Textile Time Travels

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Oh My Stars! Tool Talk Blog Hop - Island Batik and Studio 180 Design - September 2022

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

My new collection is the delightful black/white and YELLOW bee themed collection: Beehive Buzz. The perfect collection for a quilter like me from the Beehive State of Utah. The bees, hives, honeycomb hexagons, and flowers are super fun. And there are polka dots too, a guarantee of joy. I used all 20 skus in the Beehive Buzz Collection and only added one fabric - an Island Batik solid yellow to the medium star backgrounds.

I am new to Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design rulers/tools and was excited for the opportunity to try one out. I received the V Block ruler. Look at those little 1 inch V blocks.

I was amazed at how many different blocks/designs can be made with the ruler. 1st - it makes 11 different sizes of V blocks, from 1" to 6" finished with 1/2" sizes in between. But the real magic is how easy the tool makes creating the tricky V angled block. It cuts the tight angle You cut the pieces slightly bigger, sew them together, and then trim them down to size.

And once I started playing with the ruler, I was surprised with how many designs I could make with it.

I experimented and ended up using several different patterns to create a Star Medallion quilt. I made the large star using 6" V blocks, the central block and corner stars with 2" V blocks. The border has 3" V blocks to make diamonds and Flying Geese, and little 1.5" blocks to make the pinwheel corners. The blocks makes it easy and fun. I added half square triangles to the middle star to give it a honeycomb look and background squares to fill in the stars -- everything else was created with the V block ruler.

Oh, My Stars!

24" x 24"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2022

Batiks: (Beehive Buzz Collection)

Backing: Beige (Foundation Basics)

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles

V Block Ruler: Studio 180 Design

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, V Block Ruler/Tool by Studio 180 Design, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz and Accuquilt Go by AccuQuilt. ***

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 September. And visit Jennifer and Island Batik for their giveaways (links below).

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.

Week 1:

September 6:

Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde Gifts

September 7:

Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels - You are here
Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

September 8:

Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter

September 9:

Island Batik Blog posts: Blog Hop Week 1 Round Up + giveaway)

Week 2:

September 12:

Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt

September 13:

Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail

September 14:

Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

September 15:

Megan Best, Bestquilter

Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine

September 16:

Island Batik Blog posts: Blog Hop Week 2 Round Up + giveaway)

Week 3:

September 19:

Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio
Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

September 20:

Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

September 21:

Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights
Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia

September 22:

Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts
Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts

September 23:

Island Batik Blog: Blog Hop Week 3 Round Up + giveaway)

Week 4:

September 26:

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts

September 27:

Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum
Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky

September 28: Island Batik Blog: End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up)

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Halloween Mini Quilt - Marvelous Minis - Island Batik Ambassador August Challenge

I LOVE working small so this month's challenge was perfect for me! I decided to update one of my favorite past quilts using my sister's Scrappy Colorplay/Mix and Match technique and pattern. The secret of the quilt is making the same pattern look totally different by careful color placement. I made 6 different sets of blocks - 2 of each pattern. Can you figure out the matches? Try to find each set of blocks that are made with the same pattern. I'll share the answers further down in this post.

**Note - the blocks are only 3 inches finished and some have 28 pieces in a single block!!! **

Something Mini This Way Comes
13" x 17"
Original Design
Sandra Starley 2022

Traditional foundation paper pieced blocks -fabrics by Island Batik: (Moonlight Hollow Collection)
Backing: IB Grey (Foundation Basics)
Batting: Hobbs Thermore Polyester Batting
Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight
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 pressing mat by Prairie Spirit Alpacas. ***

The finished size of the full quilt is only 13" x 17" with 12 blocks. Each block is just 3 inches and many of them with more than 20 pieces per block and some of them have 28 like the star shown below. Yes, I truly do love working small.

Here's a close-up so you can pick out the matching blocks. I've been lucky to win awards for my miniature quilts and I may have to enter this one in a show or two.

Here's the 6 pairs of blocks - 6 different patterns repeated twice in different colorways. Isn't it fun to see them together. Which is your favorite pair? I like the last set with the Card Trick and fancy star.

The Moonlight Hollow - Halloween Collection is in stores now and is a delight to work with and create.

Pro - tip - sew sashing/cornerstones in strips and then cut to desired size. These 1" finished segments are SOOO much easier to make this way. I tried it both ways - okay, I did it the harder way first before my sister reminded me of the more efficient way ;)

To see more Marvelous Mini Quilts, 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 ~ M ania 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

Monday, August 1, 2022

2022 Color Challenge Cinnamon Flying Geese

For the 4th year, I'm joining in on a fun project run by Jen of PBJ, Patterns By Jen; her awesome free mystery quilt - the 2022 Monthly Color Challenge. August pattern link. Cinnamon Geese Pattern is free during August.

This year the inspiration is healthy again - Spices. August's palette is Cinnamon. Of course, my mind always goes to Cinnamon rolls or apple pie but cinnamon has healthier uses too and even medicinal benefits, some say. Here I'm trying to decide what fabrics to use. (Beautiful batiks from Island Batik, I'm a 2022 Brand Ambassador).

Jen provides great instructions for each monthly free pattern and a video too. Join in by posting a picture of your block at her link-up (see pattern link above).

August's Geese again features the quick & easy way to create a flock of Flying Geese using 2 fabrics but I wanted to do a scrappier version and used 2 different fabrics for my geese -large squares and 8 for my backgrounds - small squares.

After cutting squares, the next step is to draw sewing/cutting lines on the background squares. You can use a special ruler to mark all the lines or just a regular ruler. Sew on both sides of center.

Next cut apart on the center lines (unsewn lines) and press out. Add another small square to the 4 new units.

Cut again on the center lines and voila, 8 easy Flying Geese units. Join the geese in pairs and then join these sets together for a cool new block

I then choose to take the pattern in a different direction(s) and have my geese fly in circles.

Please visit the other quilters making this month's block to see their cool blocks and some cinnamon recipes too.

August Bloggers

Kate - Katie Mae Quilts

Anja - Anja Quilts

Fawn - Quilty Creations By Fawn

Sandra - Textile Time Travels

Raylee - Sunflower Stitcheries and Quilting

Andi - True Blue Quilts

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Island Batik Ambassador - Unboxing Video #2

I can’t believe it is almost August and I’m more than 1/2 way through my 1st year as a brand ambassador for Island Batik fabric company!

I'm going to beeeeee busy working with lots of bee-u-ti-ful fabrics especially the new Beehive Buzz Collection by Kathy Engle coming in September. Look at all the bees and beehives and hexagons and flowers. Perfect for someone from the Beehive State of Utah

My video is being tricky but I've got it posted on my Facebook page - Sandra Starley,
Unboxing Video.

Below are photos of everything I received in my 2nd Island Batik delivery.

I received 2 boxes full of wonderful fabrics, batting, and much more.

Box 1 was full of Batting by Hobbs! Tuscany Cotton & Wool - perfect for hand quilting. Hobbs Thermore polyester - great for wall quilts and clothing. Heirloom 80/20 Cotton/Poly Black batting, Heirloom Natural Cotton, and finally Heirloom Fusible Batting Strips. Oliver (Ollie the Owl) approves :)

Box 2 was brimming with 65+ yards of stunning batik fabrics!! I'll show you 50 yards now but 15 yards of fall fabric are in the super secret surprise package.

Here's that fab Beehive Buzz which I'll be using for the September Tool Talk Challenge sponsored by Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design. I'll be creating with this fun fabric and the V Block Tool.

I received the Southwest precut collection: "Silverado Canyon" paired with Pewter and Smoke from the Bodacious Blacks gradations which I can use any time.

Here's all the stash building fabrics I received. At the back is the lemony neutral "Linen". Oliver is seated on batik solids of grey, white, and black. Next to him is the foundations bundle with 4 dots, 4 mottled, and 4 solids. There's that mystery bundle again :) And at the front are the stash builder strips that are 5" by 42" with 2.8 yards in each grouping. Very useful cuts.

Another treasure in our box was the Tree of Life Die from Accuquilt! the sponsor of our Christmas in July Challenge. See my prior post to see what I made with the Tree die. Hint - it is not a tree quilt.

A really fun surprise was this alpaca and wool pressing mat courtesy of our new sponsor, Prairie Spirit Alpacas from Canada. I've been using it with the Tree die.

And I received more Beehive Buzz to use for the October Challenge: By Annie's -"It's In the Bag". I'll be making the cute Contain Yourself baskets with Beehive Buzz.