Trillium Trail

Hope you are having a glorious Sunday.  I have a bit of news. This is the current issue of American Quilter.

Look what I found inside!

My picture is from our Hawaii visit

Picture Courtesy - American Quilter

My quilt, Trillium Trail, is published in the January 2026 issue of American Quilter. 

Backing is Island Batik Multi - Marbles

Designed in EQ8, and made with the Island Batik collection Enchanted Flutter, Trillium Trail finished at 60" by 80".  

Enchanted Flutter

Orange Peel Units are appliquéd in threes forming the shape of the Trillium flower, alternating with Irish Chain blocks. A scrappy border completes the look.

Paul, the model

Grassy ground, shimmering lake and cloudy skies provide the perfect backdrop for the Trillium Trail. I took this picture at Lake Arrowhead Recreation Park, when we were visiting Luray Caverns this summer.

A book, a cuppa and a quilt = Perfection

I used Schmetz Microtex 80/12 Needle for both sewing and quilting. I secured the raw edge applique with stitches 1/8" from the edges, before piecing the blocks. The quilting is a 2" grid using my walking foot. I used Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly Blend Batting.

Snuggleworthy Morning

A few more pictures!

Mayneview Bed & Breakfast, Luray

Quilting Detail

Scrappy Border Detail

Trillium Trail is also my submission for Island Batik's last challenge of 2025 - Ambassador's Choice.

Thanks to  Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) and Industry partners who generously provided the supplies to all Island Batik Ambassadors -  Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles, and Oliso Iron.

In other news, I set up my colorful table at Gifts from the HeART holiday shopping market in Reston's Lake Anne Community Center. There were many people interested in my work but only a few buyers. It is a good thing that sewing/quilting is my hobby :-) 

Gifts from the HeART, Reston

I am currently working on a t-shirt quilt for a friend who is a fan of Rock and Roll bands. Hope to complete it before the end of the year. Will share more pictures in January.

Work in Progress

In February 2025, I started a new job. The commute is long (1.5 hours each way) and working from home is not an option. I leave home at 6:30 and return at 6:30. 12-hour days mean that I have no time in the AM and no energy in the PM and weekends are slammed with everything else - grocery, laundry, chores and more. 

I recently said to Paul that if I am invited to a social event, I thank the host. If I am NOT, I thank God!

For this reason, I chose to not apply for the 2026 Island Batik Ambassador Program. I will miss the community of my fellow ambassadors and the creative push that came with each challenge. But I will still be making quilts, writing blogposts, publishing patterns and sharing with all my favorite linky parties. I hope you will stay in touch!

Hot Stuff - Oliso Iron Case Challenge

Picture this - a completely solar-powered, aerodynamically designed, sleek automobile of the future. Its exterior is so dark and shiny that the passing landscape is reflected perfectly on its surface.

Cool Trees, Scorching Planet

In January, we received a mini Oliso Iron, complete with a matching Solemate (a base for placing the hot iron) and a thick wool carry case. Island Batik's August Challenge is to decorate the carry case for our Oliso Mini Irons.

This was an unusual project. The thick wool carry case would certainly break a needle or two, if I tried sewing on it. The idea of hand-sewing on a thick material made my finger pads shudder, thimble or not. Design consideration aside, the logistics of this project was the bigger challenge.

I decided that it would be best to stick to the surface, instead of sewing on it.  I traced the shape of the two sides and the back on to a background fabric, cut it out and began designing/playing.

Bright Fabrics + Steam A Seam 2

Layering

Wool Mat - Notation for the next Layer

I used a heat-erasable pen to mark the gentle slopes of the landscape and note its placement on the existing layer.

Once I layered the landscape curves on the background, it was time to add the trees, followed by quilting with wavy lines. I stitched the entire piece onto the smooth side of SF-101 and trimmed it. I secured the edges with zig-zag stitching and ironed the piece on to the carry bag, so that the sticky/bumpy side of the SF-101 did the work!

Ta-Da

This was a fun and creative project, which forced me to think outside the case :-D  I used the case once in the beginning to trace the shape and once in the end to stick the piece to it. I am glad that I did not have to stick a needle through that thickness. My finger pads are thanking me :-)

But enough about that. Let's see how the other three surfaces turned out.

Preparing the Landscape hills

Adding Trees

Cool Landscape - Bright Trees

The Cute Caboose

Braids

The top was a simple rectangle shape. I treated this slightly differently. I used the leftover braid from a previous project, stitched it on all four sides facing the sticky side of SF-101, cut a slit in the SF-101 and turned it inside out. I carefully pushed out the corners and stitched on top. Then I ironed it to the top of the carrying case.

I could not use this technique on the side panels because they were thicker due to the use of stabilizer (applique) and could not be turned. 

In the end, I am so very pleased with this project. It challenged me, allowed plenty of room for creativity and turned out to be very cute :-) That is a win-win-win.

Do check out other Island Batik Ambassadors' posts. All of our projects are so uniquely creative. I love it!

Many thanks to Island Batik and Oliso for providing products for this project thru the Island Batik Ambassador program.

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In other news, Angela announced that Aqua/Tea/Turquoise is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for August. Here are my picks.

Island Batik Scraps

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties (including Angela's on Saturday). See full list on the sidebar. But I'd love to hear from you. How are you feeling - Hot or Not?

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.