This months Island Batik Challenge was to use a specific group of fabrics and create a Modern Quilt. Read to the bottom for the giveaway link.
I used a hexagon design, with some negative area. I love the fabric choice:
Meet Hexagon Sprinkle:
What STUNNING fabrics.
The Line is Jewel Quest by Kathy Engle for Nan Baker. These are my favorite colors.
I created the quilt in Electric Quilt. I have been using this software for well over 20 years. It makes designing quilts fun!
I used the half hex die from Accuquilt for the cutting. I like to cut smarter not harder....and Accuquilt makes the difference.
I cut a 5" strip from each of the 20 fabrics. Well, 19 because one fabric is beige and just did not fit my process.
I cut a bunch from the background which is the neutral from this group. I love that it is a greyish fabric.
I pieced with this purple Aurifil thread.
I piled them in groups and grabbed while following my roadmap.
This is a pretty easy quilt to stitch.
Rows and rows: just make sure you picked the right ones for each row.
I am really organized in how I line up my stitched rows.
I added a floating border of the neutral, then a frame of purple and another floating border.
The quilt is about 64" by 69". It is a nice lap/couch quilt size or a great wallhanging size.
Once pieced, I plan my quilting. I am ALL about the quilting.
I bring my backdrop image from EQ8 into ProStitcher Designer. I designed and digitized the quilting design for a border on another quilt a few months ago. I made it larger to use as an all over quilting design on this quilt. I superimpose the quilting design over the pieced top to get an idea of how the whole quilt will look.
I planned for a very modern linear quilting design.
Here is what it looks like outside the quilt.
You can purchase the design (in many longarm formats)
Here: Borderlines E2E
And on the quilt:
Hobbs Heirloom Batting makes the design really show well.
Another closeup of the piecing while the quilting is going on.
And now the fun part.
Where to take the portrait shots. It is getting harder to decide where to go to have some fun with the pictures.
I got THE BEST SHOTS EVER.
Wait until you see the BEST SHOTS EVER.
First the good shots:
This at the old GP paper plant on the waterfront in Bellingham. It is called the Acid Ball.
Ho hum, cool.
and these silo things:
Cool, with some great photo editing (hubs, not me!)
But not as cool as THIS.
There is some construction going on near these landmarks. A plywood wall is around parts, and there is come very cool street art.
We did not even see the perfect spot until we were 3 feet away from it. It is as if the fabric was designed and the quilt was inspired by this amazing piece of street art.
It looks like the quilt and fabric were all meant to be TOGETHER with this Orca.
The COLORS, the SHAPES, the ORCA'S.
OMG, it is the very coolest EVER.
I can never top this. All other photo shoots will never compare.
Here is the rest of the wall: nothing as fantastically perfect with this quilt as this orca bit, but amazing.
The artist (after some digging) is here: https://www.instagram.com/zaps.one/
And now for the Raffle:
sign up HERE for a giveaway of some cool Island Batik Fabrics!
You can win one of these precuts from Island Batik!
There are giveaways each week this month on the Island Batik Blog. Check it out!
Disclosure: The products featured here were provided to me free of charge by Island Batik, Aurifil and Hobbs.
Here is a list of all the Ambassadors for 2021.
Visit and follow them for great ideas in quilting for 2021!
Megan Best ~ Bestquilter
Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts
Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio
Jennifer Eubank ~ Archipelago Quilting
Jennifer Fulton ~ The Inquiring Quilter
Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Joanne Hart ~ Unicorn Harts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke, Fiber Artist
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine
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
Jennifer Thomas ~ CurliCue Creations
Janet Yamamoto ~ Whispers of Yore
Its 2021 and we are still in the midst of a Pandemic. We really need to find some joy. The bright colors and act of creating with fabric can bring so much joy in a stressful time. I will continue to create in the next few months while I am at home not traveling and teaching. Follow me on Instagram to find more fun and colorful quilt projects (and some gardening and cooking too!). @bestquilter
# islandbatik #hobbsbatting #accuquilt #accuquiltgo #doyoueq #janome #juki #handiquilter