Island Batik Unboxing Plus

July is the wonderful time of the year when the Island Batik Ambassadors receive their second shipment of supplies and goodies for the year.  I need all the help to stay indoors when the outside is like a sauna.

I poked my head outside and felt like I got slapped by the 100 degree heat wave. I quickly shut the door and returned to play with my supplies.

Here is the video. For once it is all about the fabrics. They are much prettier :-)

Here are the supplies.

We received a generous box of batting from Hobbs.  Three Queen Size Batts!!!

Queen Size Thermore Batting

Natural Cotton Fusible and 80/20 Cotton-Poly Blend in Black

Throw Size in Silk Blend

Twin Size in Unbleached Cotton

Island Batik provided all the fabrics that follow.

One Half-Yard Bundle of Spring 2023 Collection - Geometric Symphony for the September Challenge and Bloghop. Designed by Kathy Engle, Geometric Symphony includes 20 fabrics and comes with matching yardage. 

Geometric Symphony

Beige, Pink and Purple

Matching Threads from Aurifil to use in September for the Adventurous Applique Challenge.

Half Yard Foundations Bundle including four solids, four Basics and four Blenders. Island Batik Foundations are available all year round. 

Basics, Solids and Blenders

Spring 2023 Precut - Flower Pot, Signature Collection for Jennifer Fulton of Inquiring Quilter, with Matching Yardage

Flower Pot - 2.5" Strips with matching yardage

Gradations Precuts - Playful Purples in 2.5" Strips and Brilliant Blues in 10" squares

Stash Builders are a set of 5" wide strips, 20 per pack. They are the perfect resource to make a scrappy quilt and easily lend themselves into 2.5" strips, 5" squares and more.

A Kit to make a bag in October, from By Annie. I will be making the Snapshot Bag in two sizes using the cheerful Daisy May fabrics.

Supplies and Hardware from ByAnnie

Interfacing and Stabilizer

One Half-Yard Bundle of Summer 2023 Collection - Peach Blossom for the November Challenge and Bloghop. This will remain a surprise till November.

18 yards of Neutrals. 

Six yards of Meringue

Thanks to a generous supply of Solid Neutrals in Black, White and Dark Grey, we always have plenty of background options. They also make perfect backings. 

I also received supplies from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  If you use this link to order supplies over $50 from Missouri Star, you will get 20% off your order and I may receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Sewing and Quilting Round the Clock

The Challenge and Blog Hop in November focuses on Dresden. So I got myself a brand new ruler to explore the possibilities. The Double Wide Dresden is designed by Me and My Sister Designs for Missouri Star Quilt Company.

A new Ruler!

And of course Aurifil Thread in 50 wt for piecing and 40 wt for quilting.

I also received a surprise gift in my box - a travel map that can be filled with Embroidery designs.  I don't see myself using it so if you want it, please let me know and I will send it to you (one of you, to be precise).

Thank you to Island Batik and Industry Partners: Hobbs Batting, Aurifil Thread, ByAnnie bags, and Missouri Star Quilt Company.

I am working on my July blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. It is slow progress and I am blaming it on the heat. 

Will share with Angela's Linky Party on Saturday and all my favorite linky parties, see full list on the sidebar.

Feeling Blue

It is just the beginning of summer but the northern hemisphere is already scorching with record temperatures. Please stay cool and drink lots of water. 

Should you need any encouragement to stay indoors and sew, all my Etsy patterns are on sale - 20% off through July 8, 2024.

And click on the link to get 20% off on all Missouri Star Quilt Company purchases over $50.

Arabella's Garden - Pattern on Sale

It is Mari, the mild-mannered professor by day and a fierce quilter by night, who often begins her blogpost with a weather report. I have teased her about it. Thinking of Mari today, as she takes care of her family, while her blog/readers eagerly await her return. I am sending good wishes her way. 

Since Angela announced Blue for June's Rainbow Scrap challenge, my eyes have been searching for instances of blue in the nature. This is all that I found.

Robin's egg. More aqua than blue

Penny Mac, Bluish Purple

I could not find any true blue flowers. The Blue Jay never let me get close enough (for a decent picture) and the Bluebirds were never still to capture with my iPhone camera.

Blue Jay

I am working on my Blue blocks but they aren't done yet.

Island Batik Blue Hexies

Light Blue

Dark Blue

Whenever I see blue and yellow together, I think of Ukraine and her courageous people. 

Speaking of Blues, how can Blue mean both good and bad? We want blue skies but we don't want to feel blue. English language befuddles me everyday. 

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

Smiles and Sniffles

It is a busy time in the Sew Preeti Quilts studio but cannot show anything much yet. So here is a catch up post. Hope you are handling the heat well so far. It is only going to get worse :-(

All Island Batik ambassadors were invited to become affiliates for the Missouri Star Quilt Company, and I was accepted :-) 

This means that if you order over $50 from Missouri Star, you will get 20% off your order and I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

Here is what I got.

Steam a Seam 2 Stabilizer and Rotary Blades

Later this year, we have to make an Applique project and Steam-A-Seam 2 works best for me. 

Rotating Mat

I like that this rotating mat has 1/4" markings.

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Rainbow Scrap Challenge - I have completed all my Pink blocks for May. All fabric scraps came from Island Batik :-)

Light Pink

Dark Pink

June is Blue, said Angela. I am gathering all my Island Batik blue scraps.

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June Challenge - Island Batik June Challenge is sponsored by Studio 180 Designs. We are required to create a fun, simple quilt that falls in the size range for donation to Sleep in Heavenly Peace (50" to 60" wide, 75" to 90" long) using a tool that we received in your January box!

I received the Corner Beam Ruler. 

I am making a scrappy quilt and I will be sharing with you next week. Stay tuned. Here is a sneak peek.

Corner Beam Blocks in process

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The Etsy Shop Sale ends on May 31, 2024.  All patterns are 25% off.

New pattern coming next month.

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I rarely give book/movie recommendations. This one is worth it!

Laapataa Ladies is an Indian movie set in rural India in the year 2001. It is wedding season and several newly-weds are on their way home in a crowded train, to begin a new life with their new partners. Two brides, similarly attired, their faces covered with red veils are mistakenly interchanged. Finding their way home, they discover more than they ever expected. 

I have watched it thrice. I smiled, laughed and cried every time.  

What is making you smile today? Are you feeling sniffly? I'd love to know.

Wins, Waters and Wisdom (Math)

Let's start with the good news. Shall we?  Here are the winners of the American Hustle? Orphan Adoption Event.

American Hustle Top - Cindy
Pigma Micron Pens - PK_Sews
Mini Wacky Web Template - Shelley

I will send you emails asking for your postal address, so that I can ship your items to you.
Karen, even though you did not win the quilt top, I will send you another quilt top to finish.  The cause of Marine mothers giving up their babies for adoption touched my heart.

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The theme of the 2016 Quilt Show challenge is "Virginia's Beautiful Waters".  
Here is my entry.

Skipped a Stone

The challenge - Create a quilt that best expresses your idea of the theme - Virginia's Beautiful Waters.  It can be an art, pictorial quilt or a quilt in "theme related" colors such as blues for ocean, white & green for waterfalls in the woods, green & brown for "Dismal Swamp", etc. 

Texture in the Sun (Wood Grain quilting near the bottom right)

The quilt uses 2.5" strips of blues/teals/aqua with white strips.  The blocks were created using the 
Missouri Star Quilt Company's tutorial - Summer in the Park.  

Walking Foot Quilting

I loved the blocks and the various possibilities of arranging them.  I started with placing four blocks making a colored square (at 45 degrees) in the middle.  That became the focal point. After that, I placed blocks all around as if they were rippling out from the center.

Gentle Curves

It did take a few iterations to get it right here.  In the end, everyone who saw it said nice things about it.  Either they really liked it, or they are being incredibly kind :-)

Sunny & Rippled (May favorite picture)

I believe that the slightly off-center design creates more interest.  The layout of the blocks creates concentric waves, but more angular than circular.  When it came to naming the quilt, I did not want to go with the obvious - Ripples or Waves.

Radiating outwards

Fortunately, that night Paul was watching the French movie "Amelie". When I saw Amelie skipping stones, I found the name - Skipped a Stone.

Blue, Aqua, Teal & Navy = YAY!!!

The choice of the border was definitely tricky.  Wanted to make sure that it was neither blue nor white, so as to keep the focus in the main quilt.  Any color from the warm side of the color wheel would be too distracting. A medium gray (thin) and a wide batik (navy+aqua) worked just perfectly.  Did you notice that the batik print looks like aqua droplets on navy background.

Off Center Focus

I love the navy and aqua grouping. I am sure you will be seeing it a lot more :-D right here.
The quilt top finished at about 57" by 70".  A wide backing acquired from Connecting Threads (on the 40% off sale day YIPPEE), was my choice. Yes it is very Christmassy.

Winter/Christmas Backing

This way it is Summer in the front and Winter in the back.
The batting is Warm & Natural.  Quilted in gently waving lines, with a few wood grain like curves.  Someday, I will learn FMQ. For now, thanks to Jacquie Gering, I do not have to send my quilts to a longarmer.  I can do this.

Finished!!!

The binding is aqua solid which works beautifully with the front and does fine with the backing.

You make me happy!

One more picture.  When I was piecing and squaring, while trimming the pinked edges, I noticed a tiny heart shaped bit of fabric.  Had to capture that picture :-)

Yes, I love this one.

I heart YOU!!!

The Quilt Show is June 3 - 5, 2016 in Chantilly, VA.  I will be volunteering a couple of the days, just so that I can stand near my quilt and watch folks react to it.  Is that too self-absorbed?  Please let me know.

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties!!!
 
Here is a peek into my loot.  Acquired these Good Neighbors (Amanda Jean Nyberg) fat quarters and the supercute cows fabric yardage from Connecting Threads when it was a whopping 40% off.

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