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Friday, September 30, 2022

Arabella's Garden

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.

And now, finally, Arabella's Garden is available as a pattern in my Etsy Store

  • 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.


Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Bollywood Beats

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. 





Schmetz Microtex Needles 70/10 and Aurifil 40wt Thread were used for piecing.  I used 16 out of 20 fabrics to make 60 half square triangles.


Ready to Piece



Ready to Trim


Tucker Trimmer in Action


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.


Nature Inspired?


The pieced backing is Fondant (Island Batik Neutral). I chose the Hobbs Black 80/20 Batting.


Island Batik Neutral - Fondant


Hobbs Batting - 80/20 Black


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. 


Topsy Turvy Quilt Pattern (also using the Honeycomb Collection) is on sale in my Etsy Store till 9/15.  



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 ;-)


WEEK 1

September 6

Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads

Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde Gifts

September 7

Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels

Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

September 8

Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs

Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter

September 9

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

September 12

Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt

September 13

Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail

September 14

Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts

Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

September 15

Megan Best, Bestquilter

Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine

September 16

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

September 19

Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio

Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

September 20

Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood

Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

September 21

Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia

September 22

Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts

September 23

Blog Hop Week 3 Round Up + giveaway

WEEK 4

September 26

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts

September 27

Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum

Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky

September 28

End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up