Capybara!

A friend of mine has had a rough year medically.  She was in the hospital from early December through late February.  During that time period, I visited her several times.  I wanted to make a quilt that would cheer up her hospital room a bit.  I made it fairly small, 45" x 52", so it wouldn't get in the way of any medical equipment and was therefor less likely to annoy the medical staff.  

She is a bit obsessed with capybaras, so I looked for a capybara pattern.  I found a great pattern on etsy from the shop TextileOutpost.  It has 4 variations of capybara blocks.  I used the basic block 4 times.  All fabrics are by Island Batik: Lizard, Roast, and Toast for the capybaras, and Milkshake for the background.

 

After I made the capybaras, I wanted to some leaves to go around them.  I use assorted greens (also Island Batik) and arranged them in what I felt was a leafy pattern.  When it was up on the design wall, I asked my husband if the green looked liked leaves or just green squiggles.  He said, "oh, it's leaves?  I thought they were standing in the grass."  Grass = good enough for me!

Backing

 

The backing is an older Island Batik fabric: Acorn in Wheat from the Napa Valley collection.  I used cross hatch quilting. She was quite pleased with it.  I've been waiting to post because her health was so touch-and-go for a bit, but I'm pleased to say she's doing really well and is now even back at work. 

 

Threaded Chaos blog hop with Island Batik

This month, Island Batik Ambassadors are going crazy!  We were each sent one of the newest Island Batik collections and are tasked to make a crazy quilt.  

I was sent the Sunset collection by Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  Sunset is a beautiful collection with colors that mimic fabulous sunsets.   I'm the very last day of the hop, so you'll have to wait until September 25th for my quilt using these fabulous fabrics. 

 

I've done two previous crazy quilt projects with Island Batik fabrics.  The first was a scrappy challenge in January 2020.  I made a crazy-quilted sewing machine cover.  April 2023 was a crazy quilt challenge and I made crazy-quilted notebook covers.  

 

We're in the second week of the blog hop and there have been some really fun projects so far.  Be sure to visit all the Island Batik Ambassadors, and check back here next week to see my crazy quilt!

 

Week 1

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs – 09/08/2025 – Aurora
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique – 09/09/2025 – Berry Crush
Solomae Stoycoff ~ Cuddle Cat Quiltworks – 09/09/2025 – Berry Crush
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting – 09/10/2025 – Colorbust
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion – 09/10/2025 – Colorbust
Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River  – 09/11/2025 – Earth Essence

Week 2

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations – 09/15/2025 – Everlasting
Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts – 09/15/2025 – Everlasting
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts Studio – 09/16/2025 – Fossil Finesse
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail – 09/16/2025 – Fossil Finesse
Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery – 09/17/2025 – Frosted Foliage
Kimberly Flannagan ~ Kimberly’s Quilts – 09/17/2025 – Frosted Foliage
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts – 09/18/2025 – Garden Glory
Tina Dillard ~ Quilting Affection Designs – 09/18/2025 – Garden Glory

Week 3
Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color – 09/22/2025 – Geode Glow
Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts – 09/22/2025 – Geode Glow
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany – 09/23/2025 – Quiet Charm
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt – 09/24/2025 – Stone Strata
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights – 09/24/2025 – Stone Strata
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs– 09/25/2025 – Sunset
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood – 09/25/2025 – Sunset

The Perfect Travel Purse

Since I discovered By Annie patterns five years ago, I have made many of her patterns and I have more on my to-make wishlist.  I recently saw a sample of On the Go (the updated version, 2.0) and it was larger than I thought from the photos I've seen.  My family took a week long trip to New York City earlier in August and I thought I'd try the On the Go.  I made it with about a week to spare before our trip.

Let me tell you--this is the perfect travel purse!  I used the vinyl pocket on the inside for my hotel room key, so it was easily accessible.  I put my credit card and cash in the slots on the inside so I didn't need to carry a wallet, which is good because mine is a little bulky.  I could fit my sunglasses case, tissue packet, and snacks in the purse itself, and my phone fit perfectly (and securely) in the back slip pocket.  I wore it cross body most of the time, though it also works over the shoulder.  

Some people in the By Annie enthusiast group on Facebook have made On the Go just a little wider.  I might try that next time, but honestly, I was happy with the size as written. 

 

 

I used some older Island Batik fabrics from a line called Lemon Grass.  I had a 1/2 yard cut of my favorite from the line, blue with dragonflies.  The lining fabric, also from Lemon Grass, is Leaf Tendrils. The binding fabric is from a different collection, Limerick, and is Spots in Purple Jelly (and was the main fabric in this By Annie backpack that I made 2 years ago). There is also some solid Lime Green on the inside for binding and some of the card slots.   

In action on the NYC subway

It's a little small for me for a day to day purse, but I know this will be my travel purse for the foreseeable future!

 

Hot Stuff with Island Batik

This month's Island Batik challenge is little different.  In January, each ambassador was sent an Oliso M3Pro mini iron and a felt carrying bag.  For our August challenge, we are to use Island Batik fabrics to decorate the carrying case.

With a blog named after my favorite flowering tree, I knew immediately how I would decorate my case--dogwoods!   While Accuquilt does not have a dogwood blossom die, one of the flowers on the Flower Bunch die has four petals.  I was able to cut an indentation our of each petal to make it look more like a dogwood blossom.   I also used the Stems and Leaves die to cut, well, stems and leaves!  

 

 

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik & Oliso.

 

I used fabrics from Island Batik's always-available Foundations for everything except the leaves.  The blossoms are Carnation, the one darker dogwood is a pink blender, the branch is Roast, and the dogwood centers is Bubbles in Sprout.  I love how the dots in the green fabric mimic the textured centers of dogwood blossoms.

 

I used Heat n' Bond lite for the applique shapes.  I had trouble with it staying on the sides of teh bag; I think it was a combination of the curved surface, the felt, and the fact that the Heat n' Bond was fairly old.  The shapes stuck fine on the top and back, but I could see the applique shapes lifting away from the surface.  My fellow Island Batik Ambassador Connie of Freemotion by the River suggested Aleene's OK to Wash It.  I had never heard of this fabric glue!  It worked great, though it took a bit to peel off of my fingers 😀 

 

So here it is: a dogwood iron carrier for The Darling Dogwood! 

 

July unboxing with Island Batik

July brings heat and humidity, but also brings the second Island Batik Ambassador box!  Island Batik (under the umbrella of Lumin Fabrics) and their industry partners are very generous!  Let's take a look at what was in my boxes.

First, I have a generous half yard bundle of Sunset, one of the new collections that will be hitting shops in September.  There is also yardage that coordinates with Sunset: 2 yards each of Scuba and Goldfish, as well as 6 half-yard cuts from the Basics collection: Lotus, Raspberry, Ogee Petal in Sunshine, Dandelion in Pumpkin, Fuchsia solid, and Red solid.  

 

Sunset will be part of a blog hop in September showcasing all the new Island Batik collections.  The theme will be a crazy quilt challenge, sponsored by Aurifil.  For the first time, we ambassadors got to pick our Aurifil threads!  We were told to pick out 4 threads that we would want to use with our assigned collections.  It was soooo hard to choose!  Here's what I asked for:

 

Next, there is a 2 1/2" strip pack of Colorburst, another collection that will be available in September.  I love the rainbow look of Colorburst!  My coordinating yardage is Dot in Sky and Storm.  

 

I also have a half yard bundle of a surprise collection that will debut in November and be available in shops in December or January.  I can't show you this one yet! 

 

You can get a little bit of an idea of the colors in the mystery collection, though, by looking at the 6 half yard cuts that coordinate:  Violet, Turtle, Wavy Dots in Bluebird, Small Pointed Floral in Turquoise, Green solid, and Amethyst solid.  

 

I also have another collection that will hit stores at the end of the year/beginning of next: a 10" stack of Garden Gate plus yardage from the collection.  I love these colors!  This might be the fabric I use for next year's Stay at Home Round Robin. 

A few years ago, Island Batik expanded their basics line and introduced Gradations, containing 20 shades of a color family.  I love these already coordinated palettes!  I received a 2 1/2" strip pack of Oppulent Oranges and a 10" stack of Bodacious Browns. 

 

What's a quilt without a great background?  As with all boxes, I got 4 yards each of white, black, and gray (dark gray, in this case) solid fabrics.  I love these fabrics and use them all regularly!  I also got 6 yards of Ceramic. 

Stash builder strips are 5" of fabric by width of fabric, rolled into bundles of 4 strips.  Each bundle of strips it packaged with  4 other bundles for a total of 20 strips of fabric, or just under 3 yards!  This is a great way to get a variety of fabrics in a variety of colors.  I especially love these for applique projects. 

 

October's challenge is one of my annual favorites: the By Annie bag challenge!  We get to choose one of Annie Unrein's fabulous patterns, pick out the fabric from upcoming collections, and then get a kit that includes everything we need to make the bag!  This year I am making Sidekick and I chose gorgeous fabrics from Berry Crush, a signature collection for my friend and fellow ambassador Jennifer of Curlicue Creations.  I can't wait to make this bag!

 

Speaking of industry partners, Hobbs sent an extremely generous 5 battings!  There is their poly-down, their fusible batting, 80/20 Bleached, cotton wool blend,  and unbleached 100% cotton.

 

Thank you, Island Batik, Aurifil, Hobbs, and By Annie for such amazing treasures!  I look forward to creating with all these goodies over the next 6 months and can't wait to share what I make.

 

 

Size Mishap: Churning Stars

I'm still catching up with posting last year's teacher quilts. At the beginning of the school year, it is Fire Monkey's job to ask all his teacher's their favorite color.  I then spend the school year making quilts (throw size) that are gifted in the last week or two of the school year.  This year, one of the teachers said her favorite color was brown.  This one was hard for me.  I don't mind brown, but I honestly don't think much about it.  It's fine in the background, as a supporting character, but I wasn't really sure what to do with brown as a feature.

 

Eventually, I decided to try a brown version of my Churning Stars quilts.  Ohio Star blocks are classic, and I liked the overall look.  It would also allow me to use a few shades of brown, which worked best for the somewhat limited browns in my Island Batik stash.  I made my blocks.  Had all the blocks made.  Went to lay it out.  "Hmmmm...this feels a lot bigger than the other one."  I did not check my original EQ8 design.  I assumed I had made the original with 12" blocks.  I had not; that quilt had 9" blocks. This meant the brown version would be 72" square.  There is some variation in the size of the teacher quilts, but I aim for about 60" square.  At first I was just going to go forward, but in the end, I decided the quilt would just be too big, so instead of the 5 x 5 layout I intended, this one is 4x4, so the pattern isn't quite as nice as I'd like, but it still looks ok. And I now have enough extra blocks to make a 3x3 quilt that will become a donation quilt whenever I get it put together.  

 

All fabrics are Island Batik.  The background is Bone, the unadorned stars are Copper, and there are several fabrics in the alternate star block.  All was cut with the Accuquilt. I'm glad to have it done, and truth be told, I hope none of next year's teachers name brown as their favorite color! 

 

 

Tahoe in Green

The slide into the end of the school year is usually about finishing up teacher quilts, and I get so focused on that, I don't remember to post them!  Now that we're a few weeks into summer (from a school calendar perspective), I want to be sure to document the quilts I finished.

 

In my brief time at an elementary school, I was a Media Specialist/School Librarian, which falls under the category of "Specials."  Every school is different, but Specials frequently include art, music, PE, etc.  So I make sure to include Specials teachers.  There was a new PE teacher this year, so he went on the list.  His favorite color is green.

 

I chose the pattern Tahoe by Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.  I love Cheryl's patterns, they are easy to understand, easy to follow, and make stunning quilts!  All the fabrics are from Island Batik: two greens from the Limerick collection plus Frog and solid white.  It sewed up very quickly and I love how it looks!