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.

A Fishy Story - Pattern Release & Giveaway

It was a heavy lift. The net was bursting with a huge catch. 

It took a lot of effort to haul it out of the river.

Ooh it is heavy...

The fish wriggled and pulled against the net and Paul struggled. 

Paul struggled

I heaved a huge sign of relief when he prevailed.

And finally managed!

Such a proud angler Paul is!!! Now, you may think that catching all these fish on the banks of Potomac is a load of bull. But honestly, it is a fishy story :-D

The one that got away...

Well, here is the true back story of this quilt. I made my first fish blocks for the Island Batik/Studio 180 Design Challenge and Blog Hop in 2021.

We catch so much fish on the banks of the Potomac :-p

I loved these fish so much that I started making them as my RSC blocks in 2022. Initially I had used the Corner Pop 3 Ruler to make these fish blocks.  But not everyone has specialty rulers and this was such a fun pattern that I wanted it to be accessible to all. So I wrote the pattern such that it needs no special rulers.  

RSC 2022 Blocks

In September 2022, Make Modern published Frolicking Fish (Table Runner) in Issue #48.  That runner now lives in Manveen's house, in her husband's study/office.  But I digress.

Frolicking Fish, at Manveen's House

This year, I completed all the RSC blocks from 2022, with the exception of yellow. 

This is what happened to yellow?  Sorry, too many tangents. 

Finally, the quilt was completed.  I revised the pattern, including detailed step by step instructions for on-point setting, complete with coloring sheets for two sizes. 

In process

Paul was kind enough to give in to my antics by the river.

Paul, the model

Cathy was kind enough to test drive the pattern and Reed (fellow Island Batik ambassador) provided the technical review. 

The pattern is listed in my Etsy store for $10, but on 20% discount till Thursday, 4/27/23. That is $8 for 12 pages of detailed/color instructions.

What is a pattern release without a giveaway? Leave me a comment on this blogpost, making sure that if you are Anonymous/No-Reply Blogger, I can reach you by email.  One lucky winner will receive a PDF copy of the pattern - A Fishy Story.

For a second chance to win, head over to Cathy's blog.

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

Sunny Day, Happy Fishes

Did you see pigs fly? No, but I saw fish climbing the tree :-D

A Fishy Story continues... I will announce the winner next week.  

Update on Friday, 4/28/23 - The winner is #12 Kathy Quilts. Email has been sent!

Arabella's Garden

I designed Arabella's Garden for the Island Batik's Spring Summer 2022 Catalog using Bee Kind,  a Spring 2022 signature collection designed by Kathy Engle for Swan Sheridan of Swan Amity Studios.  

There are 20 gorgeous fabrics in the collection. Arabella's Garden uses 15 of them plus Almond (Island Batik Neutral), as the background.  

Even the Monster is cute :-D

Gorgeous Colors!

Beauty and the Baste!

Quilted, Not Bound

It is a finish!!!

Here are a few close-ups.

Hummingbirds

Blue Vines

Labelled

Crushing on You!

I love this collection and it was a joy to design and make this quilt. Did you notice the secondary pattern? 

Finding a secondary pattern is like finding a second layer of chocolates when you think the box is empty.  If you want the secondary pattern to be more prominent, choose a darker background and lighter focus fabrics.

Secondary Pattern!!!

Mari and Emily were kind enough to test drive the pattern, offer suggestions and make their versions of Arabella's Garden.  Make sure to check out their blogposts. They may have a giveaway or two and you don't want to miss that.

And now, finally, Arabella's Garden is available as a pattern in my Etsy Store. 

• There are ten pages of detailed instructions with colored pictures for every step. 
• Fabric requirements are shown for four different sizes. 
• Strip piecing techniques ensure that cutting and sewing is minimized. 
• Arabella's Garden is Fat-Quarter friendly and the pattern includes cutting diagrams for fat quarters.
• A full page coloring sheet is included so that you can audition your fabrics/color choices. 

A recent review :-)

It is also on sale - 30% off till Thursday, October 6, 2022.

But wait there is more. For a chance to win a PDF copy of Arabella's Garden (or any other pattern from my Etsy Store), please tell me in the comments what is your major complaint with quilt patterns. If you don't have any pet peeves, no worries. Any comment will work.

If you are a no-reply blogger, please include your email. If you follow me on Instagram, you can leave me a second comment mentioning your handle. For example - @CrazySew follows you.

There is a second prize. A copy of Merry Quilted Christmas - 11 Festive Projects by Annie's Quilting.

I will announce the winners on Friday, October 7, 2022. 

Winners Update - The random drawing picked Comments #11 and #29. Ivani wins the free pattern for Arabella's Garden and Joy wins the Quilted Christmas magazine. Emails are on their way.

In other news, I have completed my RSC blocks for September. Here they are.  

Fabrics - Medium Blue

Starting Point

In progress

Getting there

Ta Da!!!

So handsome!!!

No idea, how they will come together. Not a clue on how to proceed.  But I know exactly what I have to do to complete the Ultimate Travel Bag 2.0, Island Batik Challenge for October.

Ultimate Travel Bag 2.0 in Sunset Plains Collection - Work in Progress

The question is Can I? Will it? Fingers crossed. That blogpost is next.

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties, including Angelas's. See full list on the sidebar.

Naman

I have completed my Positivity 2.0 Quilt. I have named him Naman. It is a Sanskrit word meaning salutations.

On the banks of Potomac

Walking Foot Quilting

Labelled

The end of life is generally marked with grief, a sense of loss and even confusion. Although Naman is intended as a comfort quilt for the terminally ill and their family, it is my hope that it will be a salutation to the life lived and memories made.

Good use of the Picnic Table :-)

I used an Island Batik Layer Cake (Whimsical Wings) and Island Batik White Solid for the top and Island Batik Solid Light Gray for the Backing. 

Whimsical Wings by Island Batik

The batting is Hobbs Thermore. I used a purple variegated thread for quilting, from Connecting Threads. Speaking of Connecting Threads, did you know that wide backing is 25% off :-O

Purple Variegated Thread

As we come to the end of the Positivity QAL, I appreciate all of you who participated in this worthy cause. I am overjoyed by the sponsors' generous contributions. And special thanks to Bernie - there is no Mercyful Quilts initiative without you.

Remember the Completed Quilt Linky Party is on Sunday, August 21, 2022 on Bernie's Blog.

Early next week, I will be mailing Naman to Patty, after I hug him one last time.  He is a handsome finish!

A backdrop of Black-Eyed Susans

Speaking of Finishes, I have a not-so-new-to-me finish which I can finally share with you. I completed Stars and Swirls in March and shared a sneak peek here. I decided to take a few quick outdoor shots before mailing it to Annie's Publishing. Gosh, was it windy?

Hairy Me, Almost Horizontal Quilt

Naughty Wind, Patient Paul

Getting better

Stars & Swirls is my first in-print pattern published in Annie's Catalog. It uses the Sunset Plains collection by Kathy Engle, expected in stores in September. But you can get the Merry Quilted Christmas magazine with 11 Festive projects right now. 

My copy :-)

Picture from Merry Quilted Christmas Magazine by Annie's Quilting

This is the best we got

And one more picture showing mostly Paul and some quilt :-D

Love you, so much!

Speaking of Paul, I am sharing the transcript of an actual conversation. But first take a look at the picture, for context.

Mouthwatering Picture!!!

Paul (eyes sparkling): Ooh what comfort food are you making?

Me: Well, it is a big heavy book...

Paul (still excited): Yes, glossy paper and lots of recipes.

Blocks for the Island Batik September Project

Me: That is why I was using it to press my blocks flat.
Paul (crestfallen): You are a horrible tease.

Me: I am so sorry. May I take you out on a date, my love?

Paul agreed :-) And here we are at our favorite Mexican restaurant. 

Date Night :-)

Paul got Carne Asada and I ordered Chicken Quesadillas with a side of refried beans. Since Paul was driving, I allowed myself to celebrate with a margarita. 

Celebrate what, you wonder.  Well, I managed to completed my orange blocks for August's RSC, in time... possible because Orange is my favorite color :-) 

August is Orange

Start

Middle

Finish!!!

Wonder what color is September? Medium Blue or Bright Green. 

Paul: Positivity Quilt ready to mail, RSC blocks completed and your first in-print publication. Sounds like there may be a bit of a lull...

Me: Ha, not even close. After I finish two quilts for two separate magazines, I will be tackling the Island Batik September Challenge and Blog Hop Quilt, featuring the Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design Tools.

Work in Progress

Fabrics for a new Quilt!

What are you working on?

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