Unbearably Cute - April Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

 This month's Island Batik Brand Ambassador was sponsored by the soft toy company, Funky Friends Factory. I picked Izzy the Insomniac Bear because he is super cute and I'm a night owl/bit of an insomniac. And I thought he'd be a great match for my Funky Friend from 2022 -Ollie the Owl.  I used 4 fabrics from the Flour Sack line (great blue and tan flowers). I searched through my Grandma's button box and created a perfect pair of blue buttons. The pattern shows felt for the nose but my sister had wool which worked very well. The nose and mouth really make him come alive!

Izzy the Insomniac Bear

Pattern by Funky Friends Factory

Sandra Starley 2024

Pattern: Izzy the Insomniac Bear, Funky Friends Factory
Fabrics: Island Batik Flour Sack Batiks: (Flour Sack Collection)

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Pieced by Sandra Starley 

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, pattern by Funky Friends Factory, thread by Aurifil, Smart Iron by Oliso and needles by Schmetz. ***

I enlarged the pattern a bit (112%) as he is pretty small but then that does make him cute!

I followed the pattern, step by step, and Pauline's photo tutorial and like Pauline, I used a LOT of PINS!  Here's an action shot of sewing the fussy cut foot pad.

 And if this looks like a lot - I should have taken a photo of pinning the front to the back for the final joinder - about 50 pins. This was tucking the arms and legs inside before the final join (see I'm following the photo tutorial).

He looks like a mummy or egg. Now it was time to turn it all right sides out and get a bear.

He definitely needs a lot of stuffing! Hanging out next to my awesome new OlisoSmart Iron.

Okay, lots of stuffing and now for the rhinoplasty aka nose job!

Ready for his close up with his new best friend Ollie!

The pattern is available as an immediate PDF download and so you could start on your own Izzy today! 

If you haven't done any toy or stuffed animal sewing, don't be aftraid. The pattern is very clear and easy to follow. There is even a step-by-step photo tutorial that walks you through the whole process. 

There are oodles of different toy patterns available. Visit my fellow 2024 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors to see their new fabulous Funky Friends:

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

March Madness - Fluttering Stars - Island Batik Ambassador March Challenge

March's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge was "All Up To Us". A wide open challenge with any size, any type of project, etc. I decided to play with a block I'd worked on creating in February - a variation of Carpenter's Star quilt block. 

Here's the one I made in February 

It was a reworking of my antique Carpenter's Star Quilt 

I had a grand time playing with the new Flutter Wings Collection featuring lots of butterflies, birds, and flowers. It is perfect for Spring!

I also played with the block and flipped the corners to make more of a Churn Dash Star. The quilt has 5 of the regular blocks and 4 of the Churns.

Here's the completed quilt - Flutter Stars

Fluttering Stars 

22" x 22"

March 2024

Sandra Starley

A modern original adaptation of a traditional pattern

I really had fun working with  this delightful collection and fussy cutting all the adorable details - little birds and butterflies. I will be using my beloved Hobbs batting and Aurifil thread and Schmetz needles to quilt it. 

Here's what I used to create my wall quilt.

Fabrics: Island Batik Flutter Wings 2 1/2 " strips

Fuschia from Precious Pinks for star points

Batting: Hobbs Tuscany Wool and 

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Schmetz Needles

 Smart Iron from Oliso 

Please visit my fellow Island Batik Ambassadors to see all the many fabulous creations they made in March. Several made or finished several projects.

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

Wonky Love and Peace Log Cabin - Island Batik Challenge

 This month's challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is make a Log Cabin quilt with a brand new fabric collection. I received the awesome black and white word play Zen Funk collection designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works.

I do love a great black and white collection and fabric with words is a special joy of mine! I also really like Log Cabins and have made several wonky little Log Cabins and also have a couple in my antique quilt collection. I decided to work with this one. But I chose to focus on the center.

 

Antique Log Cabin c. 1880s, Starley Antique Quilt Collection

Add the Zen Funk Collection and wonky piecing and voila!!! I think I captured the look of the original and yet made it funky and FUN!

Wonky Love and Peace Log Cabin 

47" x 47"

February 2024

Sandra Starley

A modern original adaptation of a traditional pattern

I really had fun working with slightly wonky and freewheeling piecing. In fact, I had sew much fun that I got my top done and decided I wanted to make even more blocks. I'll be making it bigger - 6 x 6 instead of 4 x 4. I will be using my beloved Hobbs batting and Aurifil thread and Schmetz needles to quilt it. 

Here's what I used to create my wall quilt.

Fabrics: Island Batik Zen Funk 1/2 yard bundle

Assorted other Island Batik fabrics for centers

Batting: Hobbs Tuscany Wool and 

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Schmetz Needles

 Smart Iron from Oliso 

Strip piecing for efficiency

Love and Peace

Pressing along with my Oliso Smart Iron!

Visit Island Batik's Blog this week  for links to all the stops on the BLOG HOP and for weekly GIVEAWAYS  and to see all the beautiful Log Cabins that have been created this month.

I'm an Island Batik Ambassador for 2024 - Unboxing Photos

 I'm excited to announce that I am a brand ambassador for Island Batik again for 2024. 

Here's my unboxing photo gallery. It is really fun to get a box jammed full of beautiful fabrics from IB and wonderful tools for our industry sponsors. Above is the full box of treasures revealed.

Let's start with the beautiful Island Batik fabrics.

The new Fall Gatherings Collection  10" squares with coordinates of Flour and Bluegrass

2 collections of IB Gradations - Glorious Greens 1o" squares and Naturally Neutral 2.5" strips plus 4 yard cuts of solids in black, white, and grey.

A Surprise package -a beautiful collection that will be revealed in May. Plus a dozen half yard cuts of solids, neutrals, and prints.

 

Three sets of stash builder strips - strips are 5" wide by 42" and there are almost 3 yards in each package!

Another awesome new collection - Flutter Wings with orange and brown coordinates.

A fabulous new collection: in 1/2 yard cuts: Zen Funk designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel with light and dark coordinates. And in the back a yummy neutral Mocha, 6 yard cut.

And now from our sponsors

The awesome Oliso Smart Iron!

Another sponsor is Funky Friends Factory. This is Ollie I made 2 years ago and I'll be making a new Funky Friend for him. And I'm excited to start working with my new Split Rects ruler from Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Designs.

And our long time sponsor - Hobbs Batting sent two batts, one silk and one cotton. And last but not least, is Schmetz Needles who sent a great selection of needles and other treats. Hobbs will be sending more batting later and we'll also be getting Aurifil Thread.
 

Thank You!