Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Avantika

I first made Avantika for the Island Batik catalogue. The working title was Mosaic Stars but once the quilt was completed, it needed a better name. Avantika means princess :-)


Avantika, the original princess :-)



Sunset Backing and Binding


Made using Island Batik Juicy Mosaics fabric collection, Avantika finished at about 64" by 84". 
Juicy Mosaics is a beautiful collection and I love every fabric in it. 




Of course, we took her out for a photoshoot, thanks to Paul!


Ooh, the reflection!!!


I was so much in love that I chose to make these blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023. 

Since August is "Ambassador's Choice" month in the Island Batik Ambassador 2023 calendar, here are my finishes that serve the dual purpose - Island Batik Ambassador August project and completed RSC2023 quilts.


To differentiate between the three, I have named them Avantika (original), Avantika (cool) and Avantika (baby). 

Meet Avantika Baby. Although it is the exact same block, the layout is different. Using only the warm colors, it has 32 different Island Batik fabrics. 


Avantika Baby, 40" square


Since the yellow hues are lighter than the others, I struggled with the layout. Placing them  in the center made sense. It also makes this baby princess glow from within. 


Oyster (Island Batik Neutral) Backing


I took her with me when I traveled to Myrtle Beach earlier this year.  These pictures were taken at Atalaya Castle at the Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina.


At Atalaya Castle


Princess in her tower


Cool location, warm quilt


No princess, no climbing trees!!!


Are you really going to jump off?

The little princess has loads of attitude, as you can see. But I love her so very much!


Let's meet Avantika Cool. Made using blue, green, turquoise and purple, she finished at 60" by 80". 

Avantika Cool


Paul: How many fabrics does this one have? 
Me: Well, Avantika Cool uses 96 different Island Batik fabrics, plus the background, backing and binding. 
Paul: So 99, total?
Me: Yes.
Paul: 99 pieces of fabric on the wall...

The princess coming down the steps of her castle


I am glad I could get closer...


Time to meditate...



Crushing on You!



Time to rest. No more visitors, please


Gorgeous Fabrics - Fit for a Princess

I used Schmetz Needles 80/12 for all piecing and quilting. I used 50wt Aurifil Thread for piecing and 40wt Aurifil Thread for quilting. Hobbs Batting was used for all three quilts.

Solid Light Grey Binding


Rice (Island Batik Neutral) Backing


I so enjoyed working on these blocks throughout this year, I could hardly wait to complete these quilts. Since I had so many more fabrics in blue, green, turquoise and purple, than in yellow, orange, red and pink, it made sense to divide the rainbow into warm and cool colors, resulting in two quilts, made exclusively with Island Batik fabrics I have received as a part of the Ambassador Program.

If you have ever doubted about using Island Batik fabrics, these two quilts should clear all misgivings. 

Island Batik Fabrics are the Best!

I love how I have two princess quilts - sisters that could not be more different from each other, in spite of sharing the same basic block.

But wait there is more. Avantika is also my newest pattern, available in my Etsy shop, at a 20% discount till 8/31/23. If you wish to get a free copy of the pattern, please leave a comment on this post. Please include your email if you show up as Anonymous. 

I will pick two winners on September 7, 2023.

Monday, August 14, 2023

Summer Vibes

Paul: Let's go get ice cream.
Me: Sugar is not my friend.
Paul: Of course not. It is your side piece.
Me: Side piece?
Paul: The guy who texts "you up?"
Me: Like booty call?
Paul: Yes, booty call.
Me: It does go to my booty. 
Paul: So you are coming?
Me: I won't say no to a booty call.

Ice cream with Paul - Sweet!



Summer time equates with vacation time for many of us.  Although I cannot take a vacation at this time, I can squeeze in small getaways and get-together with friends.  last week, I got together with Bonnie.
Had we coordinated better, I would have worn Barbie colors too :-D



We ate Mexican food and chatted about thread, quilting patterns and English vocabulary, since Bonnie is a retired teacher and I am fascinated with the English language. 




When I think of summer, I think yellow and orange - the colors of sherbet, lemonade and popsicles. 
But in America, it is certainly the combination of red, white and blue that is quintessentially summer. 

So here is a very summery finish - Captain Hotpants.  The quilt has a rather long and winding story. 

Picnic Quilt?


I have a dear friend, Joyce. She is a mentor, a mother figure, and a confidante.

I met her in 2007, and we became fast friends shortly thereafter. I made her this quilt, which is proudly displayed in her guest bedroom. In 2016, I messed up, and we had a falling out. 
I apologized, Joyce forgave me, and we renewed our friendship in 2022. 

But in the six years that we were apart, many things happened. Nathan, Ryan and Andy (Joyce's nephews) got married. Between the three of them, they added five babies (four boys and one girl) to the family.
So when Joyce visited me last month (after 6+ years), I sent her home with five quilts, one each for the five kids.

Cinderella (for the girl)
Jade (for Eli)
 
Two days later, I got a message from Joyce, saying she loves Jade and would want to keep it for herself, offering to pay for it.  
Her exact words are "The more I look at it, the greedier I become and don't want to part with it."

It warmed the cockles of my heart. I suggested that she keep it as an early birthday present from me.
But I also chided her (laughingly) for stealing Eli's quilt.

Eli needed a quilt. It would be extremely unfair if he was the only cousin without a quilt.

Although I do have "quilts on tap" (according to Paul), I was ready to make one.  I was sitting on a pile of improv blocks made for last year's Rainbow Scrap challenge and this was a perfect opportunity to play with some of those improv pieced blocks. 

Turquoise Blocks


Red Blocks


Blue Blocks


I gathered some of the red, blue and turquoise blocks and started playing.

Thank goodness for the Design Wall


Some additions, subtractions and adjustments later, we had a flimsy!!!

Flimsy!!!


And that is how we got Captain Hotpants. Here are some finished pictures.

Finished!!!


Captain Hotpants finished at about 43" by 45". The backing is cute dinosaurs and the binding is red/white check. 

Red and White Binding :-)



Named after the astronaut!

Here are a few close-ups

Scrappy


I love improv!


Yummy


Labelled



I delivered the quilt to Joyce last week and she will deliver it to Eli later this month.

Happy Joyce



Joyce, the model


The colors of summer!

And here is Eli with his quilt. I am told that he and Captain Hotpants have become good friends!

Happy Recipient :-)


I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's. See full list on the side bar.


Oh, there is one more thing. While I was face-timing with Connie, a fellow IB ambassador, she expressed pleasant surprise at the blooming crape myrtle trees here in Northern Virginia. So I took some more pictures for her. But in doing so I discovered some interesting things myself!

Such intense color!!!


Red color blooms in a white tree


Three shades of pink in a single tree!!!



Such a gorgeous pink!


Love Lavender 


I counted five different colors in one yard



August is Island Batik Ambassador's Choice month. So we get to make whatever we want. 
I may have made a quilt or two, with a new pattern release! That blogpost is next.  

As always I am eager to hear from you. Your comments add color to all my seasons :-)







Saturday, August 5, 2023

More Island Batik Goodies

This week, we received the remaining supplies from Island Batik and I am happy to share them with you.

Solids - Four yards each of White, Dark Gray, and Black 




Summer Precut - 2.5" Strips of Vintage Charm. This is a Signature Collection designed by Kathy Engle for  Terri Vanden Bosch of Lizard Creek Quilting. It comes with matching yardage, two yards each of Valentino (dark pink) and Dandelion Crumbs (beige).





Stash Builders - 5" strips, 20 per pack.


Angela has announced the color for August. It is Yellow :-)

I love Yellow. It is the color of warm sunshine and flavorful curries.  It is the color of turmeric which is the main ingredient of the beauty concoction that is associated with brides and wedding ceremonies. Yellow is also the color of my favorite fruit - mangoes. 

Sorry, I did take off on a tangent. In any case, here are my blocks.

August is Yellow!


I believe I am ready to put together my RSC blocks into a flimsy. That post is coming later this month. 

Here is a sneak peek of my latest finish - a baby quilt using last year's RSC blocks.

Dinosaurs Rule!


Captain Hotpants :-D


I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's. See full list on the sidebar.