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