ISLAND BATIK AMBASSADOR BLOG HOP

This blog hop's theme is Getaway. Since I don't do appliqué or theme quilts very well I decided to say that making this quilt was a journey for me. The journey involved designing the quilt.

I was given the fabric collection (of course from Island Batiks) called Soul Song. It was in my surprise package that I wasn't able to use until now. The collection was unusual in that it had two completely different looks. Ten of the fabrics were small dots in all different colors and ten were tans and blacks with geometric shapes on them. What do I do with two fabrics that to me didn't go together at all even though they were in the same collection?

Here is a sampling of what the fabrics looked like.

I started like I usually do and open EQ8 and think about doing a log cabin block. Being rushed for time, I decided that I didn't have time to make a lap size quilt of log cabins. So I did something I haven't done before. I made it up as I went a long!

Luck would have it that I received a wonderful package from FedEx labeled Accuquilt that same week. I found out that Accuquilt graciously gave the ambassadors an Accuquilt Go 

with some dies! Perfect timing! In that package was a die for 2-1/2" strips. I also had a die for 1", 1-1/2" and 2" strips so I decided to use my new toy to cut strips. I cut the tan and black strips with the smaller die and the colored strips with the 2-1/2" die.

I then cut them into sections. The fastest way to cut a lot of different strips is to line them up and cut them all at the same size. (I had to use two rulers to get the size I wanted. I don't use my mat to measure.)

I thought maybe a type of Rail Fence quilt would work so I sewed them together alternating the colored fabrics and tan fabrics.

I then laid a few of the blocks out in a Rail Fence design and stood back and looked at it.

Too boring! So I decided to cut them in half diagonally.

Now the tricky part. How do I cut the second piece so that they fit together? It took me a couple tries but finally figured it out. (Luckily I was able to use the ones that I cut wrong since there are only a couple different ways to cut them.)

I put them together. I liked the look but decided that I didn't want to take the time to match all of those seams!

So I cut a thin strip of one of the fabrics in the collection that I hadn't used yet to put in the middle of the block. Now I was happy with the block! 

So I continued with all of the strips and laid it out on my design wall.

I decided that a border was not necessary so I pieced the backing with my leftover fabrics, 

used some wonderful Hobbs Tuscany Cotton/Wool batting, 

that was given to me in my Island Batik box, and put it on my quilting machine. That is where I am right now since I had to get this blog out! Have to figure out how to quilt it now (the hardest part for me). Any suggestions? I always start by quilting in the ditch (with the Aurifil Monofilament thread that I was also given) on each side of the diagonal strips. I'm thinking some type of curves since the quilt lines are all straight.

I was pretty pleased with myself! Not only did I design something that I had no idea what it would look like when I finished but also that I made a scrappy quilt (which is hard for me since I am so predictable and uptight about knowing what my finished project should look like). 

Well as usual I am late getting this out, which has been a pattern for me lately.

I will be having a give away of five fat eighths of some Island Batik fabrics (not from this collection since I used most of it). If you want to be in the drawing be sure to leave a comment and your email address so I can contact you if you win. Also if you have any suggestions for quilting this let me know and if you are interested in a pattern on how to make this quilt with the measurements I would like to know that too. I will be choosing a winner when the blog concludes in the first week in February.

Be sure to follow all of the other Ambassadors blogs on the collections that they received and enter the drawing from Island Batik's blog for 20 FAT QUARTERS!

ISLAND BATIK GIVEAWAY

As always: Do what you love and love what you do. Thanks for reading and please share with your quilting friends.

WEEK 1

Monday, January 7 - Crystal Ball

Maryellen McAuliffe- Mary Mack’s Blog

Sandra Walker- mmm! quilts

Tuesday, January 8  - Ditty

Stephanie Jacobson - Steph Jacobson Designs

Michelle Roberts - Creative Blonde

Wednesday, January 9 - Elk Lodge

Connie Campbell - Free Motion by the River

Anna Branch- Ark Angel Creations

Thursday, January 10 - Feline Fine

Bea Lee- Bea Quilter

Sharon Parcel- Yellow Cat Designs

Friday, January 11 - Flea Market

Geraldine Wilkins- Living Water Quilter

Jessica Caldwell- Desert Bloom Quilting

WEEK 2

Monday, January 14 - Fortune Teller

Sarah Goer- Sarah Goer Quilts

Sherry Shish- Powered by Quilting

Jennifer Fulton- The Inquiring Quilter

Tuesday, January 15  - Gypsy Rose

Jen Strauser - Dizzy Quilter

Janet Yamamoto- Whispers of Yore

Wednesday, January 16 - Paisley Park

Dione Gardner-Stephen- Clever Chameleon

Nancy Scott- Masterpiece Quilting

Thursday, January 17 - Soul Song

Carole Lyles Shaw- Carol Lyles Shaw

Toby Lischko - Gateway Quilts & Stuff  

Friday, January 18 - Twilight Chic

Jackie OBrien - If These Threads Could Talk

Tina Dillard- Quilting Affection

WEEK 3

Monday, January 21 - Winter Park

Jennifer Thomas- Curlicue Creations

Anita Skjellanger- Quilt In a Not Shell

Tuesday, January 22  - Bazaar

Karen Overton- The Quilt Rambler

Alison Vermilya- Little Bunny Quilts

Turid Bakken- Den syende himmel

Wednesday, January 23 - Blossom

Karen Neary - Sew Karen-ly Created

Leanne Parsons- Devoted Quilter

Thursday, January 24 - Boho

Laura Piland- Slice of Pi Quilts

Suzy Webster- Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Myra Barnes- Busy Hands Quilts

Friday, January 25 - Brookview

Vicki Schlimmer - Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Amy Warner- Sew Incredibly Crazy

WEEK 4

Monday, January 28 - French Blue

Pamela Boatright - PamelaQuilts

Joyce Mullis- Hearts Creations

Tuesday, January 29  - Midsummer Night

Kathleen McCormick - Kathleen McMusing

Connie Kauffman- Kauffman Designs

Wednesday, January 30 - Oh Deer

Jen Shaffer- Patterns by Jen

Jeanette Jones- Inchworm Fabrics

Thursday, January 31 - Snow Berry  

Sally Mannke- Sally Manke Fiber Artist

Joan Kawano- Moosestash Quilting

Friday, February 1-  Candy Cane Lane and Icicle

Terri Vanden Bosch Icicle - Meanderings along Lizard Creek

Anne Wiens- Icicle - Sweetgrass Creative Designs

Mania Hatziioannidi Candy Cane Lane- Mania For Quilts

Barbara Gaddy - Candy Cane Lane  -Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

STATE BLOCK CHALLENGE INDIANA BLOCK 1

Sometimes simple is better. I have been doing these time intensive projects and needed to take a break and do one of my state blocks. This block is super easy. It only took me 30 minutes from cutting to completing the block.

Here is what the block looks like without fabrics.

Here are the fabrics I picked.

Here are the pieces cut.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

Fabric 1 Main fabric
* Fussy-cut (4) Template B. (MM B9)
Fabric 2 (pink)
* Cut (8) Template A (MM B12)
or Cut (8) 2-1/2" squares
* Cut (1) Template C (MM B8)
or Cut (1) 4-1/2" square
Fabric 3 (yellow)
* Cut (8) Template A
or Cut (8) 2-1/2" squares
Fabric 4 (light)
* Cut (4) Template B
or Cut (2) 4-7/8" squares and cut each twice diagonally into (4) HST.

PIECING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Sew a four-patch with the Template A Fabric 2 and Fabric 3 patches. Make 4.

2. Sew the HST Template B Fabric 1 and Fabric 4 together. Make 4. Press to darker fabric.

3. Sew the (4) four-patch, (4) HST units, and Template C square together. Press towards the four patches and the center square.

Finished block.

Can't get much easier than that! I love the play of the fussy cut pieces and the background fabric. Creates a very interesting effect.

Here is the link to the templates.

Indiana state block templates

Take advantage of my spring cleaning sale on my website. All pink, purple, green, and yellow fabrics 25% off. Write "springcleaning" in the coupon box when checking out for the discount. Search by color to get to the fabric you want quickly.

As always: Do what you love and love what you do. Thanks for reading. Feel free to share with your friends. I would love any comments to see if you are participating or plan to participate.

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ISLAND BATIK AMBASSADOR APRIL CHALLENGE Part 2

Whenever I start a new quilt or block I always do a test block first, before cutting out the fabric I plan to use with the actual quilt. There are a couple reasons why I do this. One is I want to make sure that I like where I put the fabrics. When I first started quilting (before the design programs were available) I just thought that the fabrics I picked would work out fine in the places where I had planned to put them. Well lesson learned, after I cut out all of the pieces for a quilt and I put a block together and realized I did not like the way the block looked! Even though now I use Electric Quilt to design my quilts, I do sometimes change the way I arranged the fabrics.

Another reason is I like to check my pressing directions as I am making it so when I write the instructions the pieces fit together the way I like.

The third reason is, I always check my seam allowance to make sure that the block is the size I want it. I don't want to get all my blocks done just to find out they are the wrong size! The wonderful thing about foundation piecing is you don't have to worry about that 1/4" seam allowance!

With this house block I am glad I made a test block because I realized that when I went to piece the sections together, I ended up with a "y" seam. (See part one of this project post.) Not that I don't like "y" seams, but they just take a little longer to piece than regular ones. So, I went back to the EQ design and regrouped the foundation sections so that there were no "y" seams. So instead of 4 sections there are now 5 sections. (They look backwards because when you print out foundation sections you choose a mirror image.)

I then again wrote the cutting sizes on each section, labeling whether they were dark or light. I got out my small baggies and labeled them with the section (A, B, etc.), the size of the pieces to cut, and how many of them to cut per section. To make cutting quicker I layered the fat eighths 3 at a time, cut out the strips and sub-cut the pieces I needed, placing them in the correct baggie. I find that organizing them this way, I can sew each section, chain piecing and get 3 or 4 done at a time. This might be a little time consuming in the beginning, but you will see that it makes finding the right pieces so much easier, actually saving time in the long run. (When I am finally ready to sew, I don't want to go back to have to cut out pieces. Unless of course I didn't do my math right!)

I'm going to try to illustrate with photos how to foundation piece with freezer paper. It will probably make more sense when you do it following my written instructions. 

I have a mantra when I paper piece. Four basic steps: Press, fold, trim, sew. When I teach this method in my New York Beauty classes I give the students a "cheat sheet" with these steps on and tell them to repeat them as they sew.

You can fold the foundation sections on the lines before you begin to sew or as you are sewing. I chose to fold them first using a business card or some type of thick card stock.

Step 1. Press your first section, wrong side of fabric to the shiny side of the paper. Try to limit your pressing to section one only and make sure that the fabric sticks out of each side for trimming later. You can see that the fabric hangs out past the edge of the foundation section and beyond the lines inside.

Step 2. Fold back the foundation section on the line.

Step 3. Using an Add-a-Quarter or any ruler, trim the edge to 1/4".

Step 4. Place the next fabric right sides together, lining up the edges and sew ALONG THE FOLD of the foundation. I use an open toe foot and move my needle all the way to the right so I have a guide to keep the paper straight and the needle as close to the fold as I can. No need to shorten the stitch since we will not be tearing it off. Start sewing a few stitches before and beyond the seam line of the foundation section.

Back to step 1. First finger press the fabric on the right side then turn it over and press it to the freezer paper to the next fold line.

Continue following these four steps until the section is completed. Trim the excess fabric off along the outside line and gently remove the paper, being careful not to pull any seams open. If you find that you have problems doing that, then do a small backstitch at the beginning and end when sewing on the outside edges. Here are all 5 sections completed. Now they are ready to sew together (this time without the "y" seam).

Here are the first four blocks done (only 9 more to go).

Oops! Can you see my mistake? Easy to fix. (Leave a comment to let me know what I did wrong.)

In the next and final installment of this project, I will show how I got the inspiration for the setting and the completed quilt. (And what I did to fix my mistake.)

I have started a new Yahoo group page called Toby Lischko's Creative Quilting Group. I hope you will join and share your projects!

As always: Do what you love and love what you do. Thank you for reading and please share with your friends. Toby

Save 33% on a full price Craftsy class (including my Clever Curves). Code:INSTRUCTORENROLLAPRIL. Use this link to take you there. Craftsy class. Coupon good until 4/30/18.