Saturday, January 8, 2022

Mabern

Happy New Year to you! Hope you are staying warm, safe and sane.  Hey, two out of three ain't bad :-D

Looks beautiful, feels horrible


I have a new finish!

First finish of 2022.

Meet my first finish of 2022 - Mabern, a combination of Mari and Bernie :-) 

Paul, the model


Mermaids Backing


Sunny Day

Mabern is so named because all the background fabric came from Mari and several of the focus fabrics came from Bernie.  Mabern finished at 40" by 48".
I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. 


Walking Foot Quilting


Light Grey Binding


Labelled

The block in Mabern is not new. I had seen it a few times but hadn't given it a second thought. 

But on a particularly depressing day I was watching youtube, as I was on hold for a very long time with X&%$ airlines trying to cancel my flight. One video led to another and autoplay brought me to this one.  Just then Expedia called. I disconnected the existing call and took the incoming call, as I paused the video. 

While I talked to the Expedia representative, the shapes on the screen danced and twisted and turned before my eyes. By the time the phone call ended, I had a new idea. I had to try it. I dived into newly acquired scraps from Mari and Bernie.




YIPPEEE!!!

I DISCOVERED something - a new way to make an old block. I have been so excited to share it with you, but decided to wait till I completed the quilt.



This method has its limitations. If all you have are 2.5" strips, then you cannot use this method. If your block is made up of three fabrics (two focus fabrics plus the background), it won't work either.

But if you like it and use it and share it, please do include a link to this page. 

_____________________________________________________________

In other news, I received an email from Island Batik. It was a tough choice, they wrote. They could only pick 25 ambassadors for the year 2022. 

I am one of them :-)

I have already received my first shipment, loaded with gorgeous fabrics. The unboxing blogpost and video will be published on January 21, 2022. The challenge for January is Step by Step - make a lap size (or larger) quilt using the Gradations Fat Quarter Bundle. Mine is Tantalizing Teals :-)

Tantalizing Teals by Island Batik

Sneak Peek

I will be sharing my Step by Step finish next week, I think. Photoshoot is contingent on model availability (trying to bribe Paul to brave the cold) and weather conditions (praying for a non-rainy and non-windy day).

____________________________________________________________

I will be playing along once again with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. RSC 2022 has been announced and January is red. Here are my blocks. 





I am not sure if I should just leave them as such now and then set them on point in the flimsy. Or add corners to each block. Hmmm... what do you think?


On-point setting

Added Corners

Sharing with Angela's Linky Party. Love to hear your thoughts.












35 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!! You so deserved to be an ambassador! Can't wait to see your posts this year!! The teal sneak peak is so cool! I love the Mabern quilt! It's a perfect antidote to the winter blahs!!! Thank you for as always posting clear instructions on how to make the block! Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, a new way to make a great block, I love this idea, it looks pretty easy. Beautiful red blocks too. And congratulations for being an IB Ambassador again 😉

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like your Mabern quilt! what fun - and a new technique to make those blocks! a bonus!
    Congrats on being chosen as an ambassador!!! Go you

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love Mabern, especially that background fabric! Looks like a cool way to make the block - I might need to try that. (After I make a Masala Box block!) Congratulations on being chosen as an IB Ambassador again this year, too! I'll enjoy seeing what you make.

    ReplyDelete
  5. First of all, congrats on being selected as an Island Batik ambassador again. It was no surprise to me because you are one of the most exciting and original ambassadors to come along in years! I love your new quilt and its name, you are so clever. And the fish blocks are cute … so many possibilities!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mabern is definitely a win - what a clever way to make the block! You know I love those little red blocks with all those pointy things (I see happy little fish).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the Mabern quilt, and your method is genius. Leave it to you to find an easier way. Love the red fishes. I vote for corners, because it makes laying out the final quilt much easier. Looking forward to your pretty batik projects! Enjoy that beautiful sun and sky!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations and I love your red blocks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your blocks look like fun fish! Can't wait to see how you finish these. No suggestions here -- I like both ways. Congratulations once again on being named IB Ambassador. I'm happy to know that they appreciate your talent as much as I do. Happy New year!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is a cool quilt, Pretti. And I love the smart way you made the blocks, thanks for sharing your clever idea.
    The New red blocks are beautiful. Looking forward for seeing all the beautiful quilts you will make with the batiks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Double congratulations, on being an ambassador again, and also on your wonderful new quilt. Happy New Year to you both.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrats on finding a new way to make an old block, Preeti! Thanks for sharing the secret with us. You made a lovely quilt in the process!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your Tantalizing Teals are gorgeouous, Preeti!! I am grateful to be a part of that IB Ambassador Team as well! And the quilt with the mermaid backing is so cute!! That would be great backing for my guild comfort quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! Congratulations on your continued ambassadorship with Island Batiks. I love your blocks on point. What a clever way to make Garlic Knots :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mabern is so much fun and love the way you came up with the blocks! I love the teals and can't wait to see that. Your fishes for RSC are great. I have to decide on my block...soon so I can get going on RSC...first time in for me!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Did I miss you telling your new way of making that old block?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great method to make those Mabern blocks!!
    Lovely quilt, love those teals and pinks!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congratulations, an ambassador again. Thanks for the block tut. I might try it. And I love those red blocks, fish blocks was my first thought. Looking forward to your new IB quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Fun quilt! Also a lot of snow... Love how you deconstructed the blocks to rearrange... great idea! And big congrats on the Island Batik Ambassador. Well deserved! Looking forward to your TT reveal and the unboxing. For your RSC questions: I would prefer the simple layout on point without corners. I thing the block is very interesting in itself and I love the more intense feel without the corners. Both work though - so if you decide on the second idea - my comment would only be that you will sew even more RSC quilts because the block gets a lot bigger ;)) xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. Clever construction of a fun block, Preeti!!! Congrats on IB! I look forward to seeing your projects in 2022!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. For the red blocks, it would be nice to see a picture of 4 squares together, but you'd want to get a little contrast on the squares, like if you have two red on white background, those could go across from each other and two with red backgrounds could go next to each other. I'm not sure it would be better than the layouts you've shown, but it would be something to check.
    Beautiful quilts and quilts-in-progress!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congratulations on being an IB ambassador! Can't wait to see what you inspire us with this year. Love the Mabern quilt and that block idea. Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations on your first finish for the year (seems like a fun and effective way to make that block) and also for being accepted as an ambassador again. I love your RSC blocks and will be interested to see how a year of them looks!

    ReplyDelete
  24. RSC blocks look like Angel Fish when set on point. Congrats for being chosen again

    ReplyDelete
  25. How clever working out an easier way to do that block... I love it.... looking forward to seeing what you make with the batiks..
    Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  26. That's a great way to make a block. Well done. Congrats on being an IB Ambassador. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Both settings for your RSC blocks are cool. I guess it depends on how much you like negative space. Pretty smart working out a new way to make that block. How fun! And that mermaid fabric!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congratulations on your reappointment! (Do many Ambassadors serve a second term?) Your designs and posts this year have been such an inspiration! And thanks for new method for Garlic Knots.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Your Mabern looks so cosy in the close up pictures! perfect for that king of weather. Re RSC blocks :I like them on point : they look like exortic fishes!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love your RSC blocks. I look forward to seeing your finished design.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I love Mabern! Brilliant way to make the block. I'm going to be trying this soon!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Cute quilt! Love the story behind it. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

    ReplyDelete