks

Batting: Hobbs Premium 80/20 Black Cotton Batting and 

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting/embroidery Thread Aurifil #50 weight: Golden Shrimp Plant Collection

75/11 Chrome Microtex Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley 

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

 For more inspiration and delight, see all the amazing crazy quilt projects, my fellow Island Batik Ambassadors made in April. 

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