February Quilt - Island Batik Row By Row Challenge - I Love You and Fabric

 This month the Island Batik Brand Ambassadors are creating Row By Row Quilts using new Island Batik Collections and Island Batik is giving away these Collections each week on their blog (scroll down for details). 

I had the pleasure of working with the new Graphix Collection. I played with basic shapes and blocks inspired by antique samplers and quilts in my collection along with my love for word play and wonky modern quilts. And since it is February, I just couldn't resist making a Valentine's Day quilt. When I'm not making traditional antique repro quilts, I like to paper piece with graphic black and white prints and so this collection was just perfect! 

 

I LOVE YOU and fabric

30" x 32"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2022

Traditional pieced and foundation paper pieced blocks, Graphix and Contempo Batiks: (Graphix Collection)

Backing: White (Solids Collection)

Batting: Hobbs Premium 80/20 Bleached Cotton 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. ***

 I had sew much fun using the new Graphix Collection by Kathy Engle  - wonderful black and whites and greys with dots and geometrics. I was able to use all 20 different fabrics from the Collection to make my blocks with traditional piecing and foundation paper piecing.

I also received the Contempo Collection and used the pinks/red to add accents to the Graphix Collection. I also added some basic solids and blenders and a yummy salmon pink from the Ravishing Reds gradations.

To see more amazing Row By Row Quilts and join in the Giveaways, visit my fellow 2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors' Blogs and the Island Batik Blog :

**FEBRUARY ROW BY ROW BLOG HOP SCHEDULE** AND WEEKLY GIVEAWAY

This week- Week 2

Feb. 7 -  

                   Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood      

Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights 

Feb. 8 - 

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt

Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs 

Feb. 9 - 

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts

Feb. 10 - 

Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky
Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels

February 11:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway at Island Batik Blog

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Week 3 -

Feb. 14 -

Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde
Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

Feb. 15 -

Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia

Feb. 16 - 

Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts

 Feb. 17 -

Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio
Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads

February 18:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway at Island Batik

------------------------------------

Week 4

 Feb. 21 -

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter

 Feb. 22 -

Mania Hatzioannidi, Mania for Quilts
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

February 23:

End of Blog Hop and Final Round-Up at Island Batik

--------------------------------

And don't forget to visit the earlier posts for more inspiration

Week 1

Jennifer Thomas - Curlicue Creations

Denise Lonney - For the Love of Geese

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts

Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

Megan Best, Bestquilter

Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine

Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs

 

SEW GOOD Blog Hop - Fabrics Full of Fun!!!

 I'm sew pleased to be part of the launch of the cutest fabric collection ever! Deb Fisher of the Fish Museum has designed her first fabric line full of pure whimsy: SEW GOOD. Pincushions, strawberries and pins; buttons, scissors, and thread; and delightful scallop polka dot stripes for binding.   It is almost impossible to pick a favorite but here are my 4 favorite blocks. The pincushion girls and little birds and buttons are sew sweet, but then look at those scissors and pins and those buttons!  ***Be sure to scroll down to see and visit all the other amazing designers taking part in this blog hop **** 

The fabrics all feature Deb's signature whimsical design style. They made me smile every minute I was sewing or even just gazing at them. Here's my favorite block at the moment.

I decided to make a simple paper pieced star quilt showcasing the wonderful prints.

Cheddar is Sew Good!!

Sandra Starley, 2022

I was inspired by this antique quilt in my collection --

Antique Cheddar Stars, C. 1890, Ohio
Starley Quilt Collection

I love how the new SEW GOOD fabrics make the new quilt totally different from my earlier version shown below made using reproduction fabrics. Cheddar Stars Over Moab Pattern available in my Etsy shop. It has 3 inch blocks which you can enlarge for the 6 inch sized blocks I used for the SEW GOOD quilt.  **Perfect if you want to make your own Cheddar is Sew Good Quilt.

Cheddar Stars Over Moab
Sandra Starley, 2010

***Visit all the stops on the SEW GOOD BLOG HOP**** You'll have a great time!

February 1 - Jen at Dizzy Quilter 

February 2 - Becca at Sugar Sand Quilt Co.
February 3 - Sam at Hunter's Design Studio

February 4 - Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts
February 5 - Lissa at Lovingly Lissa
February 6 - Jen at Dizzy Quilter
February 7 - Kim at Go-Go Kim
February 8 - Sherry at Powered by Quilting
February 9 - Sandra at Textile Time Travels :) You are here now.
February 10 - Amy at During Quiet Time

February 11 - Deborah at Fish Museum and Circus

Sew Much Fun - Quilt Block Tour - Week 28

 Hello, I'm glad you are joining me on the Sew Much Fun!! Tour.  I hope you have been following along and collecting (and making) all the awesome blocks. Here's the link  https://blockofthemo.com/sewmuchfun/, if you need to catch up.  And be sure to check in next weekend (Feb. 13) for another great pattern. The host will be Penny Spool Quilts  

I love playing with high contrast fabrics like black and white and pink for pizzazz. I decided to make a spool block. And since I'm a 2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassador I decided to share some of their great new fabrics for the block (pink is for contrast, not part of the block). Fabrics courtesy of Island Batik from the new Graphix Collection by Kathy Engle for Colourwerx. Pink is from the new Contempo Collection by Kathy Engle.

  PATTERN: Here's a pinnable image you can pin or save or print out with everything you need to make the block. *Note trim half-square triangles to 2"*

Step by Step Pattern for the 6 inch finished (6 1/2" unfinished) spool block using simple pieces and easy half-square triangles.

         CUTTING 
#1 -Background and Spool fabrics- 

     Cut 2 sets (4 pieces from each fabric)

2 squares - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"  (used for 4 corners -diagonal seam 1/2 square triangles)

2 rectangles - 3 1/2" x 2"

-------------------
#2 - Thread fabric (block center) - Cut

1 square-  3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

        PIECING 
#1 - Diagonal seam - Half square triangles using 2 sets of light and dark 2 1/2" squares (background and spool fabrics).

Place a background and spool square right sides together and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on back of light fabric. Then draw a sewing line 1/4" on both sides of the diagonal. 

You will sew on these lines. Cut on the middle line and press block to the dark. Repeat for 2nd pair of half squares. This makes 4 half square triangles. ****Trim units to 2".

#2 - Block Construction  **for nesting seams and no dark fabric shadows, I pieced in vertical rows not horizontal.

Left and right sides: 
 sew a 1/2 square triangle to top/bottom of each background rectangle, press in toward rectangle.

Middle row -
sew a spool rectangle to top/bottom of spool square, press out to rectangle.

Join left row to middle section and then add right side.  Press left & right rows to center. 

Voila!! 

You have a Sew Much Fun block.  For more patterns, visit my Etsy Shop, Textile Time Travels

Follow me on social media @Textile Time Travels

Textile Time Travels on Instagram and 

Textile Time Travels on Facebook 

January Quilt - Island Batik - Step By Step Challenge - Little Blue Houses

Little Blue Houses

36" x 36" 

Sandra Starley, 2022

I am having sew much fun designing with the new step-by-step Gradations fabrics from Island Batik. They are available now in yardage in several different color ways (each goes from very light to dark).

 I got to work with the Brilliant Blues. Aren't they lovely!!!

I played with them and tried to figure out the best way to show off their beauty and recreate an antique quilt in my collection.

Here's a bit of the antique inspiration house quilt alongside the new quilt top.

Little Blue Houses

36" x 36"

Original Design

Houses Blocks and border, Brilliant Blue Gradations Batiks: (Brilliant Blues, Basics Collection)

Backing: White (Solids Collection)

Batting: Hobbs Premium 80/20 Bleached Cotton 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. ***

To see more amazing Step By Step Quilts showcasing the Gradations, 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 ~ Mania 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

2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassador - Unboxing Video

 I'm sew excited to announce that I've been chosen as a 2022 Brand Ambassador for Island Batik Fabrics!

 The house block is a sneak peek at my 1st project - another antique repro quilt based on a quilt in the Starley Collection.

I've received 2 boxes brimming full of wonderful batik fabrics and much more!! Some of the other treasures included 4 queen-sized batts from Hobbs Batting and thread from Aurifil Thread. 

Here's my official unboxing video showcasing the beautiful fabrics I'll be using to create projects for the first half of 2022.

A big thank you to Island Batik and the other program sponsors. Thanks.

Day 31 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts - Starley Quilt Collection

 BIG NEWS - Yes, I'm shouting!! My Newest Cheddar Antique Repro Quilt is patterned in the current issue of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine!!! APQ did an amazing job styling and presenting my Cheddar House quilt - "Close To Home". This makes me want to paint a wall blue.

Photo -"USED WITH PERMISSION FROM AMERICAN PATCHWORK & QUILTING®. ©2021 MEREDITH CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.”  ** The beautiful fabrics I used are from the Homestead Harvest collection by Julie Latty Letvin of Me and My Stitches for Robert Kaufman fabrics. Aren't they yummy! 

Here's the antique inspiration quilt from the Starley Quilt Collection

And a progress shot from creating the mini repro quilt -

Here's the cover (btw, that beautiful cover quilt is also an antique inspired quilt). I love that APQ magazine is so antique quilt friendly and really promotes antique quilts and quilt history!! 

"USED WITH PERMISSION FROM AMERICAN PATCHWORK & QUILTING®. ©2021 MEREDITH CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.”

Day 30 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts - Starley Quilt Collection

Another one of my favorite patterns is Hexagon Medallions, like the circa 1890 beauty below from my traveling antique quilt collection. They are also featured in my Patterns Through Time lecture trunk show.

Lots of wonderful fabrics!! Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can really see the details.

Click on the picture of the center to find the 1876 Centennial flag print. You may have seen a recent reproduction of this print by Lisa Bongean of  Primitive Gatherings. 

Another detail of the amazing figural (people) prints and cheater prints (the bird and the patchwork right below).

Day 29 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts from the Starley Quilt Collection

 Another favorite block of mine is the Tumbling Block Star. I shared another Tumbling Block Star a couple of days ago with a center block of solid fabrics. This top doesn't have that feature but it is still pretty awesome. Part of my Patterns Through Time trunk show.

The maker made horizontal rows of color by carefully arranging her fabric placement, like the pink, blue and red fabrics below.

The quilt top is circa 1885/90 and from Pennsylvania. Lots of wonderful novelty prints and cheater fabrics. Be sure to click on the photo to enlarge and enjoy the details of the fabrics.

Day 28 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts from the Starley Quilt Collection

 Another very holiday season quilt is this applique Coxcomb and Berries antique quilt, circa 1850, Starley Quilt Collection. 9 blocks straight set to create a secondary design where 4 blocks meet - it repeats the red X in the center of the individual blocks.

Unusual red and green circles create a frame or border around the blocks that are anchored by 4 lovely applique vases or baskets of flowers and more berries!

A close-up of the red and green berries - someone liked appliqueing circles! The green would have been a darker, more forest green but I do like the limey color it has now.

Day 27 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts - Seeing Stars

Another favorite block of mine is the Tumbling Block Star and it is another pattern featured in my antique quilt trunk show: Patterns Through Time

This quilt is part of a special group of Tumbling Block Star quilts that were made in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania in the 1880s. The special part is that they all feature a central block made solely from solid (non printed) fabrics - see photo below,

This quilt also was precisely planned and executed with each set/pair of touching points in a star using a very close matching fabric. For example the pink and green star above left has 6 different fabrics but the pink are almost exactly alike as are the 2 greens and the 2 brown dots. Or look at the 2 double blue or Lancaster Blue prints in the top right above - so similar! My friend Greta and I have found at least 20 of these Tumbling Block Star quilts with the solid fabric centers, all have origins of Lancaster Co and 1880 or 90s time frame.

Day 26 - A Magical Month of Antique Quilts - Super Christmasy Quilt

 This is one of my most Christmasy quilts!  Staghorn applique pattern, antique quilt, circa 1860. Starley Quilt Collection. Of course, red and green proclaim the holidays, and the holly berry style wreathy appliques do too. Click on the picture to enlarge and see the details - such as all the embroidery that makes this quilt delightful.

Here's the full antique quilt. It is always interesting to see how the earlier quilters arranged their applique designs. This unknown maker aligned the 4 ferns to face to the center, focal point applique.  

I also like to see how makers figured out their borders and got their designs around the corners. This quilter made each border separately, starting in from the border width and continuing to the corner, repeating 3 more times. A great method that avoids having to make the borders meet in the corners. Note - if the border designs are not continuous, you don't have to worry about them matching :) 

A bit of the folky border. Actually, the whole quilt is a bit folky and I really like that. Folky and informal is more fun than precise and formal design.