Showing posts with label Foundation Paper Piecing. Show all posts

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Island Batik May Challenge and Blog Hop

Whoever said "Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road" wasn't making this pattern.

But let's start at the beginning.

For Island Batik's May Challenge and Blog Hop, we were required to use our assigned Winter 2024 collection, transforming fabric into a visual ode to joy and festivity.

I received Fire and Ice. This is an original collection designed by Claudia Pfeil. It should be available in fabric stores now.

With my favorite pinks and oranges, this is a beautiful collection and I created about six paper-pieced designs in EQ8 that would be perfect for celebration/festive quilts.

As I struggled to pick one, I came across an email from my quilt guild, announcing an Ultraviolet Radial workshop with Audrey Esarey of Cotton and Bourbon. Of Quiltcon fame, I have admired her work and seen it in person in Austin (2020) and Raleigh (2024).

Easily seduced, I bought the pattern and signed up for the workshop. I downloaded the pattern and went to the Print Shop to get the templates printed on 24" by 36" paper to avoid taping the paper together. I promise I did everything to ensure accuracy.

And yet, it was a struggle.

The paper-pieced wedges were simple enough to make. My Oliso Iron was a huge help. But 22 pieces per arc made it stretchy and prone to distortion.

The trickiest part was the outermost concave piece. It was so skinny (1/2") at the two ends that instead of maintaining the curvature, it just straightened as I tried to align and stitch the two pieces.

Distortion at the Skinny Ends

Half inch width means that the two seams will completely eat the skinny edge so that the fabric tapers into nothingness. It has extraordinary visual appeal, but from the construction viewpoint, it is a nightmare.

Very Slightly Off

Prior to piecing the quarter circle block, I measured and noted that it was very slightly off, but there is no room for error. The circle would get cut off if I straightened it.

Unstitched

Trimmed and Marked seam line

Corrected!

I had to redo almost every block. It was an agonizing two weeks. The skill level associated with this pattern is "Confident Beginner".

Either I am a complete novice, or this pattern is for advanced/experienced quilters.

First Circle - Will it fit?

Once all blocks were made and four circles completed, it was time to decide the layout.

Black Center

Yellow Center

I decided to go with the bright center. The original pattern is 60" square. I reduced the border widths so that I could use the Hobbs Tuscany Cotton Wool Blend Batting in Throw Size.

Throw Size 60" by 60"

I used 14 of the 20 fabrics in the Fire and Ice collection.

I used two background fabrics - Solid Black and Bumblebee (Opulent Oranges).

I used Aurifil 50wt thread for piecing. I used 80/12 Microtex Needle by Schmetz.

I marked the entire quilt top with a 2" grid and used my trusted walking foot and squiggly stitch.

The backing is Valentino (Precious Pinks).

Valentino Backing, Black Binding

I used Aurifil 40wt thread and 90/14 Microtex Schmetz Needle for quilting.

The Binding is Solid Black.

Wagon by Ikea, 56" square

Me: What do you think?

Paul: Impressive!

Me: What would you name it?

Paul: Hmmm...

Me: I was thinking Wheelin' and Dealin'. It sure took a lot of coaxing and fudging.

Paul: Wagon from Ikea?

Me: Some Assembly Required?

Then we both had a hearty laugh.

I am beyond thrilled that this quilt is complete. PHEW!!!

Wagon by Ikea finished at 56" square.

Quilting Detail

Almost Matched!

Transparency Effect :-)

With the transparency effect, it gives the impression of a Giant Ferris Wheel, reminiscent of a County Fair. My fellow ambassador Brenda (also posting today) said that it reminded her of Halloween Hayrides.

Hayrides and Ferris Wheels - that sounds like a celebration!

For a chance to win a scrap pack of Island Batik fabrics, please leave a comment on this post, letting me know your favorite memory of a county/state fair or a hayride.

~~I will pick two winners on May 17, 2024. If you show up as Anonymous/No-Reply, please include your email so that I can reach you.~~

Giveaway Update - The lucky winners are Pamela (#33) and Diptee (#49). Emails have been sent.

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In other news, all Island Batik Ambassadors were invited to become partners with the Missouri Star Quilt Company. And I’m so excited to tell you that I’ve been accepted!

This means that when YOU order over $50 from Missouri Star Quilt and you use my Affiliate link: https://glnk.io/mzmmj/sewpreetiquilts you will get 20% off your order and I will receive a small commission.

Enjoy receiving 20% off all of your orders! You can use my link over and over and over!!! It’s permanently on the sidebar of my blog so you won’t need to always search for it!

Happy Shopping!

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The BlogHop Continues. Make sure to visit the Island Batik Blog for exciting prizes every week.

Below is the complete list of Ambassadors, the collections they’ll feature in their projects, and their scheduled post dates:

WEEK 1

May 6:

May 7:

May 8:

May 9:

Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts (You are here)!!!

May 10:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

May 13:

May 14:

May 15:

May 16:

May 17:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

May 20:

May 21:

May 22:

May 23:

May 24:

End of Blog Hop and Final Round-Up

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

New York Beauty Challenge - Syzygy

The Island Batik challenge (and blog hop) for June 2022 is New York Beauty.

I received the collection Winter Sky. Designed by Kathy Engle, it should be available in stores now.

I turned to EQ8 and started ~~designing~~ playing. I started with a basic/traditional layout.

Traditional New York Beauty?

It looks like something I have seen before. Although it was pretty, it could use a little more imagination. Back to EQ8. After several iterations, here is the final design.

Modern Interpretation of NYB

Done playing, it was time to get serious. Schmetz Microtex Needles 70/10 and Aurifil 40wt Thread were used for piecing. I also used Island Batik Solids - White, Black, Amethyst, Cobalt and Turquoise.

It took a whole day just to get ready to sew. Printing and cutting all the templates, followed by cutting fabrics - straight sections and then the curved pieces. Yikes!!! Not a fast quilt and not for the faint of heart.

Paper Pieced Sections

The spikes were easy, thanks to foundation paper piecing. But the curves were another story.

Begin with one pin

Pinfully Yours :-)

The first block

And then there were two

One by one, slowly and ~~painfully~~ meticulously all 16 blocks were completed. By the time I completed the flimsy, it was close to my trip to India and there were a hundred things to complete.

Flimsy modeled by Paul

For my sanity and in the interest of time, I decided to send the flimsy to Rebecca for quilting. I completely trust Rebecca and I could then focus on completing work related tasks before my trip. Once I returned, I received the quilted sandwich back. I trimmed and bound using the Island Batik solid light grey.

Here are the pictures from the photoshoot.

Modeled by me, Photograph by Mari

Paul insisted on the name - Syzygy, meaning a straight-line configuration of three or more celestial bodies. Since I could not come up with a better name, Syzygy it is. Syzygy finished at about 48" square.

Suns in dappled sunlight

Water & Breeze

It is fun to pose near a water fountain, particularly when there is a strong breeze :-)

But it was totally worth it to catch the droplets in motion as they echo the circles in the quilt.

Here are a few more closeups so that you can see Rebecca's fabulous quilting.

Gorgeous Fabrics

Beautifully Quilted

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

What is a bloghop without a giveaway? There are two prizes - four half yards (not fat quarters) each of Island Batik fabrics from the Winter Sky collection.

Two Prizes - Four Half-Yards each

To be entered into the drawing, please leave me a comment on this blogpost. If you follow me on Instagram, you get a second entry; leave me a second comment including your IG handle saying something like "CrazyforFabric follows you on Instagram".

The giveaway is now closed.

~~I will announce the winners next week.~~ See the bottom of this post for the winners announcement.

Make sure to check the Island Batik drawing this week for their bundles of beautiful fabrics.

Please visit other Island Batik ambassadors blogs. See full schedule below. Not only they have gorgeous New York Beauty quilts to show off, they may also have giveaways of their own ;-)

You don't want to miss it!