Island Batik Ambassador Reveal

The day has arrived! The beautiful fabrics provided by Island Batiks are here, along with batting from Hobbs Batting and *beautiful* thread from Aurifil. 

As an Island Batik Ambassador I will be participating in a year of monthly challenges, and I will be using the Island Batik fabrics provided by the company. I'm so excited to get started on the first one, which is actually more like one and a half.

The first is a GALentines post card. You can find out more about GALentines HERE. This was not a challenge, but an opportunity to use the fabrics in something really just for fun. I will be using the pretty pink Valentines fabrics for this little project.

I will also be using them in this month's mini challenge. They are such a pretty group of fabrics. I'm looking forward to sharing these two challenges with you this week.

Next we have the Stash Builder rolls. There are multiple colors in each roll. I have a plan for these already as well, but that is for a different month and a different post. Aren't the colors just fabulous?! *I'm going to try really hard not to repeat that phrase, but I'm not making any promises.*

These fabulous pieces. Be still my heart! That purple!!  It's a beautifull soft rayon, which I have never sewn with, and I would love to hear your thoughts on working with it. The neutral is called Branches-Light Smore- Mountain's Majesty. If you want me to buy fabric, that name will do it!

The Foundations bundle. Ummmmm Whoa.

Pick a color. Any color!  If you can look at that bundle and not be happy you need to get some Vitamin D in you.  I'm going to be cutting into the pinks right away, but the rest of these...I think I'm just going to leave out and let them soak into me for a bit.

This bundle of Fat Eighths comes in such a bright array of loveliness.

The hard part will be deciding what color to use. The combination is stunning.

Here they are with the coordinating fabric that was also sent. I can't decide if I see summer or spring. Either way, this will brighten up the dungeon in which I stitch!

Let us now bask in what is my favorite of all. Now admittedly, when I say/type the name of this line "Blue Moon" I immediately go to that scene in Grease. You know the one I'm talking about, right? It really has nothing to do with the fabrics, that's just me and the way my brain sometimes works. This fabric though. So stunning. I love purple, and these are a fabulous grouping of rich purples and blues.

Check out the coordinates that were also sent along. Really, I'm trying not to drool, yet at the same time trying to figure out how in the world I'm going to cut into all of this gloriousness!  Island Batik just finished a week long blog hop featuring Blue Moon. I encourage you to check it out.  

Meet the partners

Aurifil has generously sent six spools of gorgeous color. 

The four orange spools are their 50 weight thread, and the two green spools are their 40 weight thread.

They also sent 6,452 yards of white 50 weight cotton thread. Ooohhhh yeeeaaahhhh.

As well as this handy brochure that helps explain which each weight is good for.

Hobbs Batting has also partnered with Island Batik and sent two batting options for us to use in our projects.

A twin size of their 80/20.

They also sent a queen size of their ultra thin option. I am really excited to try this one out.

They sent samples and descriptions of their products as well. I *love* that. When I can see AND touch the batting I am considering, I can feel very confident in that purchase.

It's the little things

This beautiful hand dyed, rayon scarf was part of the amazing product sent.

Hand. Dyed. I don't think I can really say any more than that.  You may have noticed little buttons in some of the pictures. Island Batik sent a few of those along as well. Too fun! It brings me back to jean jacket days and collecting buttons.

One last surprise

There is one last surprise...for you, for later.

As soon as I stopped the live reveal on Facebook I tore into this sucker, you may notice it was wrapped a little nicer in the video. I didn't take a picture before opening it, so I had to "fake" this one.  The spring line from Island Batiks literally took my breath away. If you are a batik lover, and even if you aren't, you are going to want to keep an eye on the reveal day, because WOW.

I hope you enjoyed this "slower" reveal and enjoyed seeing the beautiful fabric. I can't tell you how rich they are in real life. Scrumptious. I am really looking forward to sharing the projects I put together with these, and I'm going to sign off and get started now. Don't forget to let me know your ideas for working with rayon!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

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Super Bowl Sale Score

I love my Local Quilt Shop, Fabrics Plus.

While I support them all year long, their annual Super Bowl sale is one of my favorite sales. I think it has to do with the timing, by February aren't we all ready for something fresh, including fabric?

Enjoying the "big sale" experience

The day before the sale I head in with my plan and start looking at fabrics. It took about two hours. My plan changed a bit the day of the sale, and a couple of items I had an idea for not a plan, but all of that helps when you have a busy shop. I could ask questions that day when they aren't busy and not have to bother them while they are helping all the shoppers.

The day of the sale I went in with my list, my little wallet (no purse banging around, getting in my way or a heavy coat, just a sweatshirt), my coffee and a lot of patience. I think the whole experience is better if you go in knowing it's going to take time. There are lines for the cutting tables and lines to check out. I think of it like the post office on a Tuesday, at lunch time, after they were closed on Monday. Plan to be there twice as long as you usually would be. I spent 3 hours in the shop, and I had a plan, but with a plan and patience, I got what I needed and left without a stressed out, aggravated heartbeat.

My new fabrics

First up are a few of the fabrics needed to finish up the 2018 Color Challenge Quilts. If you are joining us, at the end of the year you will receive three setting options. These will help me finish those up and get them to the quilter.

My next project will be making a baby quilt for one of my child care families. I'm going to use The Border Quilt Baby option and the Guess How Much I Love You fabric. I grabbed the three top fabrics to finish off my fabric pull.

I grabbed these fabulous fabrics for a baby version of Friendly Flight. A pattern design just waiting for me to make cover quilts and publish.

Next, I grabbed some fabulous Kansas Troubles for the front cover photo of Twisted Flight, the pattern waiting to be published after Friendly Flight.

The fabrics for the baby version of Twisted Flight.  That bottom fabric is a very small green/cream, I had to have it, so found the 30's green to go with it.

I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek into future patterns. I'm so ready to get started on these projects! What's the next project on your list?

Happy Stitching!

Jen

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Monthly goal and my local quilt shop

Can one have too many goals? Well, yes, but you don't know your limit until you try, right?

I have recently found One Monthly Goal thanks to The Quilt Rambler. While this is a new challenge for me, I had already planned on having one monthly goal that was consistent all year long; making my local quilt shop's block of the month every month. Hopefully, this will keep me honest!

There are at *least* 2 years worth of blocks in that little bin, and there are at *LEAST* 2 more years worth, hiding in places that I'm not going to share with you.

Goal 1 is to make this years block each month. If I don't, I can't sign up next year, I can't justify it, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my shop and this is one way I can support them, so this is *going* to happen. This year they have switched it up and are using specialty rulers instead of just the regular traditional units.

Out of those beautiful greens you can see we get this amazing star. I used the VBlock Trimmer® from Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design. This is one of my all time favorite units. I used it here in my Gradient Stars Quilt.

Goal 1.5 is to finish one block from past years. I could make it more than one, but I want to actually accomplish something. Ha!  This time I chose a block from last year, the March block. I am currently hanging my head in shame, I didn't even make it to month 3! I do go to every class though, so there's that...

Look at this amazing star! I love the pinwheels. I also discovered the Tucker Trimmer®, also a Deb Tucker ruler, is awesome for squaring up those quarter square-half square triangle unit things. I'll show you that in later post, I was too amazed at realizing what a treasure I had been missing, to take pictures.


Support Your Local Quilt Shop

I was sick last weekend and didn't get my post up about my local quilt shop. Did you know last Saturday was "Support Your Local Quilt Shop" day? I made it to class, grabbed a few pictures, but then crashed and burned when I got home.

My local quilt shop, Fabrics Plus in Marshall, MN is home to over 7,000 bolts of fabric. This beautiful section of batiks will make any lover of batiks drool.

Flannels (some shown above), novelty prints, baby/children's fabrics, there is so much to look at, you need to plan to stay awhile.

A color wall that doesn't fit in two pictures...

...but I tried.


Goals


So my Goal for February: February's block and one from past years! The Block of the Month class meets multiple times the last full week of the month and I usually attend the last Saturday, so watch for my update then, and starting poking at me if you don't see a post up!

How do you support your local quilt shop? Share links to your local shops! Lets spread the word to those who might be in the same area, and keep these awesome shops open and busy!


Happy Stitching!
Jen

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts February Monthly Goals.

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February Color Challenge Block

 Thank you for making the first month of the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge so amazing!

I hope you had fun playing with red, but we're done with that color. Toss those reds back in the scrap bucket and starting pulling out the blues!  Each month there will be a different block pattern and you can choose to make the 12" finished size or the 6" finished. Find the introduction post HERE.

Grab your free pattern HERE.
**The block patterns, and setting instructions, will be available for free until June 2019, at which point they will be bundled and sold as a full pattern.**

Blog Hop

Don't miss the bloggers joining in the fun! A few of them also have blocks for you.

Jen S of Dizzy Quilter

Sherry of Powered By Quilting

Jen R of A Dream and A Stitch

Nancy of Masterpiece Quilting

Dione of Clever Chameleon Quilting

Joanne of Quilts By Joanne

The Prize

Information on how to enter for a chance to win this months prize is at the bottom of the post. This month we have a $25 gift certificate to The Fat Quarter Shop!

Supplies

Grab your blues, you will need a dark, a medium and a light blue. Scrappy pieces are fine, just make sure you have the same value for each, or you will lose the pattern. You also need a ruler with a 45 degree angle, or a specialty ruler for trimming Half Square Triangles. There are many, I prefer the Tucker Trimmer®.

Tucker Trimmer

Creative Grids 6 1/2" square ruler

Piecing Hints

I use an old cut up mat to mark my diagonals on. This keeps my current mat clean and prolongs it's life.  It's not pretty, but it doesn't need to be. I also use it to trim, again, saving my current mat.

I use a mechanical pencil to mark my diagonals, unless it's a dark fabric, then I use the Clover White Marking Pen Fine.

Find instructions for trimming Half Square Triangles HERE.

If you are making the 6" finished block, note that you are trimming the HST units to 2".

Chain piecing is your friend. My desk faces out (I can't stand to face a wall, too many NCIS episodes, I guess) and there isn't a wall to catch my chain piecing units. I use a basket to keep them off the floor,and it's easy to scoop up the basket and grab the pile of pieces for the next step.

A trick I learned from Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville (and I apologize, I can't find a direct link to that post on her blog to share with you) is to not clip your squares after you have sewn the first seam. Keep them attached and sew the other seam, it's faster than clipping and then needing to stop and grab another square.

Lay out your block, with all of the turning HST units, it can be easy to get them turned around.

Spinning your seams

There are a lot of seams that come together in this block. If you would like to avoid some of the bulk I have a picture tutorial for you. Spinning your seams is not part of the block's instructions. What is spinning your seams?  Cooking Up Quilts has a nice tutorial.

NOTE: The block in these pictures uses the light blue for the center.

If you want to spin your squares, split them into quadrants.

Sew into pairs and follow the pressing arrows that are included in the instructions for the rows.

Pin and sew each quadrant into a 4 patch. Spin the seam. Your new units should still be easy to butt seams together.

Sew top row together, then bottom row, and press those seams opposite directions.

Stitch the rows together. I spun that last seam as well.

What's next?

You've visited the bloggers, you've made the block, or something in blue, and you're ready for the next step. Entering for prizes! On February 21st I will open up a link party. From February 21 - February 28 you can add your blue "something" to the link up party. One entry per person, please. On March 1st I will randomly choose a winner. Please make sure you add your email address!! 

Quick note

I had a lot of questions about using other colors other than the color of the month. As long as your block, or sewing item, "reads" the color of the month, you are good.  Remember, though, it is a challenge, so maybe sticking to all blues will push you to try something different.

**Remember! Every month you enter gives you an entry for the grand prize. If you enter all 12 months you receive 12 entries into the grand prize!**

Grand Prize

Jen at Dizzy Quilter is providing the grand prize! 

The generous prize provided your top quilted by her (up to 90" x 90"),  a $202.50 value!

You must provide the backing, 8" longer than width and length. Batting can be purchased from Jen, for $20, if you like.

Return shipping is included for US residents only.
**Please note, the quilt will not be trimmed or bound, those services are extra**

Happy Stitching!
Jen

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