I designed Arabella's Garden for the Island Batik's Spring Summer 2022 Catalog using Bee Kind, a Spring 2022 signature collection designed by Kathy Engle for Swan Sheridan of Swan Amity Studios.
There are 20 gorgeous fabrics in the collection. Arabella's Garden uses 15 of them plus Almond (Island Batik Neutral), as the background.
Even the Monster is cute :-D
Gorgeous Colors!
Beauty and the Baste!
Quilted, Not Bound
It is a finish!!!
Here are a few close-ups.
Hummingbirds
Blue Vines
Labelled
Crushing on You!
I love this collection and it was a joy to design and make this quilt. Did you notice the secondary pattern?
Finding a secondary pattern is like finding a second layer of chocolates when you think the box is empty. If you want the secondary pattern to be more prominent, choose a darker background and lighter focus fabrics.
Secondary Pattern!!!
Mari and Emily were kind enough to test drive the pattern, offer suggestions and make their versions of Arabella's Garden. Make sure to check out their blogposts. They may have a giveaway or two and you don't want to miss that.
There are ten pages of detailed instructions with colored pictures for every step.
Fabric requirements are shown for four different sizes.
Strip piecing techniques ensure that cutting and sewing is minimized.
Arabella's Garden is Fat-Quarter friendly and the pattern includes cutting diagrams for fat quarters.
A full page coloring sheet is included so that you can audition your fabrics/color choices.
A recent review :-)
It is also on sale - 30% off till Thursday, October 6, 2022.
But wait there is more. For a chance to win a PDF copy of Arabella's Garden (or any other pattern from my Etsy Store), please tell me in the comments what is your major complaint with quilt patterns. If you don't have any pet peeves, no worries. Any comment will work.
If you are a no-reply blogger, please include your email. If you follow me on Instagram, you can leave me a second comment mentioning your handle. For example - @CrazySew follows you.
There is a second prize. A copy of Merry Quilted Christmas - 11 Festive Projects by Annie's Quilting.
I will announce the winners on Friday, October 7, 2022.
Winners Update - The random drawing picked Comments #11 and #29. Ivani wins the free pattern for Arabella's Garden and Joy wins the Quilted Christmas magazine. Emails are on their way.
In other news, I have completed my RSC blocks for September. Here they are.
Fabrics - Medium Blue
Starting Point
In progress
Getting there
Ta Da!!!
So handsome!!!
No idea, how they will come together. Not a clue on how to proceed. But I know exactly what I have to do to complete the Ultimate Travel Bag 2.0, Island Batik Challenge for October.
Ultimate Travel Bag 2.0 in Sunset Plains Collection - Work in Progress
The question is Can I? Will it? Fingers crossed. That blogpost is next.
I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties, including Angelas's. See full list on the sidebar.
Island Batik's September Challenge and Blog Hop focuses on the Studio 180 Design tool we received in our second Ambassador box. I received the Tucker Trimmer Tool.
The Tucker Trimmer is used to trim down units that are made with triangles: half square triangle squares, quarter square triangle squares (hourglass units), and combinations of half square and quarter square triangle squares (combination units).
I also received the Honeycomb fabric collection, designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkle of Canton Village Quiltworks, shipping to shops in September.
I chose Island Batik Solid Black as a background. I knew the hot colors would pop on the solid black background.
Setting Triangles
Piecing in Progress
I enjoyed every moment of the process. This Honeycomb collection is my absolute favorite in the entire Spring 2022 collections. Goodness, these are my colors - fiery, spicy and intense. There is nothing soothing or calming about this color palette. They make me want to break into a song and dance.
The quilt is bursting with energy and dancing with passion. Therefore, I have named her Bollywood Beats. It is no surprise that at one point during the photoshoot, Bollywood Beats just took off, down the wooded path, all sass and style.
There she goes
Oh no...
I am so glad I was wearing sneakers and I was finally able to catch up with her, panting and out of breath.
Paul: She is yours, alright.
Me: Of course. Wait, what do you mean?
Paul: Precocious and Opinionated.
Me: Paul, you are not helping!!!
Paul: Naughty Bollywood Beats
Me: I have a good mind to hang her upside down over the water.
Paul: Will she learn her lesson?
Me: It is worth a try.
Naughtiness Tamed
Paul held her tight. Consequently Bollywood Beats promised to pose for pictures. Here she is, behaving herself.
Bollywood Beats
And then, like any other naughty child after the tantrum is over, she is hugging me.
Hugging
Then we danced and twirled together, as Paul took more pictures.
Showing off
Happiness!
Diva much?
Swirling with Bollywood Beats
One more picture with the flowers - gosh don't they echo the colors of the Honeycomb collection? Honestly, I feel like the fabrics did all the heavy lifting and I had all the fun.
Quilted a grid using a walking foot with all over squiggly lines. I used Schmetz 90/14 Needle and Aurifil 40 wt thread for quilting. Binding is also Solid Black.
Fondant Backing
Bollywood Beats finished at 70" by 88".Oh, but I hate to finish this blogpost, because it has been so much fun. A few more pictures?
Be still, my heart!
Love the Contrasts
Labelled
Deceptively soothing backing :-)
Of course, I am in love with Bollywood Beats, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
Did you know that the Island Batik Blog has fabulous giveaways every week? You don't want to miss it.
Please visit other Island Batik ambassadors blogs. See full schedule below. Not only they have gorgeous quilts to show off, they may also have giveaways of their own ;-)
