Island Batik Row by Row Challenge

Paul: There is a new restaurant in Ashburn.
Me: Uh huh.
Paul: Take a look. They have alligator.
Me: Cajun?
Paul: Yes. They have andouille sausage, shrimp and grits, jambalaya and also beignets.
Me: They sure look authentic.
Paul: Let's go.
Me: Happily.
Paul: Valentine's Day?
Me: Absolutely NOT.
Paul: Oh come on.
Me: Every place is overpriced, overhyped and overcrowded.
Paul: They cannot be any more overpriced than they already are.
Me: I did not come to America because I was missing crowds. 

I won the argument. We will go another day.  

In my opinion, the perfect Valentine's Day is spent at home with takeout while watching a favorite movie.

An imperfect quilt

A perfect quilt (in my opinion) does not exist. Anything can be made better and that quest for perfection is a recipe for unhappiness. To make this point, I made a quilt - Pobody's Nerfect.

The Island Batik February Challenge (and Blog Hop) requirement was simple. Using the Fall 2021 Fabric Bundle, make a row by row quilt, lap size (or larger), using any technique(s).

I received Lace and Grace. It is a Signature Collection for Chris Hoover of Whirligig Designs designed by Kathy Engle. It is a beautiful collection and I love it.  Lace and Grace should be shipping to your local quilt stores now.

I used Island Batik Solid White for the background. I believe it best shows off the spring colors of the collection.

I had begun thinking about this challenge in December 2021, while I was still nursing the pain of my failed travel plans. Naturally, the bird block was first.

Designed in EQ8

Bird Blocks

Birds needs trees to nest. So trees were added. I had first designed this twin tree block in 2020 for the quilt tops made for the Australian Bush Fires Relief.

Twin Trees

Of course I would like to live in a place with lots of trees and birds chirping nearby. So houses were added. 

House Block

The flowers are aspirational.  My yard is a mess but there is some green growth, when it is not covered with snow. 

Grassy Border on the Bottom

The grass formed a natural border on the bottom. I wanted to add a similar element on the top. Paul suggested sky or clouds. Too tame, I thought. It needs festoons or buntings, like celebrations.

Festoons Border on the Top

Although I designed the quilt in EQ8, some changes were made in the process, adding what I liked and removing what did not seem to work.

Mock up in EQ8

Every row has a mistake, intentionally added, to justify the slogan - Pobody's Nerfect. 

Find every mistake, smile and then say aloud. "I am not perfect and I don't have to be."

Pobody's Perfect

I used 80/20 Cotton Bleached batting by Hobbs. 

I used Aurifil Thread for both sewing (50 wt) and quilting (40 wt)

I used 80/12 Microtex Schmetz Needle for sewing and 90/14 Schmetz needle for quilting.

Having spent all my passion in patchwork, I quilted simple squiggly lines using my walking foot.  The binding is Island Batik Neutral Cream.

Gorgeous Fabrics

Picnic Ready!

You make me happy...

Pobody's Nerfect finished at about 60" by 70" and I am perfectly happy with all its imperfections :-)

Happily Imperfect :-)

Island Batik is giving away some gorgeous fabrics to celebrate these new releases. You don't want to miss it. And speaking of things you do not want to miss, here is a complete listing of all the Island Batik ambassadors and the links to their blogs. Some are cute, some are beautiful and some are so handsome (I want to sleep with them). 

January 31:

Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations
Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese 

February 1:

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts
Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

February 2:

Megan Best, Bestquilter

February 3:

Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs

February 7:

Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

February 8:

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

February 9:

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts

February 10:

Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky
Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels

February 14:

Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde
Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

February 15:

Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia

February 16:

Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts (this is me)

February 17:

Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio
Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads

February 21:

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter

February 22:

Mania Hatzioannidi, Mania for Quilts
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. And if you tell me about your battle (or skirmish) with the pursuit of perfection, I will enter you in a giveaway of my own.  

For readers in the US - A scrap pack of assorted fabrics (2 prizes). For international readers - a pattern from my Etsy Shop (2 prizes). The giveaway is open till February 28, 2022. I will announce the winners on March 2, 2022.

Paul: Can we go now?
Me: I thought you'd never ask.
Paul: BRAT!!! You have been so busy...
Me: Well, I have some time before the next challenge...

Disclosure: The fabrics, batting, thread and needles were generously supplied by the following companies: Island Batik   Aurifil Thread   Hobbs Batting & Schmetz Needles !!

Works in Progress

I don't have a finish, but should that stop me for sharing?

According to Angela, February shall be devoted to teal, aqua and turquoise scraps. Here is what I did.

Teal/Aqua Scraps

Fish :-)

Scrappy Improv 

Block in the works

15 blocks in two days!!!

My Island Batik Row by Row quilt (for the February Challenge and BlogHop) is complete.  I received the collection Lace and Grace, designed by Kathy Engle for Chris Hoover of Whirligig Designs. This signature collection should be in stores now. 

Lace and Grace :-)

 Although I will share on February 16, here is a sneak peek of my Row by Row quilt. 

Sneak Peek :-)

Floral Backing

I have been enjoying the Row by Row quilts created by other Island Batik ambassadors. Check out these posts by fellow Island Batik ambassadors, Emily Leachman and Connie Kauffman.  Not only these are super cute and absolutely adorable quilts, they both have giveaways. 

While I was anxiously waiting (darn the supply chain issues) for the Aurifil Thread and Schmetz Needles to arrive, I needed to do something to minimize the anxiety level.  Playing with leftover Island Batik scraps and Island Batik Solid White has been therapeutic.  

Therapeutic Piecing

The colorful fabric in the foreground sparkles as the colorful Christmas lights twinkle in the room behind. No, it is not an old picture. The Christmas lights will stay up till Valentine's Day (my house my rules).

Finally, this week I received the Aurifil Thread Color Builder for the March challenge.  I love orange :-)

Aurifil Color Builder - Tuscany Orange 

Here is the Island Batik fabric to match. I am so excited about this project.

Fabric Pull for the March Island Batik Project

I also received the pack of Schmetz needles, I have come to rely upon. I don't use anything else. Is there anything else?

Sewing, Quilting and Topstitch Needles by Schmetz

I will be sharing with Angela's Linky Party and all my other favorites (se full list on the sidebar). 

If you are suffering from the effects of the supply chain doldrums, I recommend ignoring the dishes, getting takeout and playing with scraps. It has worked for me :-)

Island Batik Step by Step Challenge

 The Island Batik challenge for January 2022 reads as follows: 

Island Batik has developed ten colorways of gradations with 20 steps in each. There are so many quilt projects that make use of gradations in color and value. Your challenge is to create a project that demonstrates this step by step change in color value!

I love this challenge. I absolutely do. I love creating quilts with gradations, where color (or value) gradually changes from one to the other. I made a Gradations quilt in Konark, even though it wasn't a requirement. Cross Currents was based on the same theme. Even the Iberian Lynx Project relies on gradually darkening values to convey the message of strengthening populations.

Tantalizing Teals :-)

I received the letter for the 2022 Ambassador Program in December 2021. I had recently completed my Synergy Quilt for the Make Modern magazine. As I read the requirements of the first challenge, I wondered - how would Synergy look with changing values of blue and green (instead of rainbow colors in the original)? Absolutely snazzy, said EQ8!

I wasted little time in cutting fabric but when I started cutting the grey background fabric, it did not feel right. Neither white nor black were giving me the warm fuzzy feeling I was looking for. Back to EQ8. Yellow it was!!! Although I had plenty of solid neutrals (Black, White and Grey). I had very little yellow solid. Within minutes, I ordered solid yellow. Now I had to sit tight and wait. So many gorgeous teals and I had to wait??? UNACCEPTABLE.

So, while I was waiting for the yellow solid fabric to arrive, I made this other quilt with the step by step gradations theme.  I am calling this one Supernova :-)

Supernova

I know I am crazy. But look at these tantalizing teals. Do you really blame me? I was hungry and Gradations is my favorite food group :-D

Frozen Pond = Poor Reflections :-(

I used Hobbs Thermore batting. This is my favorite batting because it is really light and so easy to work with. I used Schmetz Microtex 80/12 needles for both piecing and quilting. I used Aurifil Thread (40 wt) #2600 Dove for quilting.

Here are a few more pictures.

Supernova on Snow

Thank you Paul!

Yummy Fabrics - Step by Step

Once yellow solid arrived (thanks to a rapid response from Maryellen), I made Synergy in Tantalizing Teals with a Solid Yellow background.  I used Hobbs Premium 80/20 Cotton batting and quilted with Aurifil thread (40 wt) using the Schmetz Microtex 80/12 needle.

The Yellow sings and the Teals dance on the hot surface. And I am thrilled with this song and dance quilt!!!

Jubilant Quilt - Dull Reflection

I wanted a reflection of this simmering yellow in a cool pool, but alas all ponds are frozen resulting in blah reflections. May be in a couple of months, I will try again.

Against a red brick wall will do nicely

Winter is cold, Quilt is Hot

Snow does make a great setting

Dreary Urban Backdrop = Perfect for a Bright Quilt

Supernova finished at 52" square and Synergy (in Tantalizing Teals) finished at 56" by 70". Quilted using my walking foot. Used background fabrics for both bindings. Overall, I am very happy with my January, except the frozen bit. But enough about me. I'd love to hear from you. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

The Island Batik February Challenge and Blog Hop begins on January 31. I will be posting on February 16. You don't want to miss it. 

The other Island Batik Ambassadors are busy posting their “Step by Step” challenge quilts.
Do check them out. 

• Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
• Megan Best ~ Bestquilter
• Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts
• Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio
• Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter
• Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
• Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
• Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
• Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
• Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
• Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese
• Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
• Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine
• Anorina Morris – sameliasmum.com
• Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
• Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
• Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads
• Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute And Quirky
• Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde
• Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
• Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts
• Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
• Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
• Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

Disclosure: The fabrics, batting, thread and needles were generously supplied by the following companies: Island Batik   Aurifil Thread   Hobbs Batting & Schmetz Needles !!