Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Crop Rings: a Modern Quilt with Island Batik (and giveaway)

Welcome to my stop on Island Batik's Quilt Modern blog hop!  Island Batik is highlighting their new collections, shipping to quilt shops now.  I was sent Napa Valley by Kathy Engle, a fun collection of purples, greens, and golds that celebrates wine and harvest.  There are grapes, corn, pumpkins, wheat, pine cones, and oak leaves.

 

photo by K. Mellnik
 

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik, Schmetz, Hobbs, and Aurifil.

 

Our charge was to make a Modern Quilt.  One of the (virtual) classes I took at QuiltCon was bias tape applique with Latifah Saafir. I did one Island Batik project with bias tape applique already, and I wanted to play with it some more for this challenge.  Latifah recorded a class with Craftsy (when it was Bluprint) on bias tape applique and one of her projects in that class was a modern take on the Double Wedding Ring.  I used the templates from that class and the tips and tricks from both of Latifah's classes to make Crop Rings.

I named this Crop Rings as a play on double wedding ring and crop circles, not because I have any thoughts on crop circles the phenomenon, but because of the crops depicted in the fabrics.  The background is a neutral called batter. I used 14 of the 20 fabrics from the Napa Valley; the lighter fabrics in the collection didn't have enough contrast with the background for this pattern.

 

I used Hobbs Heirloom 100% cotton batting.  The quilting is straight vertical lines at 1" intervals with Aurifil 2000/Light Sand in 40 weight, with the same color in 50 weight in the bobbin.  I started with a new Schmetz microtex chrome needle.  With the bias tape applique, there are parts where the needle had to go through several layers of batik fabric and the Schmetz needles don't have any problems at all. The finished quilt is 56" square.

photo by K. Mellnik
 

Playing with a modern spin of a traditional pattern was one of the possible prompts we were given for this challenge.  Regular readers will know that I don't typically do curves.  I liked this modern, appliqued version of a double wedding ring and I really like the different look of the filled sections.  

 

Be sure to visit my friend Gail of Quilting Gail to see what she made with Napa Valley.  And you can find the schedule for the entire blog hop and all the featured Island Batik collections here.  

 

Now for a giveaway!  I have a prize of 8 fat quarters of Napa Valley to give away.  I have had some trouble with Rafflecopter lately, so for this one, just leave a comment by the end of the day Saturday, May 22nd and I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner. A comment on anything will work but if you need a prompt, tell me about a quilting/craft class you've taken and enjoyed--in person, virtual, craftsy, any format.  If you are a no reply blogger, include your email or I won't be able to contact you if you win.



46 comments:

  1. I took that class with Latifah on BluePrint, but I haven't made a full quilt using the idea yet. You certainly mastered it.
    My favorite quilt "class" in person was with the Gee's Bend Quilters - right here in Alabama. I don't know that I learned a lot, but I certainly sewed and enjoyed it a lot.

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  2. Great design! I have played with bias a little, it's kinda fun:)

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  3. I once made an entire queen size appliqued double wedding ring quilt. It was a long time ago and has held up well. I really like your version and the look of the filled sections as well. The colors in your collection blend beautifully with batter.

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  4. What a pretty quilt, and you know I like curves in any form! The fabrics are just gorgeous too!

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  5. This is so pretty! I enjoy all my classes that I take in person because I like to be with others!

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  6. Love what you did with your fabrics, Emily!!! Great quilting choice, too!!!

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  7. I am taking a beginner longarm class for the next 2 days. I hope to learn to use a longarm and decide if I should purchase one.

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  8. What a fabulous quilt! I love it and am definitely going to look at it on Craftsy. I like taking classes and my favorite is my ongoing EQ8 classes.

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  9. Oooh, this is so cool! I have not had the courage to work with bias tape and make curves like this, but you are pushing me (gently) to give it a try. I am currently taking a zoom class with Quilter's Candy on Dresden blocks. Today is the second class, so I'm looking forward to cutting my fabrics and making my first one!
    duchick at gmail dot com

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  10. I love the idea of a wedding ring done in bias tape! Your quilt is beautiful, and I am impressed that you used a new technique quickly. Great reinforcement. Latifah has a few classes that I would like to take. Maybe this one should go to the forefront!

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  11. Gorgeous!! I love your interpretation of the double wedding ring. It turned out awesome. Thanks for sharing

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  12. What a great quilt! Wonderful eye candy and inspiration!
    Connie

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  13. Wow! I love this quilt. I would like to take a class to learn more using curves.

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  14. I love your quilt! Ireally would like to learn sewing curves this year!

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  15. Wow Emily! This came out so beautifully. I remember you working on this top during the zoom meeting. I didn't realize it was appliqued. I'd like to try that technique sometime. If I can pick between piecing and applique, I choose applique every time. Have a fabulous day!

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  16. I absolutely LOVE your quilt!!! From the fantastic design, how you used the fabrics, the photos and the name - it's perfect!!! :-)

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  17. I did a couple of on-line projects for "Covid Quilting" and completed one bed size quilt top--it was done with "Stash" fabrics and was fun picking out my fabric colors!!
    barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

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  18. Love your design and the fabrics you chose. The best class I have been to was a " Mariner's Compass" with Chris Kenna here in New Zealand. A friend and I drove about 2.5 hours to the quilt shop where it was held, on a Saturday ,over several months. Later on , using the skills I was taught and the way to chose colours, I made a compass wall hanging for my friend Walter Drake who was in HMS in WW2, for his 91st birthday, and when he died shortly after this , his daughter sent it to the Felixstowe Museum, where it is hung with over Maritime Memorabilia, this is the highest honour for me ever." Crop Rings" is the perfect name and the wide bias so right against the paler background.

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  19. Emily, this is a beautiful and modern interpretation of Orange Peels. Love it.

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  20. Wahooooo Look at you!!!! This is certainly a prize winner in my eyes!! xoxo

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  21. Our Saturday group tries to do a new thing every time we meet once a month. petuniakr@aol.com

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  22. I have never taken a quilting class. I did join a quilting group (right before the pandemic!) and hope to learn some new techniques from them.
    I love your quilt - the contrast between the open rings and the purple filled ones is great!

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  23. What a beautiful quilt.
    I have not taken any classes for many years. I have taken a few online courses for fabric dyeing and I really enjoyed those.

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  24. This looks so pretty. I think using bias tape would be so much easier than curved piecing.

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  25. Your quilt is just beautiful! I love the colors in the rings. Just the right touch.

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  26. I took a class on the One Block Wonder while we lived in Illinois. Mine is one the design wall and I am loving it. Now, if I can make the time between other more pressing projects, I hope to get it finished. My husband wants to hang it over our sofa in the LR. Nancy A: SewingGranda@gmail.com

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  27. What a gorgeous quilt. I have been doing some quilt alongs on the internet.

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  28. Sooo very pretty! I love all the negative space that make those colors shine.

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  29. Love this fabric and your pattern, Emily!! I just checked and that class is still on Craftsy. Gonna have to check it out!! Thanks for the inspiration and the opportunity to win this beautiful fabric!

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  30. I really like your take on modern. And what a nice gift that would make for a newly married couple! I took a class with my guild online from Krista Moser and it was a lot of fun...highly recommended. She is such a fun and upbeat teacher...cute as a button!

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  31. Love the circles of
    purple in your lovely
    quilt. I don't quilt
    but love sewing. I did
    take my sister and her
    daughter to a bag sewing
    class and had a fun evening.
    Carla from Arizona

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  32. I love the pops of color. Jmikebalou (at)aol(dot)com

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  33. I have to admit that I have never taken any classes at all! Thanks!

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  34. A lovely quilt and thank you for a great giveaway

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  35. Interesting design! 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  36. Beautiful quilt with all of the circles. Thanks for the chance at these fat quarters. I haven't taken any classes lately.
    slrdowney at hotmail dot com

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  37. Love the circles and colors in your quilt. The variation on the double wedding ring is unique. I have done mystery quilt's in a class before on national quilting day.

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  38. That is so unique and different! You did a great job!

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  39. I love your quilt. Now I want to try a bias tape quilt. I haven’t taken any classes recently, but I hope to soon.

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  40. I've never taken an actual quilting class, but I have subscribed to The Quilt Show, Alex Anderson & Ricky Tims's online quilting show which demonstrates new techniques every two weeks during the show's season. I have learned a lot and have tried many new techniques as a result.

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  41. Emily I love your curvy quilt! It really does showcase those beautiful fabrics. I have only ever taken one quilting class. It was online and was on reverse appliqué. I’m getting tempted to try some improv quilting techniques so just might have to start checking on line classes since our Covid lockdown is continuing for the foreseeable future. 😢 Carol

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  42. What a lovely quilt you've made. I haven't head a chance to take many classes, but I took a machine quilting walking foot class a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

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  43. I love the movement in your quilt and the batiks are gorgeous!! I’ve never taken a formal class, but it would be something that I’d love to do at least once!

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  44. Your quilt is awesome! Such beautiful colors!
    nikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com

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  45. Your quilt is so cool! I don't know if I would be so ambitious to try curves, eek. I took a class on making chenille with a few layers of panels. It's a fun technique.

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