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

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting and 

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

December Monthly Color Challenge

  For the 5th year, I'm joining in on a fun project run by Jen of PBJ, Patterns By Jen; her awesome free mystery quilt - the 2024  Monthly Color Challenge  ***December Block***  The Star Pattern is free during December so visit her page after you look at my cute little star block and learn more about it and the Challenge.

This year's inspiration is nature but not the usual - it is creatures of the sea - tropical FISH.

December's inspiring fish is the MARIGOLD WAG SWORDTAIL

                                                                  Photo from Liveaquaria

As always, I tend to go more toward the orange shades but I captured that wonderful black pointed tail with my Island Batik Fabrics from the new Flora Nova Collection! I think Ollie Owl approves.

Jen provides great instructions for each monthly free pattern - they are easy to follow and she also includes a video! Be sure to visit her in December for your free block (see pattern link above).

And you can pick up the patterns for prior blocks for just a $1 each from her blog.

Here are the links for all 2024.

November - Gourami (Teal) - link to pattern and fun pinwheel block by Jen

October - Wrought Iron Butterfly (Black)  link to pattern and block by Jen and another for

October - by Becca Fenstermaker of Sugarsandquilts.com

September - Kuhli Loach (Brown) link to pattern and block by Jen and 3 blocks for

September by Malgorzata Banjo of Polaquilting.com (She shares 3 versions of the block)

August - Purple Dottyback (Purple) block by Jen and 2 blocks for

August by Patti Carey of Pattis Patchwork - (She shares 2 versions plus same for first 7 months)

July - Duboisi Cichlid (Silver) block by Jen and another for

July by Amanda of Be Mandy Things

June - Harlequin Rasboras (Raspberry) link for pattern and block by Jen and another for

June by Raylee of Sunflower Stitcheries 

May - Electric Yellow Lab (Yellow) link for pattern and block by Jen and 3 blocks for

May by Kathy by KathyKwilts and More (she shares 3 versions of the block)

April - Electric Blue Hap (Blue) link for pattern and block by Jen and another for

April by Gail of Quilting Gail.com (she also shares prior months' blocks)

March - Cherry Barb (Red)  link for pattern and block by Jen and another for

March by Marlene of Kissed Quilts

February - Discus (Orange)  link for pattern and block by Jen and another for

February by Anja of Anja Quilts

January - Green Tiger Barb (Green)  link for pattern and block by Jen and another for

January by Joanne of Everyone Deserves a Quilt

I hope you will visit Jen soon and try some of these blocks. They are really fun and easy to make!

HAPPY QUILTING!

November Dresden Plate Challenge - Island Batik Blog Hop

 This month's challenge/assignment for Island Batik Ambassadors is to create a quilt using the classic quilt pattern - DRESDEN PLATE. Here's mine and you can see Izzy bear can't wait to snuggle under it.

I received the new Willow Creek Collection - remember the surprise package I got a few months ago ...It was full of this beautiful fabric!

Here's close-ups of all the yummy fabrics.

And the beautiful blues and playing with piecing

I choose to go with foundation paper piecing and a simpler version of the multi-bladed Dresden to really showcase the fabrics.

I experimented with A LOT of different arrangements but finally decided on this modern version with a central block surrounded by radiating partial plates.

Dazzling Dresdens

November 2024

Sandra Starley

Foundation paper piecing and standard piecing

Machine Quilting

Original Design

Fabrics: Island Batik Willow Creek Collection

ALL 20 fabrics

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Batting and 

Piecing and Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

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 and Smart Iron by Oliso ***** 

Visit my fellow ambassadors to see their amazing Dresden Plate Creations! And visit the Island Batik Blog for give-aways and to catch up on all the month's fun. 

WEEK 4

November 25:

• Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels
• Victoria Johnson, Forever Quilting For You

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

October Island Batik Challenge

This month's challenge with Island Batik's Brand Ambassador Program is a partnership with fellow Utahn Annie Unrein of ByAnnie.com. I picked the Room With a View pattern and paired it with 3 different new Island Batik Collections including the Flower Pot Collection by Jennifer Fulton to create 3 cool containers. *It was pretty scary but I managed to get one completely finished in time for Halloween photo with friends. Stay tuned for the other two.

From our partner By Annie -I received the Room With A View box/container pattern and this generous kit with everything needed to create 3 boxes: Annie's own's Soft and Stable stabilizer, Annie's mesh, and her beautiful zippers, and Vinyl (for box windows). And Island Batik sent 3 sets of fabulous fabrics - Geometrica and Geometric Symphony by Jerry Khiev and Flower Pot by Jennifer Fulton. 

 3 Containers - small 8 1/2", medium 10 1/2", large 12 1/2"

Sandra Starley 2024

Room With A View Pattern ByAnnie 

Fabrics by Island Batik: Flower Pot by Inquiring Quilter

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles  

 

                                Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley 

I quilted all the main fabrics and lids, bases to add stability. 

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, pattern - vinyl -zippers- mesh from By Annie, thread by Aurifil, needles by Schmetz and Smart Iron by Oliso. ***

 I found the ByAnnie pattern to be extremely user-friendly and generally easy to follow*.  I made handles and sewed on vinyl, zippers, and mesh, etc. - things outside my regular quilt skills. It is always good to work your brain and learn new things.

*There were a few very tricky steps. . .  thank goodness, the pattern included a coupon for a fabulous BONUS; an "Add-On Video Tutorial". This is a series of videos that show you how to create the containers. Annie demos a section of the pattern on the video and then you do that step on your own box and then come back for the next step.  Annie shares lots of great tips to make the process doable. 

One more bonus - the pattern includes instructions for 3 different sized/shaped containers. What a cool pattern! Thanks Annie!

To see more awesome bags and containers from By Annie, visit my fellow 2024 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors for the What's in Your Bag Challenge:

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

September - Island Batik Blog Hop - Adventurous Applique with Aurifil

  

This month’s challenge for Island Batik Ambassadors is “Adventurous Applique with Aurifil Thread”. We each had a specific new fabric collection to use and were to make a lap size or larger quilt using  the edge coloring applique technique by Fourth and Sixth Designs - Barbara Persing. It is a new to me technique and I had fun experimenting with it. Here is an example of each lovely batik square I made using the technique and the matching thread that was provided by Aurifil

 Rather than make a floral or other standard applique design, I chose to use it as a substitute for piecing. I decided to make another Rolling Stone quilt but instead of piecing the 4 square in a square corner blocks (the standard construction method) I used the edge coloring applique to place the on point square onto a background square.

I then used regular strip piecing to make the 2 color strips and joined the 9 segments with standard piecing.

The method is well explained on the Aurifil Blog by Barbara and also on her Youtube videos. But basically, one uses washable glue to baste applique pieces (along their edges) to a background  fabric that is stabilized with tear away  stabilizer. Then you use 40 weight Aurifil thread  that matches the applique piece and use a straight stitch and reverse straight stitch to "color" along the glued edges. You stitch a bit then reverse, forward, reverse, repeat. No need to be perfect, in fact, messy works fine! It is a very freeing technique and I can't wait to work with it some more.

I love the new Flora Nova Collection and the coordinating Aurifil Thread is pretty yummy too.

I chose the traditional Rolling Stone for this project. It is a perfect showcase for these beautiful fabrics.

The inspiration quilt made in Pennsylvania in 1852!  And here is my new updated version

Buzzing Flower Garden

45” x 45”

September 2024

Sandra Starley

Edge Color Applique and standard piecing

Machine Quilting

Original Design

Fabrics: Island Batik Flora Nova Collection

20/20 fabrics

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Batting and 

Applique - Aurifil 40 Weight

Piecing and Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Pieced and (soon to be) quilted by Sandra Starley

 ***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz and Smart Iron by Oliso *****

It is SEW nice when your iron matches your fabric

 

    BLOG HOP

The Adventurous Applique Blog Hop is in week 3. 

 Visit the Island Batik Blog all month to follow along and enter the great giveaways and see all the amazing quilts made by my fellow Ambassadors and check out all the new beautiful fabrics arriving soon in a store near you!