Saturday, February 23, 2019

Island Batik Magnificent Mini

Note:  All products in this post were given to me by Island Batik as part of their Ambassador program.

My first challenge as a 2019 Island Batik Ambassador is:  Magnificent Minis.  The rules were to use any technique, using any fabric (except the Surprise fabric) to make a maximum 24 x 24 inch mini during the month of February.  An easy task I thought...until I sat down to design something.  😊

As I was looking for inspiration, I found a book in my sewing room that I didn't know I had and have no idea where or when I got it -- The Modern Quilt Workshop by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.  When I picked up the book, it fell open to a brightly coloured pattern called Confetti, using batik fabrics.

Here is Tumbling Triangles -- my version of the pattern.  I printed the templates at 85% to get a 18-inch mini.


Once I decided on which fabrics to use, I only cut fabric for a couple of blocks to see how piecing went and to see what size block I'd end up with.  I used the Snowman print from the Icicle fabric collection for the triangle centres.


Piecing went quickly, so I cut more fabric and continued sewing.  And before I knew it, there a quilt top.  And then I realized I hadn't taken any in-progress photos.  Oops.


I used the Island Batik Stash Builders for the background.  These are rolls of 5-inch strips of fabric.  There are so many awesome prints and colours.  It was difficult to choose which ones to use.  I can't wait to play with them again.


I did a loopy stipple in the background and a wishbone motif in the triangle centres using Aurifil thread #5008 Sugar Paper.


I used Hobbs Thermore batting.  It's a thinner batting used for clothing and miniatures.


I was feeling pretty good about my efforts...until I saw what other Ambassadors had made.  Wow!   The talent is amazing.  I generally don't compare myself to others, but I felt my mini was inadequate and didn't come close to the skill level of the other Ambassadors.  I encourage you to check out some of the fabulous projects -- see the Ambassador list at the end of this post.



So I decided to make another mini.  The end of the month was quickly approaching, but there was still time.  I decided on floating triangles using the black solid fabric as the background.  And then on Sunday, the theme for the next Project Quilting challenge was announced -- Pixel Play.  So I decided to use floating squares instead of triangles to complete two challenges with one project.

I was travelling on Monday to attend my aunt's funeral, and we stopped to have something to eat.  We ended up at McDonald's, and this was their wallpaper.  I decided to re-create a part of the wallpaper (as shown in the green box) for my mini.


As we continued driving, I was thinking that the wallpaper reminded me of roads.  And then I started thinking of the times in the summer I spent with my cousins and being at my aunt's house.  It's a small town, and we walked everywhere (not that there was a lot of "everywhere" to go LOL).  The term running the roads was commonly used.  I remember walking down the road to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries with my aunt and cousins.

Here is my fabric pull.  And once again, I forgot to take in-progress photos.  I need to put a note on my sewing machine that says:  Stop and Take Photos!! 😊


I used the Island Batik solid gray for the background (to represent the roads/pavement) and the Island Batik Stash Builders for the squares.  I quilted a diagonal grid using Aurifil thread #2600 Dove and used the Hobbs Heirloom Premium 80/20 batting, which is my go-to batting of choice.


This mini finishes at 15.5 x 19 inches, and it's called Running the Roads.



I'm linking up at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Alycia Quilts
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation
Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty
Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She


2019 Island Batik Ambassadors:

Carolina Asmussen ~Carolina Asmussen
Gene Black ~ Gene Black
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Connie K Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River
Anja Clyke ~ Anja Quilts
Becca Fenstermaker ~Pretty Piney
Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter
Barbara Gaddy ~ Bejeweled Quilts by Barb
Dione Gardner-Stephen ~ Clever Chameleon
Sarah Goer ~ Sarah Goer Quilts
Vasudha Govindan ~ Storied Quilts
Joanne Hart ~ Unicornharts
Mania (Magdalini) Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for Quilts
Carla Henton ~ Creatin’ in the Sticks
Stephanie Jacobson ~ Steph Jacobson Designs
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Joan Kawano ~ Moosestash Quilting
Kim Lapacek ~ Persimon Dreams
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Leanne Parsons ~ Devoted Quilter
Bea Lee ~ BeaQuilter
Toby Lischko ~ Gateway Quilts & Stuff
Bill Locke ~ Studio Bill Locke
Denise Looney ~ For the Love of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack's Blog
Kathleen McCormick ~ Kathleen McMusing
Carol Moellers ~ Carol Moellers Designs
Karen Neary ~ Sew Karen-ly Created
Jackie O’Brien ~ If These Threads Could Talk
Laura Piland ~ Slice of Pi Quilts
Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde
Vicki Schlimmer ~ Vicki's Crafts and Quilting
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sherry Shish ~ Powered by Quilting
Anita Skjellanger ~ Quilt in a not-Shell
Laticia "Tish" Stemple ~ Tish's Adventures in Wonderland
Jennifer Strauser ~ Dizzy Quilter
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Terri Vanden Bosch ~ Lizard Creek Quilts
Alison Vermilya ~ Little Bunny Quilts
Sandra Walker ~ mmm! quilts
(Debora) Anne Wiens ~ Seams like a Plan
Geraldine Wilkins ~ Living Water Quilter
Janet Yamamoto ~ Whispers of Yore




16 comments:

  1. I love the playfulness of Confetti and the inspiration behind Running the Roads is so sweet :) Congratulations on a great first challenge as an ambassador!

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  2. Two wonderful quilts - they are both perfect! I love them both :)

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  3. I know your "angst" at being a first year person in the Island Batik Ambassadors. Some of the Ambassadors are crazy talented and I feel like a kindergarten child in a high school class.

    Your two minis are great. There is a special beauty in simplicity.

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  4. I love both minis Anja! And I love how you got your inspiration for the 2nd one!

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  5. I like them both! The confetti one is so cute and whimsical - and the other has more depth and introspection - nice job on both!!

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  6. Oh--the inspiration for Running the Roads brought tears to my eyes!! I have had 2 aunts pass away in the last month!! Oh the memories that surface up when meeting with cousins you haven't seen in years--even if it is at a funeral. Love the way you used fabric to bring that memory to life!!! Keep it up--those make the best quilts!!

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  7. Whoa woman!! #1: Comparison is the thief of joy. Remember that ;-) #2 You had me at your first triangles mini! Like it's just all kinds of awesome! (and so are those stash builders which I've used for my mini - and I only made one! I love how we find inspiration everywhere and WHO IN THE WORLD would've thought that inspiration would be found at Mickey D's?! LOVE the second one too (but that first one is still my fave). I did something with squares and rectangles too! Took photos, haven't written up the post yet. I do love the story behind Running the Roads - I could just imagine you and your cousins!

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  8. You did two! I love it! I love the bright colors in the background of the confetti squares. I love the story behind Running the Roads. Beautiful inspiration and loving memories all stitched up to make an awesome wall hanging.

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  9. I love your two mini quilts, especially that one inspired from the wall at McDonald's. Creative and gorgeous.

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  10. these are both fantastic! I love them both ;)

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  11. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your aunt, Anja.

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  12. These are both beautiful! Nothing inadequate at all! I love the triangles, and it's one of those that you see more in it every time you look at it. I especially love the snowmen in the centers, I didn't notice that they were snowmen the first time I saw it. The colors are great--Island Batik has such great saturated colors. And I like what Sandra said, comparison is the thief of joy. Something for me to remember, too.

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  13. I like the remake much more than the triangle one - I think it's a stronger design.

    And I'm so sorry about your aunt. It sounds like you have great memories of her.

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  14. Of course you were inspired by some random design on a wallpaper. That is the obvious part but what is extraordinary is how you elevated it in your design. I was completely happy with the Tumbling Triangles Tango :-) but hey you do you. I am just happy that I get to see TWO cuties when I came to see just one :-)

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