Stella is a Star

Stella made the cover!

Published!

Stella is not only published in the We Like Quilting digital/online magazine's September 2025 issue, she made the cover! I am thrilled.

Stella

Designed  in EQ8 and made with the Island Batik collection Midnight Garden, Stella finished at 60" by 80".

Star blocks alternate with Irish Chain blocks. A skinny border and a scrappy border complete the quilt top.

Egg White Background

The background is Egg White (Island Batik Neutral) and provides a perfect canvas for pale blues, ceruleans and turquoise fabrics. The batting is Thermore by Hobbs. I used my walking foot to quilt squiggly lines.

Floral Blues

The backing is Frosting (Island Batik Neutral). 

Frosting Backing

Starry Nights

I love the shimmering blues. 

Crushing on You

Perfect for Outdoors too

Do check out the online magazine. It has a load of fun patterns suitable for every decor. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

In other news, I was in Evanston over the Labor Day weekend, visiting friends.  I took loads of non-quilty pictures. This one taken by my friend's son is the most meaningful. There is a tiniest dip where I stand, as if contemplating my very existence between the sky, the sand and the water. No matter how small or subtle, we make a difference. 

Gillson Beach, Wilmette

Your comments and your thoughts, no matter how brief, make a difference to me.

Westfield Pattern Release & Giveaway

 Meet Westfield. 

Two (too) handsome guys :-D

This handsome quilt made his appearance in make Modern's Issue 64 in May 2025.

Modeled by Paul, Picture by Preeti, Cover by Make Modern

Designed in EQ8, Westfield is made using the Island Batik collection Poetic Bouquet and is Layer-Cake Friendly. One pack of 10" squares plus 3.5 yards of background and he can be yours.

Westfield is now available as a standalone pattern in my Etsy Shop, available at a discount of 25%, that is just $9 but only till Wednesday, 9/3/25. 

On my bed :-)

The pattern is easy to piece and comes with detailed instructions and colored graphics for every step. I have also included a blank coloring sheet so that you can audition your coloring choices.

Gorgeous!

But of course, there is a giveaway. Leave me a comment on this post, mentioning your favorite precut 
(and why) and I will enter you in a contest to win a free PDF copy of the Westfield (or any other pattern from my Etsy shop). I will announce the winner next week. 

Giveaway Update - The winner is #20. Email sent.

I will be sharing with Quilting Jetgirl's Favorite Finish and all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

In other news, I have completed the Turquoise/Aqua/Teal blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Here they are. Will share with Angela's Linky Party on Saturday.

All of them

Framed 4-patch Blocks

Divided 4-patch Blocks

All scraps are Island Batik fabrics. It is good to be an ambassador.

The next Island Batik Challenge and Blog Hop requires us to make a Crazy Quilt. I will be using the Everlasting  Collection. 

Everlasting Collection - Selected Fabrics

Here is a sneak peek. 

One Block, Too Crazy

The Threaded Chaos Blog Hop begins September 8, 2025. I will be posting my little beauty on 9/15/25. Won't you stop by then?

Hot Stuff - Oliso Iron Case Challenge

Picture this - a completely solar-powered, aerodynamically designed, sleek automobile of the future. Its exterior is so dark and shiny that the passing landscape is reflected perfectly on its surface.

Cool Trees, Scorching Planet

In January, we received a mini Oliso Iron, complete with a matching Solemate (a base for placing the hot iron) and a thick wool carry case. Island Batik's August Challenge is to decorate the carry case for our Oliso Mini Irons.

This was an unusual project. The thick wool carry case would certainly break a needle or two, if I tried sewing on it. The idea of hand-sewing on a thick material made my finger pads shudder, thimble or not. Design consideration aside, the logistics of this project was the bigger challenge.

I decided that it would be best to stick to the surface, instead of sewing on it.  I traced the shape of the two sides and the back on to a background fabric, cut it out and began designing/playing.

Bright Fabrics + Steam A Seam 2

Layering

Wool Mat - Notation for the next Layer

I used a heat-erasable pen to mark the gentle slopes of the landscape and note its placement on the existing layer.

Once I layered the landscape curves on the background, it was time to add the trees, followed by quilting with wavy lines. I stitched the entire piece onto the smooth side of SF-101 and trimmed it. I secured the edges with zig-zag stitching and ironed the piece on to the carry bag, so that the sticky/bumpy side of the SF-101 did the work!

Ta-Da

This was a fun and creative project, which forced me to think outside the case :-D  I used the case once in the beginning to trace the shape and once in the end to stick the piece to it. I am glad that I did not have to stick a needle through that thickness. My finger pads are thanking me :-)

But enough about that. Let's see how the other three surfaces turned out.

Preparing the Landscape hills

Adding Trees

Cool Landscape - Bright Trees

The Cute Caboose

Braids

The top was a simple rectangle shape. I treated this slightly differently. I used the leftover braid from a previous project, stitched it on all four sides facing the sticky side of SF-101, cut a slit in the SF-101 and turned it inside out. I carefully pushed out the corners and stitched on top. Then I ironed it to the top of the carrying case.

I could not use this technique on the side panels because they were thicker due to the use of stabilizer (applique) and could not be turned. 

In the end, I am so very pleased with this project. It challenged me, allowed plenty of room for creativity and turned out to be very cute :-) That is a win-win-win.

Do check out other Island Batik Ambassadors' posts. All of our projects are so uniquely creative. I love it!

Many thanks to Island Batik and Oliso for providing products for this project thru the Island Batik Ambassador program.

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In other news, Angela announced that Aqua/Tea/Turquoise is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for August. Here are my picks.

Island Batik Scraps

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties (including Angela's on Saturday). See full list on the sidebar. But I'd love to hear from you. How are you feeling - Hot or Not?

Rosemary etc.

Rosemary came home on May 1. She is a short-haired almost all-black Bombay cat. 

Rosemary

She is affectionate and agile. Loves to play, and often zooms around the house. Surprisingly, she is not interested in our food. She neither begs nor does she sniff our plates. 

It has been a while since we had a third family member. After Jonesie passed away and Louie displayed misdirected aggression (and returned to the shelter), we had been a pet-free home for a few years.

When we spotted a mouse in the house on Easter, and the mousetraps did not work, it was time to bring home the beast. Since then we have seen neither hair nor hide of the mouse.

I firmly believe that the mouse was the universe's way of telling us - "Bring Rosemary home"

Here she is inspecting Bubbles and enjoying the perch from her condo. 

Just curious...

I am so cool!

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We managed to get away for a holiday weekend, saw some sights, ate good food, had some exhilarating moments (ziplining) and got sunburnt, while tubing in the Shenandoah River.

Mayneview Bed & Breakfast in Luray

The View from our B&B

Lake Arrowhead State Park

Growing Old Together

So Much Fun to get a SunBurn

Yes, we did apply SPF50 cream, but the river water washed it away. 

Pork Belly at Chop House Bistro

Peppers, Mushrooms and Cheese 

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I received the remaining fabrics from Island Batik, including the pattern and bag making supplies from ByAnnie.

The Pattern + Bag Making Supplies, from ByAnnie

The Fabrics to make the bag

Summer Collection - Paisley Pop 2.5" Strips

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July is Purple, said Angela. And nature got the memo.

Crepe Myrtle in Bloom

And here are my completed blocks!

Divided Squares

Framed 4-Patch Blocks

All Purple Blocks, All Island Batik Scraps

Sharing with Angela's Linky Party.

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Island Batik's August Challenge requires us to decorate the carrying case of our Oliso Irons.  That blogpost is coming in August.

I am so naked...cover me please!

Stay tuned and stay hydrated.