Monday, February 1, 2021

Island Batik Create for a Cause BlogHop + Giveaway

Welcome to Day One of the Island Batiks February 2021 Blog Hop - Create for a Cause. 


I used the Autumn Sunset half yard bundle designed by Kathy Engle and it is shipping to stores in February 2021.


Autumn Sunset includes 20 fabrics from the lightest beige, to lemon yellow, through orange, to dark brown.


As soon as I opened the fabric bundle I decided I would recreate Paulitiks in fall colors (with one whimsical design twist) and send it to Bernie for Mercyful Quilts. It was so simple :-) 

This was going to be so easy.  I felt confident.  I went to bed with a smile. 

I was mistaken.

At about 2:45AM I got up with a start. I knew my idea was all wrong. And although I was in the middle of making the placemats for January challenge, it was the February challenge that was consuming me.

What my waking brain did not see but my subconscious self knew all along was this - Paulitiks was not the best design to showcase Autumn Sunset. 

So back to the drawing board...

Beginning


A couple hours later I had the new design ready. The design was simple but the fabric placement would be the key. Working with limited fabrics can be both a boon and a challenge. 


Will this work?


I took many many pictures and converted each to grayscale to determine value gradation. Changes were made and often. In the end, I was happy with some choices and I settled with others. Going from concept/design to flimsy was a gut-wrenching journey. What if this does not turn out according to my vision?  What if something just stands out too much or something just fades into nothingness?


Design Wall


Light Years away...


The first three rows met my expectation but it was too soon to tell.  Once I completed the flimsy, I stuck it on the design wall and walked away about 12 feet. I turned around to look at the completed top.

I gasped. It had worked!!!
But the exact moment I realized that I had succeeded was also the moment I knew I had failed.
I could not part with it.

Me: How do I "Create for a Cause" and then abandon my cause? 
Paul: Did you say something?
Me: I am supposed to donate this quilt.
Paul: So?
Me: I cannot.
Paul: Cause you like it so much?
Me: YES. And I feel terrible.
Paul: Make another.
Me: I have used up a lot of the fabric and there is hardly any time either.
Paul: Can you make something smaller?
Me: Mercyful Quilts have to be around 60" by 80"
Paul: And there is no other cause?
Me (realization dawning): Yes. Yes, there is. Thank you. I love you.
Paul: Um Hm. You are welcome.

At this point, one week from the deadline, I abandoned the flimsy and proceeded in a different direction. The next few days whizzed past in a blur. My singular aim - highlight the fabrics!!! 


This is the making of Noorie (meaning light).

Pattern


I had been playing with this pattern in an Excel Spreadsheet for a while.  Will this pattern highlight the beauty of Autumn Sunset fabrics?  Let's try.


Beginning


The Grid


Basting the Flimsy


Quilting



Noorie - Finished at 34" square



And this is Dawn in the making...

Starting with Diamonds



Filling in


Piecing Rows


Basting the Flimsy



Dawn - 28" by 34"

Quilting Detail


Snowy Backdrop - Fiery Colors



Dark Brown Binding



Don't you just love these colors?



Dawn warms my heart



Lovely Dawn



I will send Noorie and Dawn to Sue who works in Orange County Hospital in New York and coordinates the Stillborn Bereavement Group dedicated to providing bereavement quilts as a lasting and tangible memory of a lost pregnancy.

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.  Make sure to visit all the Island Batiks Ambassadors and their respective dates/stops on the Blog Hop.

The full list of Ambassadors’ names, collections they will be using in their projects, and their post dates are as follows:

February 1:

February 2:

February 3:

February 4:

February 5:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

February 8:

February 9:

February 10:

February 11:

February 12:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

February 15:

February 16:

February 17:

February 18:

February 19:

End of Blog Hop and Round-Up

To celebrate the start of Create for a Cause Blog Hop, we are giving away two fabulous Fat Quarter bundles of the complete Island Batik Citrus Sun collection by Kathy Engle!  Visit the Island Batik Blog to enter.


This giveaway ends February, 5 at 11:59 pm PST. Two random winners will be notified by email on February, 6 and announced on February, 9. If the winners do not respond within the first two days after being notified, two new random winners will be chosen and notified.


Paul (pointing to the discarded flimsy): What happens to this? Will it become a flying saucer?
Me: A UFO, you mean? An unfinished object.
Paul: Yes, that.
Me: No. A UFO is anathema to a quilter's soul.
Paul: So you will finish it?
Me: Yes. This will become my April project when I can do whatever I want.
Paul: Don't you always?
Me: Only because you let me, My Lord.
Paul: Whatever you say, My Lady.

The Harris household is in the grip of Bridgerton fever, at least my half is :-)  

I also have a small giveaway. Two prizes.
1. A pack of 5" squares (20) from the "Blinded by Science" collection
2. Four strips (orange/beige/brown) 5" by WOF to coordinate with the Autumn Sunset Collection.

5" squares - Blinded by Science by Island Batik

5" by WOF Strips - Island Batik Stash Builder



For a chance to win one of the two prizes, please leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear your thoughts be they somber such as your favorite cause or light-hearted like your favorite TV show.  

I will pick the two winners on February 10, 2021.


Disclosure: The fabrics and needles were generously supplied by the following companies:





_______________________________________________________________________________


Angela has announced that the RSC color for February is yellow!!! Oh my goodness, yes. 

YELLOW. YELL-O-WOW!!!

Yellow is the color of new dawn and yellow is the color of Amanda Gorman's coat.  Her poem "The Hill We Climb" is so beautiful...it gives me goosebumps every time listen to it. I will be thinking of her as I make the Sister's Choice Quilt Blocks.  Here are my bright and whimsical squares. 



Smiling Sunflower :-)


Panda Focus



I will be sharing with Angela's RSC Linky Party on Saturday. 





69 comments:

  1. 2 Quilts??? Pretti you are amazing!!! I love both of them!!! You worked some wonderful magic with those luscious fall colours!

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  2. Hmmm....my favorite causes are those that support military families (I donate quilts fo a local military hospital for newborn babies as well as an organization who presents quilts to wounded warriors or families of the fallen). We also loved Bridgerton and then started binge watching all sorts of period dramas on Amazon Prime. My favorite quilt of your new fabric collection is Dawn. I love the on point blocks. Well done!

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  3. Wow Preeti! Two gorgeous quilts finished and gifted to a wonderful cause. I love Dawn!

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  4. I love all of your projects that you did with the set of fabrics you received and I really like the first one with the 2 color star blocks. I have not watched Bridgerton yet.

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  5. The autumn fabrics and your quilts are beautiful! :) I really enjoyed Bridgerton :)

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  6. I love both your quilts made from Autumn Sunset! I especially like your picture heavy post! It’s almost like taking a class...I can see your process! I’d like to watch Bridgerton, I may have to go it alone. Great quilts as always!

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  7. Wow, love the Dawn!! But all your creations are wonderful.

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  8. What lovely finishes and so quick, too:))) I especially like Noorie--It just glows..simply beautiful, Preeti...
    Wonderful job hugs, Julierose

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  9. You are crazy...and I mean that in the nicest possible way! Waking up in the middle of the night with a new plan is something that I've experienced too! Your intuition was right and you did a smashing job on both quilts! I love the name of the fabric called 'Blinded by Science'!

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  10. Beautiful quilts! You have outdone your challenges.

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  11. Wow, three quilts?!! I know one is a quilt-in-progress. Love each of them, and the bright cheery colors. My favorite quilt charity is Jack's Basket--love that it encourages families of down syndrome newborns, AND baby quilts are so quick!

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  12. Wow! You did an amazing job! Island Batik should be very proud of your endeavors to show off these batiks.

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  13. Right now I am sewing Project Linus quilts. It was the size for neonatal but I have moved up a size. Love your lovely dawn quilt. dorthac at aol.com

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  14. Although I truly love your creations and your blog...it is REALLY good to know that there is another quilter out there having complete conversations in their head. That just means we have extra friends, right? BEAUTIFUL FABRICS, AMAZING WORK!

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  15. Your two to-be-donated quilts are beautiful! I donate to something similar, Bundles for Babies. I love making quilts to donate.

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  16. Love the Lovely Dawn quilt. Sounds like a great cause to donate to.

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  17. So, let me get this right-- you were supposed to make one quilt and ended up with three?? Somehow that just fits you, my friend. All of these are beautiful, and sure to be appreciated. (Leave me out of the giveaway, though, please!)

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  18. You are raising the bar...two quilts on your first Hop. My favorite cause is one for kids...but I love the hospice ones too as I know it means a lot to the families. Oh, really any charity is good for me. I am looking forward to All Creatures Great and Small but we may watch it together...so I haven’t started it yet. We loved the old version, but a freshening up is a good this for me.

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  19. Those are beautiful fabrics and I love each of your designs, Preeti! I really can't wait to see what you do with those stars. It sounds like your smaller quilts will be perfect for the cause you chose. I'm always glad there are organizations that need smaller quilts! Thanks for the giveaway, too?

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  20. Oh my goodness. Those all turned out beautifully. I am sure the families that receive your lovely quilts will adore them. Thanks for sharing!

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  21. Hi Preeti! Is this February IB challenge made with you in mind? It would certainly seem so as I cannot think of a better challenge for you. Noonie is nice but Dawn! Dawn is fabulous. Gosh, what a way to let the fabrics sing and shine in a fabulous setting. Someone will be so blessed to receive either of these quilts and will feel all the love, caring, and blessings you've sewn into them. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

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  22. Your work is always so beautiful. I love how you include the
    conversations with your husband. Sounds so much like mine would be.

    Patty
    paweis at yahoo dot com

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  23. Wonderful post, and great looking quilts. I choose whatever cause calls me. The last one, our group made 120 lap size quilts for the cancer unit at a local hospital...a ton of tears, from the staff.

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  24. Preeti, you are amazing! It's always such fun to visit your blog and today did not disappoint! All 3 of your quilts are beautiful and you are just soaring. Such a generous soul! I'm looking forward to your next challenge ;)

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  25. I really liked all the quilts, but when I scrolled to the photo of Dawn, I went Wow! It really packs a punch. So glad you are enjoying this process. Being an ambassador has really sparked your creativity!

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  26. i love both of your projects and the fabrics are gorgeous!

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  27. You have some gorgeous projects... very inspiring!

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  28. Pretti, your quilts and blog posts are pretty amazing!!! kthurn(at) bektel.com

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  29. Look at you, Preeti! Way to start the Blog Hop off with a band. Not one, not two, but THREE beautiful designs! Two donated quilts? You are SEW kind and generous. LOVE that you even managed to sneak in February's RSC Color of the Month!! :o))

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  30. I don't have a favorite cause because there are so many worthy causes. And I don't watch tv, so I don't even know what's on tv these days. The quilt designs are beautiful. I love the colors.

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  31. Autumn Sunset colours are not usually the ones I gravitate towards, but ever since I began making your “International Sisters” blocks, I have a new appreciation of their richness. And my heart paused when I saw your beautiful quilts for such a worthy cause — Noorie is gorgeous. I am sure the recipients will treasure them. ~Diana K.

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  32. Parting with a well-loved quilt (even when just in the making) is so hard to do! When I know it's going to another home, I really try to dis-engage myself from it so I don't bond. It's kind of like being a surrogate mother, something I could never do. Is there such a thing as a surrogate quilter? I think you know what I mean. I don't have a favorite TV show...the only TV I watch is the news and that's not so positive or happy. I'd rather sew most times. Dawn is truly a favorite of mine and that is one I could not part with!

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  33. love these fabrics,and love your cause.It is so needed and underlooked I think

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  34. Love the Autumn Sunset prints and colors! Your quilt looks so simple to make. I will have to come back and study that some more!!

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  35. Well done, three quilts out of the collection! I can't wait to see your March quilt - I know it will be beautiful. Such beautiful fabrics, I'll bet they were fun to work with!

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  36. Looking fabulous and
    lovely designing. I
    am moving into our
    new home this week!
    What an ordeal?
    Carla from Utah

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  37. I love the quilts. Beautiful. Last year I donated 50 quilts to the fire victims, flood victims and Women's Shelter. I am partial to giving to people who just don't have anything. A quilt is a "Love Letter" my Grandmother always said so I write my letters to those most in need of hugs.

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  38. Two beautiful quilts that went to a wonderful cause. You are very talented. Thanks!

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  39. Both of your quilts came out beautifully! I love the fabric line, and your cause. Favorite TV show? I'm not watching much TV these days. I loved The Middle and am still sad that it ended a few years ago. Favorite cause? Check out my blog tomorrow. Have a fabulous day.

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  40. wow both of your quilts are gorgeous. Wonderful save. It is so nice to have a hubby that we can bounce our thoughts off of. That charity is going to love your quilts. We love mystery movies like Elementary, Sherlock, quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  41. Your quilts show off the fabric line so beautifully - they are all lovely!

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  42. Your two quilts are amazing!!! I do like that you bolt upright in the middle of the night -that is when the best ideas appear - right? TV shows? well we have been watching Mad About You..

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  43. Both of your quilts are beautiful and really show off the beautiful Island Batik fabrics!

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  44. Preeti, you are amazing. All three quilts are just stunning. I'm particularly dazzled by Dawn with the diamonds!

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  45. Both quilts are lovely. Setting those autumn colors off against a white background was brilliant! I think you can see and appreciate the beauty of batiks best when they are mixed with other fabrics.

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  46. Wow, Preeti!!! Are you saying you made THREE quilt tops in that tight timeframe?!? Amazing! I love both of these--and believe me when I say these are not colors I am normally drawn to. You worked magic with them! I can't wait to see the top that you could not bear to part with. The stars I can see are lovely.

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  47. That's a fabulous fabric collection and the quilts you made are gorgeous - as usual. 'Dawn' is especially lovely - can see why it warms your heart.

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  48. Amanda Gorman's coat and poem were both spectacular. And your quilts got better and better with each. How did you manage to get so many out of that fabric? Dawn is great. Congratulations on your successful efforts.

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  49. Wow you made three quilts at a time! I can see how the stars were hard to give away, but I would have had a hard time giving away Noorie and Dawn too.

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  50. Prestige you made 3 quilts? Each of them is stunning and the cause you have chosen will appreciate the warm, sunny quilts you are donating. Noorie and Dawn are perfect. I like to donate to Victoria’s Quilts and several local non profits. For fun DH and I are watching a series “Sneaky Pete” on Amazon.

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  51. I love all the patterns of your quilts they are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing and donating for a cause.

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  52. Those fabrics are beautiful Preeti and you have showed cased them perfectly in your quilts. You are donating them to a wonderful cause too.

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  53. I loved the story of your creations, complete with the dialogue! I am a Bridgerton fan too. I'm also enjoying Midsomer Murders and Father Brown. British detectives are the best! Thanks for sharing your beautiful quilts, thanks for donating to a wonderful cause, and thanks the fun giveaway.

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  54. I love your quilts and your blog. Thank you for the inspiration!

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  55. I can't believe you could give any of the three away ... each so pretty! The fabric colors were done justice with the way you played with them. I too am excited about YELLOW for RSC. Hope your having another fun week!

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  56. Nice quilts, great colors. Love batiks.

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  57. I had to laugh at "Paul: Did you say something?" I can relate! Beautiful colors and fabrics. Haven't we all made a quilt with a purpose in mind and then couldn't let it go? They're beautiful!

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  58. Your Noorie really caught my attention. Beautiful! -- soparkaveataoldotcom

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  59. Sooo many gorgeous quilts Preeti. I totally understand your attachment to the first project - but look at the gorgeous memory quilts you made. You are so talented!!

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  60. The gorgeous Autumn Sunset fabric looks wonderful in all your quilts. Love your Noorie quilt.

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  61. You really got a lot out of your autumn sunset fabrics. I'm not much of a tv watcher so I really don't have a favorite show unless it's Jeopardy. Laughing at that, really. As to charities -- most everything I make goes to some sort of charity. I love the Hands 2 Help challenge. I'd like to find some charities that help out kids who age out of foster care... haven't done the search yet but I think there is a group that works for them. Another wonderful post.

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  62. your quilts and fabrics are beautiful! I also support Shriners hospitals. Their work is amazing,speaking from experience for my daughter from birth to an adult now.So thankful for all they do

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  63. You really did wonders with the autumn sunset fabrics - all three are beautiful!! I love to make bright kid quilts for Hole in the Wall Gang Camp where the campers choose a bed in a cabin full of quilts and get to take home their quilt after their week.

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  64. All three quilts make great use of the batik's lovely shading, but I have to admit, Noonie is my favorite. I have been sketching a similar idea in my graph paper notebook. We don't have Netflix, but all of the talk about Bridgerton had me intrigued. As a Jane Austen fan, I thought I had to see it. I couldn't wait until it was released on video so I could borrow it from our library. Instead, I borrowed the book on the Hoopla app (courtesy of our public library). What a disappointment. The book reads like it was written by a high school girl. The television script must have really juiced up the plot. Our internet service is of poor quality so a Netflix subscription is not on the horizon. I'll have to wait until the video is released to see what all the fuss is about. In the meantime, I'll rewatch Keira Knightly in Pride and Prejudice. There's no sex, but lots of smoldering glances in my favorite Jane Austen novel brought to the video screen, Persuasion. It was filmed by the BBC in 1995 and features Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds. I definitely recommend it.

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  65. Wow, those fabrics are fabulous, rich and beautiful colors! I love your stars, then, Noorie and Dawn!! Wonderful cause, you are such a generous lady 💕

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