Prairie Meadow with Island Batik and Studio 180 Design

Welcome to my stop on Island Batik's Tool Talk blog hop, featuring Island Batik's newest fabric collections and Studio 180 Design tools by Deb Tucker.  I was sent the Prairie Blue collection by Kathy Engle and the Split Rects tool.

The challenge required using at least 30 units made with our Studio 180 tool.  My final design actually has 60 split rects units!  I also used the Wing Clipper tool, which I was sent last year.  The Wing Clipper makes flying geese units and there are 40 of those in this quilt!  So my Studio 180 Design tools certainly got a workout.  

 

Here is a part of a single block, can you see the flying geese and half square rectangle/split rects units?

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik, Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design, Prairie Spirit Alpaca, Schmetz, Aurifil, & Hobbs.

more split rect and flying geese units for the outside part of the block

My finished blocks are 20" square, so quite large.  I ended up setting them on point and adding some 4-patch units to connect the blocks to each other. While I used Island Batik's solid white for the background in the blocks themselves, I used the Prickly Pear Cacti fabric from Prairie Blue for the sashing between blocks and the setting triangles.  

After washing, the finished quilt measures at 58" square.  (Photos are from before washing.) I used fifteen of the beautiful blue fabrics in the Prairie Blue collection.  I pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread 2770 Very Light Delft and a Schmetz microtex chrome needle, fresh at the start of this project. I really felt the prairie connection while using Prairie Blue fabrics and my new pressing mat from Prairie Spirit Alpacas--it's like they were meant for each other!  I also used Hobbs bleached 80/20 batting, great for quilts with a very light background. 

Inspired by all the beautiful blues and the collection name, I named this Prairie Meadow.  It makes me think of beautiful blue skies shining over the prairie.  Prairie Blue should be shipping to quilt shops this month, so be sure to look for it if you need a little or a lot of blue for your next project.

special thanks to my friend Cheryl for being my quilt holder!

Island Batik is hosting weekly giveaways throughout September to celebrate the Tool Talk blog hop, be sure to look for the new giveaway every Friday on their blog.  I am also hosting a small giveaway. 

 

I have an uncut half yard of Longhorn Star and 1/3 yard each of Cacti Mix & Canyon Mountains, which together will make a nice start on a prairie-themed project.  Leave me a comment to enter the giveaway, which runs until the end of September.  Any comment will work but if you need a prompt, tell me your favorite shade of blue  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit my fellow Island Batik Ambassador Andi Stanfield at True Blue Quilts and see what she made what Prairie Blue!