Braided table runner

Another UFO worked on and finished! This was a fun project that started a long time ago, we are talking years and I have no idea exactly, but more than  four I am sure.   One and a half inch strips and the little braid template from Kate Colleran was used for this project. 

One length of braid was made and then all set aside until this past weekend. Why do we do this to ourselves, all sorts of reasons I guess! I am pretty sure I started it on one of our camping outings and wasn't sure how it would end up.  

I had no pattern for it, but I sure love how it came out. An Etsy customer thought so too and she bought it shortly after I listed it! I am thinking I might need to do another.

The front is all Island Batik fabrics while the backing, which I think went perfectly, is a batik from Marshall Dry Goods.

I did a little custom quilting on this one. Stitch in the ditch along each side of the dark teal sashing and then a feather type of quilting in each braid. The light teal borders received ribbon candy quilting. The first time I used Kate's little template was when I did a purse using her pattern and these same fabrics back in 2019. Kate now has a book out on braids

Linking with: 

Wednesday Wait Loss

NTT

Finished or Not Friday

Beauties Pageant

TGIFF

Off The Wall Friday

Happy To Do Tuesday

Yes I am happy on this Tuesday because I met my weekly goal of quilting and binding two quilts. Both of these quilts are lap size. 

Purple is one of my favorite colors, but you might not know it as I don't work with purple much. So this was a treat to make an all purple quilt. These were leftover fabrics from when I was an Island Batik Ambassador the line is Black Pearl.  In January, while in Arizona,  I started piecing it and made all the pieced blocks chain stitching strip sets.  Then sub cutting them and re-arranging them and chain stitching them back together. Oh what beauties, it was such a pleasure to work with purple!  And then it set until this spring when I cut the lavender blocks and finally finished it into a flimsy. The quilting and binding happened this week. 

The pattern is Jasmine by Villa Rosa Designs.  Using up the whole bundle that coordinated was a personal goal, mission accomplished!  I had a 2 yd. piece of the dark and leftover pieced blocks. I employed my hubby for the math portion to figure out how big to cut the lavender and purple to piece in between the blocks.  In the end it all came out perfectly.  This one will be listed in my Etsy shop as soon as I get some really good photos.  

The second quilt is this red and black one. It is a Missouri Star tutorial called Summer Stars.  This was made using a black/gray jelly roll that was purchased several years ago, I planned to use it for a quilted jacket.  Since then I got out of the mood to do the jacket and just wanted to work with it.  So this quilt was born.  The red stars I made using my 8" Accuquilt cube instead of making the stars as shown in the tutorial.  I am not sure but this could be my first red/black quilt.  It was started in early 2021 with the black/gray blocks being made then. February this year I made the stars and the borders went on last month and quilting/binding was finished last week.  

So happy to have it out of the closet, but rest assured there are several more flimsies in the waiting line. 

I had this black wide backing in the stash, so everything used in this quilt was from stash. Love when that happens, don't you.  Gray Glide thread was used on top and a gray Superior SoFine in the bobbin.  This one too will go into my Etsy shop after I get better photos. 

On a non-quilting front we have been enjoying some wild black raspberries, yum!! The first night we just ate the right off the bushes.  The second night we picked and froze this batch.

Last night we picked almost 2 cups of black ones plus a big cup of the domestic red ones. We ate some fresh and froze the rest. 

We are enjoying our Bee Balm red blooms too. 

This week's goal is to just have fun, no pressure. I hope you are able to do the same.  Won't you join us Tuesday To Doers over at Texas Quilt Gal, where we link up our goals each week. 

Eeeek I'm just squeaking by!

Yes it's the last day of the month and I just finished piecing my OMG-One Monthly Goal.  So I am doing the happy dance that I actually could carve out time to get this to the quilt top stage. There were many other projects that took precedence over this so I wasn't sure if I could meet my goal. At the beginning of the month it was just blocks that looked like THIS.  These are Island Batik fabrics that were 2 1/2" strips called Back Pearl.  Pattern is Jasmine by Villa Rosa Designs.

Linking with lots of other goal setters for OMG at Elm Street Quilts. Let's hop over and see what others have accomplished. 

Island Batik Challenge- 3D

As soon as we knew that December would be a 3D challenge for us Island Batik Ambassadors I knew it had to be a bag of some sort.  There were several to choose from and I thought I was going to use my own design for it.  However when I saw these cute Diamond pouches at Moments by Liz I wanted to try it out right away.

I chose four different Island Batiks to use in my pouch.  These are from the Petting Zoo line. So cute aren't they.  I am a giraffe lover so it was meant for me! 

                            

A little side view.  I love how cute this is, it will hold my makeup perfectly. 

There is even a zippered pocket inside.  The only challenging part for me was the outside zipper. Totally my fault as the instructions are well written with great photos. I didn't have the zipper foot/needle position set on my machine correctly!!  In my defense I don't do a lot of zippers, but, I still should have known!  I didn't have the foam so I used Hobbs batting instead.  Someday I will make another and purchase some foam. 

One last photo to go with my one last post as an Island Batik Ambassador.  It's been a great four years. I was hoping to continue on but it wasn't meant to be.  I still have a little stash of IB fabrics that you will continue to see in future projects.  

Thanks to Island Batik for providing fabrics, Hobbs for supplying the batting for this project.  And to Liz for allowing me to review her cute Diamond Pouch. You can also find her on Facebook.

Linking to: Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, Look what I made.

Almost A Lone Star and Island Batik

It's 'Tool Time' for this months Island Batik Ambassador Challenge.  We could choose any tool we wanted to use and make a lap size quilt.  Yes that white background is snow, we got about 8" this past week.

I chose to use the strip tube ruler by Cozy Quilt Designs.  They were kind enough to donate this Almost A Lone Star pattern.  Thank you Daniela!   And thank you to Island Batik for supplying fabric for this challenge.  I chose to use the strip pack Lavendula.  Oh my what gorgeous colors, I love them!

I love to use Batiks when you know you are going to have bias edges, and especially Island Batiks as they don't have a lot of stretch.  

It's always fun to see a quilt in it's different stages.  Here is a piece of one quadrant.

And all four quadrants.

And all done.

I was going to use the aqua batik for the border, but after piecing the center I decided I wanted the darker purple which is an Island Batik Basic.  The background fabric is Raindrops Rain Dot Oatmeal.

I enjoyed using a version of hook swirl freehand quilting on the center of this 62" x 62" quilt.   Instead of one hook I did three and sometimes there were only two, whatever fit the space.  Thank you to Hobbs batting for supplying the cotton batting used in this quilt.  Also thank you to Aurifil thread for supplying a large cone of white that I have used in the piecing. 

Thank you for visiting my blog and for letting me share my November Tool Time quilt with you. 

Linking with Sarah, Alycia, Julie, Freemotion Mavericks, Favorite Finish, and TGIFF

Valentine runner

I had a request for two Valentine runners so I thought yesterday was a good day to start cutting and piecing.  And since I had the fabric out I decided to make another just to have in the shop.  I soon had three pieced.  Today was the start of the quilting on them. 

Also this week I have been working on my Island Batik November Tool Time challenge.  I am using the Lavendula collection.  Oh my are these ever gorgeous drool worthy fabrics!  The backing just needs to be pieced and I can put it on the frame and quilt away.  So stay tuned for the finish soon.

A reminder to you to see my previous post if you want a chance to win a GO! Me from AccuQuilt. You also might want to check out all the sales that AccuQuilt has going on right now as they are very good ones.  

Wishing each and every one of you a very happy Thanksgiving.  I am very thankful to all who read my blog and leave me some comment love. 

Linking with Wednesday Wait Loss, Midweek Makers

Report on the second craft show

Today I went to pickup my leftover crafts from the second and last local craft show of the season.  It was a little better than last year and I am happy:)  I did have a few Christmas things leftover so I will get busy and list them in my Etsy shop soon.  The most surprising thing was that a poinsettia runner and a crazy tree runner were left!  All of the snowman runners were gone except for one.  All of my big candy canes were gone.

This snowman runner was in the works yesterday so after getting home this afternoon I finished him up and got him relisted.

My sock is progressing along nicely too.  We had a 6 hour trip last weekend so I knitted while the hubster drove:)  

Hmmm, what's next?  This weekend I will begin my Island Batik 'Tool Time' challenge quilt.  Then I have three runners to make for orders sometime in the next three weeks.  

Don't forget this is the last week for the Island Batik 'Piece Of' blog hop.  The giveaway rafflecopter is here.

Exciting news

I can't hold it in any longer, I want to share my exciting news with you.  A few months ago I was asked by AccuQuilt if I wanted to be a GO!Getter for them!!  Why yes indeed I do was my reply😊
I am honored to be asked.  They saw the quilt I designed for my April Island Batik project and liked it.

What is a GO! Getter you might ask.  Well it means I will be doing tutorials on the AccuQuilt blog.  In September they shared the new dies that were coming out Oct. 1st and asked if I had any ideas to use them in.  I came up with one that was excepted and I am working on it currently.  Here is a sneak peek!!  I hope you'll keep watching for my tutorial as there will be something you can whip up pretty quickly for the Holiday season.

Disclosure: These dies were provided by AccuQuilt.

Linking with Sarah, Alycia and Gail

Top it Off with Island Batik

It's Top It Off month. That means all of us Island Batik Ambassadors were given the challenge of making a table runner/topper for a holiday.  Yes I was excited when I saw the challenge, as you know I love making table runners!  I chose to make a candle table runner.

So much fun looking through all the fabric that Island Batik has given me over the past four years, looking for just the right ones.  I am a little short on greens. But I had just enough of two different ones that I could make the holly leaves and little one inch squares from one and bind with the other. The candle received a red with gold metallic poinsettia batik. 

I always find it so interesting to watch the transformation of each stage as the table runner comes together.  Here you see just the background(Island Batik Sprinkles-love it) and all the little pieced squares.  

The applique candles and holly leaves all prepared.  And well shoot, I forgot to take a photo after the quilting was done and before I appliqued the candle and leaves on!!  Can't go back now, haha.   So yes, whenever I can I like to do the quilting before applique so I don't have to quilt around objects.  And the quilting acts as a stabilizer for appliqueing. 

Thank you Island Batik for a great challenge month!!!  As always I love their fabrics, just a joy to use.  Check your local quilt shop for Island Batik, if they don't have you can always ask them to carry it.  Island Batik also has a store locator on their website.  Also provided to me was Hobbs batting, I used the bleached 80/20.

This one will soon be in my Etsy shop!  And I will need to make up another for the local craft show.

Linking with

Monday Making

Design wall Monday

Look What I Made

And now for a finish of my Crossed Canoe quilt

Ahhhhh, yes I finally have my September Island Batik Ambassador quilt all done!  I wrote a post for it the last day of September when I had the top pieced but not quilted.  You can find that post HERE.

This was made using the Accuquilt BOB Crossed Canoe die that I was given from Accuquilt as they partnered with Island Batik this year.  The fabrics are from Island Batik.  And the batting was given to me from Hobbs.  The thread I used for piecing was provided by Aurifil.  Thank you to all those wonderful companies.

I had a little fun quilting it on my Nolting Longarm.  Ruler work in the Crossed Canoe blocks and a freehand meander to represent the swirls in the water that happens when you paddle your canoe;)

And now onto the October project, the theme is Top It Off.  Right up my alley;)

Linking with Sarah , Michelle, Wendy and Alycia

Child's Play flimsy is done

The September Island Batik project is featuring an Accuquilt die.  The die I received to use for this month's project is the BOB(block on board) Crossed Canoe die.

The theme is Childs Play, so I thought of our grandsons who love to ride in our kayaks which is pretty close to a canoe;)  And they love to play with legos with bright colors.  So of course I chose bright colors from Island Batik along with their solid gray, white and black.

I have never made a crossed canoe block before so I was really happy to receive this from Accuquilt. The Block on Board die consists of all the pieces you need to make a specific block all on one die.  You can see in that this die uses two colors in one block.  By looking at my blocks above you can see I used three colors in one block.  This caused me to do some thinking of how to place and cut the fabric in the right spot on the die.

First I cut rectangles of my background fabrics 5" x 6.5" with my rotary cutter and ruler, then they were sliced from corner to corner. 

 Those were then placed on the die as you see below in layers of 6 and ran through the cutter.

Next I cut wedges of bright Island Batik fabrics to cover the center canoe shape in the die. 

The sewing of these pieces are a breeze because the Accuquilt die has the corners cut so everything lines up perfectly!  Before long I had 8 blocks done.  I used white Auriful thread for all the piecing. 

I managed to get it all pieced into a flimsy this weekend and planned to quilt it today(Monday). However we had an unexpected trip out of town today that took a bit longer than expected and I have run out of time to quilt it.  I am hoping by the end of the week to have it all quilted and bound.   In the four years of being an Island Batik ambassador I don't think I have ever not had a totally done project and I feel really bad.  I promise to show you the finish soon. 

Disclosure: The products used in this quilt were given to me by Island Batik Accuquilt and Aurifil.  Along with the solids from Island Batik I also used brights from their Petting Zoo line. 

Linking with NTT, Midweek Makers