Bloom: An Island Batik Challenge

Welcome to the first Island Batik Ambassador challenge of 2022!  This is the start of my fourth year as an ambassador and I think this is my all-time favorite challenge! 

 

Island Batik recently expanded their offering of Basics, hand-dyed colors that are always available.  They have sorted these into 10 categories of Foundation Gradations.  Yardage of these Foundation Gradations can be found in your local shop that carries Island Batik. For this challenge, we were to show the color change gradient in a Step by Step challenge.  I was sent 20 fat quarters of Precious Pink, from super-soft Tea Rose to bright bold Sangria and all the shades in between.

When I saw all those amazing pinks, I immediately wanted to make flowers.  I could have made single-color flowers and planted a garden with the full compliment of pinks, but I really wanted to show the color change within a single bloom.  I searched around for ideas and found a painted barn quilt that was stunning and very close to what I was looking for.  Unfortunately, there is no source to trace it back to, my least favorite thing about Pinterest.  I opened EQ8 and drew up the block.  

 

Showing all the shades of pink!

Each flower would use 8 different pink fabrics--perfect to showcase the color changes I wanted.  I planned for a 3 x 3 setting, meaning 9 blocks, with 3 different colorations.  That would allow me to use all 20 pinks.  Version A & Version B use 16 different pinks between them; I used the final 4 in Version C and added 4 other repeats from A & B.

I knew I could cut most of the outer parts of the block with my Accuquilt 8" Cube.  I just bought the Cube Companion sets during pre-holiday sales so I even had the signature block unit!  I wasn't as sure about the inner parts of the block, for the different square-in-a-square rounds.  Then I remember my Snail's Trail BOB.  Jackpot!  Between the Cube and Snail's Trails, I could cut all of the pieces with my Accuquilt!  I did have to do a bit of Y seams, something I have not mastered, but it's good to stretch skills and hopefully I am the only one who will notice how messy those intersections are.  😀

 

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

 
In addition to the amazing Precious Pinks, I used the neutral Milkshake for the background and Chameleon, another basic, for the leaves.  I pieced with Aurifil thread 2615 (Aluminum) and quilted in a continuous spiral with Aurifil 2562 (lilac).  Schmetz needles are the only needles I use; this was a Chrome Microtex professional grade. I layered with Hobbs 80/20 bleached batting, perfect for keeping the milky-white of the background looking crisp.  

 I call this Bloom for several reasons.  First, a bloom as a noun is a synonym for a flower, and I really wanted those beautiful pinks in flowers. I also like bloom as a verb and feel like it conveys the feeling of becoming something.  I am absolutely in love with this quilt.  If I didn't have someone in mind when I made it, I would keep it.  It's just so pretty!  Both the challenge of working with the color gradient and the finished project are among my absolute favorite of my Island Batik challenges!  What a great way to start the year with Island Batik!