One Collection - Two Quilts

Have you seen the Petal Poetry fabric collection by Island Batik from Lumin Fabrics?

Seriously, drop everything and go find this collection.  If you know me, you also know that I love the bright reds, shiny golds and vibrant oranges. So when a collection that is NOT red/gold/orange/pink but still catches my eye, you know it has to be super special.

How special?

Well, I designed two separate quilts, one traditional and one modern, and they were both published in two separate magazines.

Let's Dance was published in Quilter's World.

Let's Dance

Designed in EQ8, Let's Dance finished at 60" square. 

EQ8 Mock-Up

I love patterns with secondary designs. When seemingly simple blocks come together and the secondary pattern emerges it is magical. Do you see the purple stars?

There is a mistake in the mock-up. I am glad that it stayed right there and did not travel to the quilt :-) 
Can you spot it?

Every fabric in this collection is beautiful and the pieced border was one way to show them off. Here are a few more pictures.

Quilters World Summer 2025

Published!

Dance with me!

Brighton was published in Make Modern Issue 63.

Paul, the model

I wanted to make a simple (modern/minimalist) quilt to really show off these fabrics. When the design gets complex, the fabrics will play second fiddle. When the design is simple, the fabrics truly take center stage.

On my bed

Brighton was also designed in EQ8, making sure that I used each of the 20 fabrics in the collection and no two blocks are the same. 

Walking Foot Quilting

Also used Island Batik Solids - Black, White and Light Grey for binding. The batting is Hobbs Cotton and it shows off the quilting lines beautifully.

Brighton

Thanks to Island Batik/Lumin Fabrics for generously providing the fabrics.

Thanks to Hobbs Batting for sending me the batting.

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In other news, I completed the red blocks for April, using all Island Batik scraps. 

April is Red

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

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The two winners for Austin Quilt Pattern are #2 (Peggy) and #12 (Sushma). Emails have been sent.

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I am currently finishing my Drunkard's Path Quilts. Yes, I made two. I made one and then I HAD to make another because...well, you'll know when you see it. That blogpost is next.

Fabric Pull for Drunkard's Path Quilt

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

Wishing you peace in these times of turmoil. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

TGIFF + Pattern Release + Giveaway = Party!

Welcome to TGIFF – Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday on my blog – we open Thursday evening and close Saturday at midnight to allow bloggers from all over the world to post their finished quilt projects. 

Austin was first published in the Make Modern Magazine Issue 60.

It is now available in my Etsy Shop as a standalone pattern. 

Designed in EQ8 and made with Island Batik fabrics from the Peppermint Sprinkles collection, Austin finished at 60" by 80". It is a perfect size for charity quilts.

Austin

Austin is a modern take on the Quilt of Valor theme. A longitudinal design is reinforced by long borders (only on the sides) and walking foot quilting in one direction. Using just four fabrics plus the background, Austin relies on simplicity for his appeal.

Walking Foot Quilting

The detailed directions include step by step guidance and colored graphics show the dimensions of each cut fabric for easy reference.

Crushing on You

Priced at $11, you can get Austin at a discount of 25% ($8.25) for one week. Sale ends Thursday, 4/10/25. 

Labelled

Two lucky readers can get the Austin pattern (or any other pattern of your choice) for free. Please leave me a comment on this post, telling me your most (or least) favorite thing about Spring. If you show up as Anonymous, please include your email address so that I can reach you. I will pick the winners next week. 

Hullo Handsome!

Do you ever look at a quilt and wonder - how would this look in a different colorway? I often do :-)

I recolored Austin using two different Fabric collections. Here is one. Check the Etsy listing to see the other colorway.

Austin in Petal Poetry

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In other news, I made some super fun braided placemats to promote Kate Colleran's new book.

Using Island Batik scraps and the mini braid tool, I cut lots of small units.

Cutting Braid Units

Kate's book has 13 projects in varying levels of complexity.  Take a look.

Making Braids

I chose a black background, of course. It makes all these warm colors pop and sparkle!

Finished Placemats

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Angela has announced the RSC color for April. It is Red. Here are my initial picks. 

Island Batik scraps

Plenty of mediums and darks. I think I need a couple more lighter values. What do you think?

Now it is your turn. Join the Party

The rules are simple – share your quilting finish for this week. The linky party is open from 6 pm on Thursday, April 3rd through midnight on Saturday, April 5th.

Dreaming of Daylilies - Ambassador's Choice

March is Ambassador's Choice. 

March brings a free month for you to determine your own project of any size, using any theme and any technique!! This is an opportunity for you to express your creativity without guidelines. Have fun!

Here is my response.

Dreaming of Daylilies

Designed in EQ8, and made with Poetic Bouquet collection, it is a combination of Irish Chain blocks and appliqued Daisy blocks.

This is a lovely collection with beautiful gradations in purples and aquas.  I wanted to show off these value gradations in the design.

EQ8 Mock-up

Value Gradations

The petals are lightest in the center getting darker towards the tips. This design gives an illusion of a circle in the flower that echoes the circle in the center.

Aqua Daisy, Purple Center

Bloom

Blossom

Shimmer

Shine

I used Egg White and Glaze for the background. The batting is Thermore by Hobbs. The Binding is Rice.

I used Schmetz Microtex 80/12 needles for both piecing and quilting.  Dreaming of Daylilies finished at 52" square.

Thank you, Paul!

Paul holds more than just quilts. He also holds my heart and his support is the world to me. 

Here are a few more pictures, close-ups included.

Who says you cannot mix backgrounds?

Glaze and Egg White

She drapes in beauty!

Dreaming of Daylilies was published in Annie's "For Love of Precuts".

But wait there is more. 

The leftover pieced strips (from making the petals) were used to make this baby quilt, I named Lilyput :-)

Lilyput, 40" square

Pieced strips were inserted between solid white background rectangles to make 10" finished blocks. Lilyput finished at 40" square. The binding is Aqua (Island Batik Blender).

Here are a few more pictures:

Solid White Background

Turquoise Binding

Go soothe a baby!

In other news, I have completed the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Blocks for March. 

Yellow for March RSC

Island Batik Scraps

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties, including Angela's and Yvonne's Favorite Finish for March. See full list on the sidebar. Wishing you warmth and a measure of calm in these troubled times.

Miracle Fish

Welcome to my stop on the Sunlit Garden Blog Hop. 

I was thrilled when Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations asked whether I would like to join the Sunlit Garden BlogHop.  Of course, I said YES!

Here is my quilt, named Miracle Fish!

Miracle Fish, 60" by 60"

The red and green together is evocative of Christmas, but this collection has vibes of Spring with floral reds and leafy greens. Christmas made me think of Christ and Christ made me think of Fish.

 

EQ8 Mock-Up

Me: What does that Jesus in Fish symbol signify?
Paul: Jesus was the fisher of men.
Me: That sounds painful. No fish wants to be fished or hooked. I thought it is because He multiplied fish to feed people.
Paul: That could be too.
Me: Wasn't He the shepherd? Guiding humanity?
Paul: That He was. Jesus was many things.
Me: That I agree.

This fabric collection can be many things too - bright Spring vibes or Christmas vibes. Many possibilities.

Starting 

Making

The flimsy was just under 60" square. So I used the 60" square Hobbs Silk Blend Batting. 

Silk Blend Batting from Hobbs Tuscany Collection

I quilted in one direction using my walking foot. I used Turquoise Variegated Thread to mimic water.

Quilting Detail

I used 12 out of the 20 fabrics in the collection. The background is Island Batik Solid White, as is the binding. I used Dark Green backing and here are some close-up pictures.

Wavy Stitch Quilting

Labelled

I enjoyed making this quilt.  Why am I calling it Miracle Fish? 

Well, if fish can climb a tree, that is miraculous!

Fish climb a tree

Paul and I went to a children's playground one early morning to take these pictures. The playground furniture provided several fun settings for the photoshoot. The cloudy sky provided the diffused lighting.

Playfully Yours

Matching Tulips!

Cloudy Skies, low temperatures and high winds make for a bitterly cold season. How I wish for a Miracle? Sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

The Sunlit Garden blog Hop continues through March 9, 2025.  Here's the list so you can visit all the blogs this week:

March 3:  Curlicue Creations 

March 4:  Freemotion by the River

March 5:  Sew Preeti Quilts (you are here)

March 6:  Quilting Gail

March 7:  Kathy's Kwilts and More

March 8:  Quilted Delights

March 9:  Sew Cute and Quirky

Also gathered my yellow scraps to play along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) in March. 

Will share with Angela's Linky Party.

Island Batik Yellow Scraps