100 Days of Scrappy Patchwork Day 4

This block feels like its exploding out from the center to me.  Like a firework.  It's made from my beautiful Island Batik scraps that I cut using my 5" Qube from Accuquilt.

Here is how I started the design.

Complete!

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

100 Days of Scrappy Patchwork Day 3

The first two blocks I made using my Island Batik scraps and my Accuquilt 5" Qube was a 3 unit by 3 unit block like a nine-patch.  For this block I wanted to explore what happened when I used those long skinny triangles to make sort of an outer frame.

Here's where I started off.

The dark gray here is a solid fabric.  It is still from Island Batik and great to work with.  It's fun to sprinkle it into these blocks.

I decided to add pink accent triangles to make your eye zoom around the block.

All done!

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

100 Days of Scrappy Patchwork Day 2

For this block I played around with square in a square units for the corners using my pieces cut from Island Batik scraps and my AccuQuilt 5 inch Qube.  I have discovered that I didn't cut enough center squares for these.  I'll need to cut more.  I also had fun putting that time green on the outside of the purple trapezoids.

And the completed block.  This is so much fun.  I can't wait to lay out the next block!

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

100 Days of Scrappy Patchwork Introduction

I've decided to embark on one of those 100 day journeys.  Maybe.  It might last 100 days.  Or it might not.  We will see when I run out of scraps (yeah, right), or I run out of patience or the quilt gets too big!  Maybe there will be more than one?

I have an overflowing Island Batik scrap bin.  So...what to do with it?  In the past I have cut all my scraps into 1 1/2" squares or 2 1/2" half square triangles.  I wanted to do something different.

I have all three AccuQuilt Qubes that are 5".  There are 16 die shapes that can be used together to create blocks.  I also have all of them at 8", but many of my scraps are small so I wanted to use a smaller size.  

I spent about 4 hours pressing all the pieces.  Then cut for 4 hours.  I haven't made it through a quarter of the scraps, but, well, I got tired of cutting!  And I wanted to sew.  I can cut more later as I see what I'm using up first.

I decided on gray for my background.  I cut lots of the different shapes in sets of 4 or 8.  I'm a symmetrical girl at heart and knew I needed to have an even amount of pieces.

Now it was time to play!  And it was such fun picking out this first block.

I started with the yellow center square.  Then I added the green and purple print.  Then the big purple triangles and finally some yellow and red in the corners (yes, that's a really light yellow).

I then had fun sewing it into it's finished block!

What fun!  Time to go pick out another block!  This is going to be fun.

I hope you get to quilt today.

Suzy

Alabama Beauty Accuquilt Die and Patterns!

Accuquilt has a new die for the Alabama Beauty block!  I designed two of the patterns that go with this beautiful curved pieced block that you can get on the Accuquilt website.  These quilts of course are make with beautiful Island Batik fabrics.

The first quilt is called Modern Alabama.  Who knew this pattern could look modern?

The second quilt is Spring in Alabama.  It was a really fun project to use up scraps.

I was amazed at how easily these curved blocks went together!

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Island Batik Ambassador's It's In The Bag Challenge

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors are teaming with byannie.com to create bags!  I love when we get to create bags.  This year I selected the Switchback pattern and used fabrics from the gorgeous Baroque collection from Island Batik.

Here is the kit I received in my Island Batik Ambassador box with all the needed materials for my bag.

Here is the front flap all complete!  It's a good think I have tons of colors of Aurifil thread so I could match the threads to the fabric.

When the directions call for you to remove the zipper stop I get my husband involved.  Thanks honey!

For the top of the strap I decided to add some decorative stitching to hold down the edge because the wrinkles were driving me crazy.

By Annie's has great Add On Videos for this pattern which really helped me with the tricky steps.

Look at all the amazing pockets on the inside!

This bag can also be worn as a backpack which is most likely how I will choose to wear it.  

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Island Batik Ambassador's Tool Talk Blog Hop

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors are showcasing new collections by using Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design tools!  

For this month's challenge I was sent the Cheers! Collection by Carl and Linda Sullivan of Colourwerx.  It is a fun assortment of drink inspired prints.  I think my favorites are the lemon slides and ice cubes.  This collection made me so excited I made a queen sized quilt!

When I saw the great gradations in this collection I knew I wanted to play with that somehow in my quilt design.  I did add in a few Island Batik foundations fabrics to help complete the color arcs.  It was easy peasy to cut all those squares for the blocks using my Accuquilt GO! and my 2 1/2" strip cutter die.

Here is the warm arc:

Here is the cool arc:

For my Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Tool I received the Square Squared tool which makes gorgeous square in a square units.

I started by cutting my center square using the ruler:

And then used the ruler again to square up my blocks.  This worked slick as it left exactly 1/4" of seam allowance on the outside of the blue points which made sewing the units into the finished blocks really easy.

All squared up and ready to put into the block!

I the proceeded to make all my blocks and put the top together.  I really wanted the Square Squared units to pop and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  They sparkle when set with those gradation blocks.  This quilt has my favorite Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly batting inside and was stitched with Aurifil threads and Schmetz Microtex needles which slide through batik like butter!

I also had a lot of fun quilting it.

Island Batik is giving away two fat quarter bundles this week!  One is Cheers! and the other is Honeycomb.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy