Island Batik Ambassadors Four Seasons Blog Hop - Plum Delicious

Welcome to the Island Batik Ambassadors Four Seasons Blog Hop!  Today I get to share the amazing new Plum Delicious collection with you.  It reminds me of a colorful fall sunset!

When I was deciding what I wanted to make out of these gorgeous fabrics I immediately thought of Gloria Loughman's book Radiant Landscapes.  In it, she uses rectangles to make a background for a landscape.  Since these fabrics made me think of a sunset I decided to try out the technique.  I didn't have the book, but my mom did.  However, I couldn't wait.  So I put Steam a Seam 2 on my fabrics and got to work cutting two inch by five inch rectangles.  (Later I learned that her rectangles are 3/4 inch by 2 inches....I'm glad I cut mine bigger so I can show off these gorgeous fabrics!)

I then started laying out my fabrics.  I didn't stick the pieces down until I was sure where they went.

Here is the final background.  I knew I wanted to add a tree on top, so I stitched down my rectangles 1/4 inch from the long edges using a fun variegated thread from Superior Threads.

Then I added the tree using more fabrics from Plum Delicious.

Now it wads time to get quilting.  I added a curl inside each leaf.  I stitched the tree in black to simplify changing colors and to add some unity to it.

And the finished quilt which I simply call Sunset.

Be sure to check out the other amazing blocks on the Four Seasons Blog Hop!

Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway from City Culture 2 Strip Set from Island Batiks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm also giving away six fat eighths from the Plum Delicious collection!  To enter leave a comment on this post.  Be sure to include your email so I can contact you if you win.  I will pick a winner on Super Bowl Sunday.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

WINTER

January 8 – Blue Moon
Inquiring Quilter • Cheryl Lynch Quilts

January 9 – Mountain’s Majesty
FunThreads Designs • Little Bunny Quilts • Quilting Affection Designs

January 10 – Alpine Ice
Freemotion by the River • Slice of Pi Quilts
Seams Like a Dream • KISSed Quilts

January 11 – Alpine Jingle
Purrfect Spots Designs • Bejeweled Quilts

SPRING

January 15 – Elementz
Den syende himmel • Inspired Layers

January 16 – Southern Blooms
Yellow Cat Quilt Designs • Quiltologist Treasures

January 17 – Morning Sunshine
Quilt’n Party • Desert Bloom Quilting

January 18 – Season’s Shades
Inchworm Fabrics • Kauffman Designs

SUMMER

January 22 – Paisley Dot
Pamela Quilts • Seams Like a Dream • Mary Make Made Mine

January 23 – Sunflower Serenade
Kathys Kwilts and More • Whispers of Yore

January 24 – City Culture 2
Mary Mack Made Mine • heARTs Creations

January 25 – City Culture 2
The Quilt Rambler • Lizard Creek Quilts • KISSed Quilts

FALL

January 29 – Pumpkin Patch
Seams to be Sew • KISSed Quilts
Ark Angel Creations • Adventurous Appliqué and Quilting

January 30 – Autumn’s Grace
KISSed Quilts • Beaquilter

January 31 – Plum Delicious
Masterpiece Quilting • Adventurous Appliqué and Quilting

February 1 – Northern Woods
Moosestash Quilting • Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Island Batik Ambassadors Four Seasons Blog Hop - Pumpkin Patch

Welcome to the Island Batik Ambassadors Four Seasons Blog Hop!  Today I get to share the amazing Pumpkin Patch Fabrics with you!  In looking at these gorgeous fall fabrics I received I decided that the best choice was to make a squirrel quilt!  They always remind me of fall picking up acorns and running around all over the place.  My husband loves squirrels, so I got started.

Aren't the fabrics in this collection lovely!?

I knew I wanted to make nine squirrel blocks with two colors each.  I laid out the squares from my precut bundle and arranged the fabrics until I was happy.

I then layered my quilt and someone cute in my house wanted to show it off after I'd layered it with some amazing Hobbs batting.

To quilt this quilt, I used a 12-weight rayon thread that was fall colors from Wonderfil and a 50 weight Aurifil in the bobbin.  It took a little tweaking with the tension, but I love the way it looks.  I did a simple stipple all over the quilt so the squirrels stand out like the stars of the show.

Here's the finished quilt...and my husband asked me to hang it up!  That never happens!

Be sure to check out the other amazing blocks on the Four Seasons Blog Hop!

Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway from City Culture 2 Strip Set from Island Batiks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm also giving away the remaining 10 inch squares from the Pumpkin Patch collection!  To enter leave a comment on this post.  Be sure to include your email so I can contact you if you win.  I will pick a winner on Super Bowl Sunday.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

WINTER

January 8 – Blue Moon
Inquiring Quilter • Cheryl Lynch Quilts

January 9 – Mountain’s Majesty
FunThreads Designs • Little Bunny Quilts • Quilting Affection Designs

January 10 – Alpine Ice
Freemotion by the River • Slice of Pi Quilts
Seams Like a Dream • KISSed Quilts

January 11 – Alpine Jingle
Purrfect Spots Designs • Bejeweled Quilts

SPRING

January 15 – Elementz
Den syende himmel • Inspired Layers

January 16 – Southern Blooms
Yellow Cat Quilt Designs • Quiltologist Treasures

January 17 – Morning Sunshine
Quilt’n Party • Desert Bloom Quilting

January 18 – Season’s Shades
Inchworm Fabrics • Kauffman Designs

SUMMER

January 22 – Paisley Dot
Pamela Quilts • Seams Like a Dream • Mary Make Made Mine

January 23 – Sunflower Serenade
Kathys Kwilts and More • Whispers of Yore

January 24 – City Culture 2
Mary Mack Made Mine • heARTs Creations

January 25 – City Culture 2
The Quilt Rambler • Lizard Creek Quilts • KISSed Quilts

FALL

January 29 – Pumpkin Patch
Seams to be Sew • KISSed Quilts
Ark Angel Creations • Adventurous Appliqué and Quilting

January 30 – Autumn’s Grace
KISSed Quilts • Beaquilter

January 31 – Plum Delicious
Masterpiece Quilting • Adventurous Appliqué and Quilting

February 1 – Northern Woods
Moosestash Quilting • Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Four Dazzlers - Part 1 (The Challenge of a Title)

Okay, I admit it.  I find naming my quilts excruciating.  I most commonly do original designs then they need names.  Sigh.  My oldest helped me with this one which we have dubbed Four Dazzlers as there are four main blocks in this quilt.  Here's my drawing with mirrors...

The best part about this quilt?  I cut ALL the pieces on my GO Big! cutter.  This made it so slick.  I was done cutting in a few hours.  Here's the start of the cutting.

And the middle of the sewing.  As you can see from the picture I am a pinner.  Pin, pin, pin.  I wish I could stop myself sometimes, but it is who I am.

Yes, a pinner.  More next week!

Next week I will be posting TWO gorgeous quilts I've created with the new Island Batik collections!  Be sure to stop back and check them out.  (There will be giveaways too!)

I hope you get to quilt today!  
Suzy

Free Motion Friday - Curvy Crosshatching Variation

Today is an adventure in curvy crosshatching done freestyle.

Two weeks ago I started a simple quilt top to do some new free motion doodling on.  I often doodle on scrap fat quarter sandwiches, but this time I wanted something pretty to stitch on.  All these fabrics are gorgeous Island Batiks that are solid-looking from my Island Batik Ambassador boxes.

This quilt is for experimentation and fun and to try out new things I've never done before.  After all, that's what this blog is all about!  I've been doing Christa Watson's design wavy plaid where you stitch curvy lines back and forth and switch directions in points.  I love it because it covers space quickly and is easy to make looks good.  

BUT....this left me wondering what I could do with other lines....like S curves.  So I started with an s curve going across my square.

Then I echoed loosely back and forth along the shape not worrying about them being totally consistent in the width between the lines.

Next, I did an S curve connecting opposite corners.

And then loosely echoed that curve.

Here are the results!  I love the way it's curvy and fluid and it looks good even though it's NOT marked and it's NOT perfect.  That makes me sew happy!  It took me less than 10 minutes to stitch out so it was quick and it filled the space prettily too.  BONUS!

Here's a look from the back side.

My first adventure on this new doodle quilt was definitely a success.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Designing a Pattern Using Mirrors

Over winter break I was at my parent's house with the family and ended up doodling on some graph paper.  I came up with this block.  I was told it looked like "kissing fish."  I decided I didn't want kissing fish, so I kep playing.

With this extra border, there are no "kissing fish."

Then I got out the mirrors and started playing...

It makes a difference where you put the mirrors because you cut out different parts of the design.

  

So....which one did I end up making?  Come back Saturday to find out :)

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Owl Inspiration

I love owls.  I snapped a picture of this shirt the other day.  Isn't it cute!?

And as always a fun pattern from a tissue box.  They are such a great source of inspiration.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Free Motion Friday - Pop Art Flower

My intention for today was to show you the first design on a new free motion project I'm working on.  You can see the finished top below.  I used some scrap solids of gorgeous Island Batik fabrics to complete the top.  I had planned to get it layered and ready to sew this week.  And then I got a nasty bug and haven't moved from the couch for three days.  SIGH.  Next week...

So today I show you another oldie, but good.  This is Pop Art Flower.  It never won any awards, but it's one of my favorites.

I used a single spine feather with pearls on the other side for the border.  It was the first time I'd done this and I love the way it turned out.

My applique shapes were too big to leave unquilted, so I added some quilting detail inside them which I really like.

In the center I did this crazy motif I marked with a compass.  It turned out really well, but it looks odd merging into the yellow blanket stitching around the edge.  I'm still trying to decide how it's best to quilt blanket stitched flowers.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

On Ringo Lake Top COMPLETE!

This is my first mystery quilt and my first finish!  I added some extra cream sashing and a few extra triangles in the setting triangles.  It's a bit bigger than I'd planned at 84 by 84 inches, but I am so happy with how it turned out.  Now to decide batting and backing and turn it over to my amazing mother to quilt.  That is once we get over our mutual colds.  Gotta love winter.  SIGH.  I had 5 students out of 22 out sick today and I'm down for the count tomorrow.  I need to get rid of these chills.

Here's a picture from when I was first assembling the top.

And here's a sneak peek at Friday's post....you'll have to come back to find out more!

I hope you get to quilt today!  (And I get to sleep away all the germs...)
Suzy