If I could be doing anything quilty, it would be improv piecing. It is like taking a journey. "Come hither ye fabric scraps; together we will travel and see where we end up."
Here is the Island Batik Challenge for March. It reads
"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!"
And I did have fun. See how the bits and pieces grew.
Starting Point
And then there were two
Growing
Coming Together
Getting Closer - Are we there yet?
May be we'll go just a bit farther
It is fun to juggle the varied sizes and watch the quilt top come together. Usually we end up bigger than we envisioned - unexpected twists and turns and scenic routes, you know. A few tweaks, some trimming and some inserts later, we were done.
Two more seams to a Completed Top
I used Aurifil Thread for piecing (50 wt) and quilting (40 wt.) I used 80/12 Microtex Schmetz Needle for both piecing and quilting. All the Island Batik fabric scraps work beautifully with the Island Batik Solid White background. A black border was added and I chose black binding. I chose Hobbs Cotton Wool Blend batting. Quilted using my walking foot.
Hobbs Batting
I completed the quilt shortly before my trip to Atlanta for Quiltcon. Naturally I packed the quilt with me. Remember we journey together - my fabric and I. Here is my quilt - My Checkered Past enjoying the beautiful city of Atlanta.
Poolside at the Hotel in downtown Atlanta
Just Peachy :-)
Making Ends Meet
Of Course, I remembered the label!
Pieced Backing (using discarded blocks from another quilt)
The Geometrics!
Enough of the hotel. Let's go sightseeing.
At the Martin Luther King Center
At the Yolanda King Center for Performing Arts
Just love this picture - looking ahead together
Meditating at the Oakland Cemetery. We come and go but life goes on forever
So tired after a long day!
Tomorrow is another day!
I spent one day at Quiltcon and although I took many quilt pictures, the best part is meeting and reconnecting with people. You can find all the quilt pictures on Instagram at #Quiltcon2023. Here are the hugs I exchanged :-)
With Nann (With Strings Attached), Anna and Mell
On our way to Quiltcon
With Anja (Anja Quilts)
It was a high point of my visit when a reader of mine recognized me. Here I am beaming with happiness with Barbara from Philadelphia. Hope you will read/see this.
With Barbara
Quilters of Indian origin - Sujata Shah and Vasudha Govindan
I didn't plan this picture. I was meeting Vasudha and then we saw Sujata and we had to take a picture. I think I need a jacket before I go to Quiltcon next time. It was the uniform, apparently.
With Stephanie from Hobbs
It was so nice to meet with Stephanie. Stephanie also manages the Hobbs IG account and we already know each other from Island Batik ambassador program, where Hobbs Batting is the industry partner.
Atlanta is beautiful - art and inspiration are everywhere. We were also lucky - absolutely gorgeous weather. Here are a few more picture s from my trip.
Near the King Street MARTA Station
Such a great image!!!
Rock Paper Scissors - Street Art near Midtown MARTA Station
In full bloom :-)
Piedmont Park Lake
The Dogwood Sculpture in Piedmont Park
Wall Art
Cats Rule, I think.
Don't miss the reflection in the puddle
I am not sure what the artist is trying to say but I am sure it is a struggle between love and money.
So long Atlanta. Home sweet home!
Angela has announced the color for March. It is certainly a nod to the St. Patricks Day :-)
Here is my fabric pull.
Island Batik Greens for RSC
I will be sharing with Angela's and all my other favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. As usual, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I will close my eyes and pretend that we met at a Quilt Show and you said sweet (or savory) things about My Checkered Past :-)
I have a new finish to share. Meet Paroma. Although the quilt was completed in August 2022 (hence the lush green backdrop), I had to sit tight till now.
20 FQs make 20 stars and yield enough fabric to make a scrappy happy border. Paroma finished at 56" by 68" and it just sparkles.
Published!!!
It Sparkles!
Happy & Bright
Mari, the photographer
Initially I was going to post on Saturday, 2/18 but then Mari stopped by and everything else was set aside. We ate lunch, went fabric shopping, took some quilt pictures, ate some mango ice-cream and ended the day with out feet propped up while we watched a movie.
Since I was so busy having fun, the blogpost was delayed. Hope you can understand my priorities :-D
The winners of the giveaway are Diann (#11) and Peggy (#25). Emails have been sent.
The Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for February is pink. Here are my blocks. Linking with Angela's Linky Party.
I am keeping them in deconstructed quarters to allow room for layout flexibility later.
The March challenge for Island Batik is Ambassador's Choice. This means I can make pretty much whatever I want, in whatever size I desire, with whatever fabrics (a few exceptions) I fancy. So what do you think I will make? That blogpost is coming soon.
I will be at Quiltcon on Sunday, 2/26/23. I am looking forward to seeing Mell and Vasudha. If you are going to be there, find me. I am a hugger :-)
The first challenge of the year is to make a cozy, squishy Puff (Bubble) quilt using the fabric from your assigned Fall’22 collection 0.5 yard bundle!!
I received Exuberance collection. This is an original collection by Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Designs.
Like most of the ambassadors, I had the same question - what is a puff quilt and how do I make it? I watched about half a dozen videos on the YouTube and made a list.
A list of all the things I disliked about making a Puff Quilt. Here they are:
1. Do not like the pleated squares. Quilters and tucks don't go together. Generally, we hate them and painstakingly unravel stitches to smoothen them. Accepting those tucks was a departure for a quilter's soul. It was also extra work - work I wanted to avoid.
2. Do not wish to buy polyfill when I am rolling in batting. Although I had a small bag of polyfill left over from Gertie the Gecko, the puff quilt would need more. But I have plenty of batting which could be used directly (or cut up in bits), to make the puffy squares.
3. Do not like the idea that I will need a separate backing, in addition to the top and bottom fabric of the squares. This just seemed like extra work and extra fabric for no good reason. There has to be a better way to make this puff quilt. At least, a different way.
4. The puff quilt would be too thick to machine quilt and must be hand-tied. Tying the quilt would be slower and less secure than machine quilting. It might also require special needle and wool.
Paul: You did not get any cheese? Me: Cheese? You are allergic to cheese. Paul: Yes, but you need a lot of cheese to go with all that whine (wine).
Me (eye rolling): Everything about this Puff Quilt is a challenge.
Paul: When do you shy away from a challenge?
Me: I am going to try and come up with a way to make a Puff Quilt that eliminates these issues.
Paul: Go, Preeti, Go!
Concept - Make the quilt top. Place batting behind each square and secure it in place. Add backing and stitch over the seams, in the channels between batting mounds.
Making the Puffs
Trial/Audition Puff Quilt
I chose 16 fabrics from the collection to make 16 four-patch blocks. Arranged so that the lightest and darkest fabrics crossed diagonally in the middle. I used Schmetz Microtex (80/20) needle for piecing and quilting. I used Aurifil Thread for both piecing and quilting.
Quilt Top
I cut the batting squares 4.5". This would allow some room for the foot to move between the two puffed squares, thereby allowing me to machine quilt.
I used three layers of batting for each square. At a loft of about 1.5", it would provide a decent amount of puffiness.
3 Layers of Batting - About 1.5" high
Adding batting, one row at a time
I placed and pinned batting stack for one row at a time. Took it to the machine and stitched one/two Asterisk marks in the middle of each square in that row. Repeat for the next row.
Two done, six to go
Puffiness in Progress
Although this was a time-consuming process, it went smoothly. Bollywood music was a big help :-)
All Puffed up
Layered on top of Backing
Since the flimsy was 44.5" wide, I could not use a regular (44" wide) fabric for backing. I also had to account for added width to accommodate the puffiness.
I quilted on my machine, using the regular foot. Technically speaking, quilting is stitching three layers (top, batting and backing) together. Honestly speaking, quilting is a loose term here because I was stitching the backing to the flimsy, moving in the channels between the puff mounds. I used the regular foot because it is not as wide as the walking foot.
Quilting in process
Channel Quilted
Quilting was complete. No, I would not need to tie this quilt. PHEW!!!
The last challenge was binding.
Several of the YouTube Puff Quilts were turned inside out and then hand-tied. This eliminated the need for binding. But since mine was done differently, it needed a binding. Also, binding gives a neat finish :-) What do you think?
Ready to Bind
To make binding easier, I needed enough room (non-puffy flat surface) along the edge of the quilt. To achieve this, I moved my needle as far left as possible and quilted/stitched down the edges. Still, it would be impossible to completely machine stitch the binding. I machine-stitched the binding to the front, folded it to the back and hand-stitched it.
Finished!!!
Although this method eliminated each of my peeves (tucks, need for polyfill, separate backing, and hand-tying), it is not as puffy or biscuit-y as those YouTube quilts.
I like the understated puffiness. It is similar to a goose down comforter in puffiness.
Paul: This is finished!
Me: Yup.
Paul: What about all those challenges you were whining about?
Me: Killed each one of them.
Paul: Impressive! Did you name it?
Me: Yes. Trevor.
Paul: Trevor? Like Trevor Noah?
Me: Yes, because it is has dimples and it is cute :-D
Cloudy Day - Bright Quilt
Trevor by the Lake
Binding
Bye Bob, till next quilt.
In my continued effort to manage my stash, I am offering two prizes - scrap packs of batiks from my pre-ambassador days. As these are mystery prizes I won't be showing pictures of the scraps. However, if you are the winner, I will reach out to you to ask for your favorite colors, before creating the scrap pack just for you.
To enter the giveaway, please visit the Island Batik blog, and leave me a comment letting me know which collection is your favorite. If you show up as Anonymous (or a no-reply-blogger), make sure that you provide your email.
