Split Stars {Finished Quilt}

While I made this quilt top all the way back in August, I didn't get it finished until November. 

This quilt was a gift for our friends who also had a baby boy this fall!

I did a simple meander for the quilting and used the coordinating fabrics for the border and the binding. For the backing, I used blue and white plaid flannel.

James let me borrow his crib to model the quilt I made for his new best friend!

Quilt Stats:

Name: Split Stars Baby Quilt

Pattern: Self designed

Fabrics: Venetian Tiles fabric line from Island Batik and coordinating yardage

Techniques: Studio 180 die, free motion quilting

Quilting: meanders

Batting: Hobbs 80/20 batting

Size: 40 inches square

Started: August 2020

Finished: November 2020

Future: Was given as a gift in November

Bag Lady {Two More Finished Open Wide Bags}

Since I had enough notions -- with the exception of zippers -- to make a few more Open Wide bags, I bought a few more zippers and got to work.

The first one that I made is the same three fabrics as the large pouch that I made in the original set, just in the smallest size. I used all of the same colors of thread for quilting and construction so that these are a matching set. 

For the second, I made a medium sized bag using only two different fabrics instead of three. I used the same fabric for both the lining and the accent fabric for this bag and skipped the mesh pockets.

I also cut the pieces and parts for a large sized bag to match the original medium sized bag that I made, but I'm not sure when I'll tackle that project. I'm going to try to get some actual quilt tops finished over the next month before baby arrives -- I actually have a finished top to show you later this week!

Happy Monday -- what are you working on today?

Open Wide 2.0 Bags in Floralicious {It's In The Bag Blog Hop}

 Today is my day to share for the It's In The Bag Blog Hop, sponsored by Island Batik and By Annie!

The collection I got to use for my project is the new Floralicious collection!

If you remember back to my unboxing post from this summer, I got all of the pieces and parts to make a set of the Open Wide 2.0 bags from By Annie!

I have long avoided three dimensional sewing, but this was my chance to try something totally new and I am so happy with how the bags turned out!

I started with the largest size bag and worked my way through one entire bag before starting on the next one. I used a lot of different colors of Aurifil thread too! Each bag had a main color, lining color, and accent color designated for each particular size.

I free motion quilted meanders for all of the bags. It was a different feeling for sure quilting the foam stabilizer rather than batting! 

I had never ever sewn a zipper before so that was also a big adventure! I really appreciated how clear the directions were in each step -- especially for someone with a fear of three-dimensional sewing and zippers like me!

One very nice aspect of these bags is that they perfectly nestle inside of one another for storage if you make yourself the entire set! 

Now I am totally addicted to the idea of making more of these bags as gifts! I have quite a bit of fabric and supplies left over other than the zippers, so I am going to have to buy some more zippers to make more of these bags (maybe in some sets!)

Thank you to Island Batik, By Annie, and Aurifil for graciously supplying the supplies for this project! I had so much fun making these and if you are like me and things like zippers freak you out -- definitely try out a By Annie's bag pattern!

It's In The Bag Blog Hop with By Annie and Island Batik! {Giveaway and Schedule}

The September blog hop featuring the latest collections of Island Batik fabric (shipping to stores soon!) started yesterday! This month's theme is -- It's In The Bag! All of our projects use patterns and notions supplied graciously by ByAnnie!

I will be showing off my project tomorrow! Here's the full schedule and previews of the new fabrics:

September 8:

• Janet Yamamoto
• Suzy Webster

September 9:

• Michelle Roberts
• Gail Sheppard

September 10:

• Sharon Riley
• Alison Vermilya

September 11:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

September 14:

• Sally Manke
• Gail Renna

September 15:

• Mania Hatziioannidi
• Emily Leachman

September 16:

• Connie Kauffman
• Leah Malasky

September 17:

• Vasudha Govindan
• Joanne Hart

September 18:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

September 21:

• Carolina Asmussen
• Sandra Walker

September 22:

• Jennifer Fulton
• Pamela Boatright
• Jennifer Strauser

September 23

• Denise Looney
• Maryellen McAuliffe

September 24:

• Megan Best
• Jennifer Thomas

September 25:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway

September 28:

• Carla Henton
• Carol Moellers

September 29:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 4

To celebrate the start of It’s in the Bag Blog Hop, we are giving away two fabulous Fat Quarter bundles of Buttercup and Floralicious collections by our very own Kathy Engle!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Split Stars Quilt Top {Try A Tool with Island Batik}

 Finally an update for my August Island Batik project!

I finished up all of my blocks and turned them into a top! I'm not sure what kind of border this one will have. Maybe light blue?

While it was a bit of a learning curve to use the V-block ruler, it did work out well for these blocks. I liked that I could also use the V-block ruler to trim my HSTs too instead of needing to switch between rulers.

This might be as far as this project gets this month; I have two blog hop projects to work on that are scheduled for early September that will be my main focus for the next two weekends. But this will go back to the top of the to do list once those to the blog hop projects are done!

Have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Try a Tool with Studio 180 Design {August IBA Challenge}

 This month's Island Batik Ambassador challenge is to "try a tool" with Studio 180 Design!

I've never used any of these rulers so this was a new adventure for me! I received the V Block ruler and trimmer. To start I watched the very helpful introductory video featuring designer Deb Tucker using this ruler. You can see that video here.

For my project I decided to use my V block ruler with the Venetian Tiles precut and yardage I received in my most recent IB Ambassador box.

I pulled in a little extra fabric and will use the two yardage cuts above in two blocks, but my plan is to make nine 12" blocks for a baby quilt.

Here are the untrimmed units for my first block:

...and here they are trimmed.

And finally here's the block all together:

My plan is to pair up the blue fabrics and the neutral fabrics to make eight more split star blocks that finish at 12". Nine of them together will make a good sized baby quilt and once they are complete I'll decide if the quilt needs sashing and/or a border. I have some light grey thread that I think will be perfect to quilt this quilt once it is finished.

On The Road Again {Scrappy Sewing Progress}

When I last posted about my new scrappy project, my block units looked like this:

And now I have blocks that look like this!

{block pics}

I currently have 22 star blocks and 22 chain blocks. I still have six sets of finished flying geese units for another six star blocks, and then I'll make another batch of six chain blocks. Since I last posted about this project, I did cut up some additional 2.5" squares for my four patches and the corners of the chain blocks to add some additional color variety. 

That would put me at 56 total blocks, able to be alternated in a 7x8 grid, for a quilt (pre-borders) that would be approximately 56" x 64", which would be a nice sized throw. But, I think if I can find another blue/aqua fabric or two to cut into more flying geese units, I'd like to see the quilt grow closer to twin sized, since I still have a lot of this fabric line left. I might skip the green fabrics all together just for the sake of contrast, but that's still to be determined.

What are you sewing this week?

Christmas in July Wall Hanging {Finished Project}

My Christmas in July Island Batik project is finished!

I added a penguin applique to the lower right corner of the top of the wall hanging for a little bit of fun. This is actually the same penguin that is available in our Seasonal Placemats and Seasonal Wall Hanging patterns; I simply scaled up the design.

For the quilting, I used white thread to quilt loops and snowflakes. I added eyes for the penguin with a fabric pen. 

The binding is a navy mottled Island Batik basic that I had a half yard cut of in my stash. For the backing, I used a piece of the remaining snowflake print yardage from the line combined with a half-yard of a blue dot basic that coordinated well with this line. I used a piece of the snowflake print for the hanging sleeve.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway -- it will close tomorrow at midnight!

Quilt Stats:

Name: Winter Forest wall hanging

Pattern: Self designed

Fabrics: Winter Forest from Island Batik plus Island Batik Basics

Techniques: Accuquilt cutting, applique, free motion quilting

Quilting: meandering loops and snowflakes

Batting: Hobbs 80/20 batting

Size: 36 inches square

Started and finished: July 2020

Future: Gift!

Unboxed: My Second 2020 {Island Batik Ambassador} Box!

I'm so excited to show off the things that came in my second Island Batik Ambassador shipment for 2020!

First off -- batting from Hobbs bonded fibers! Let me tell you -- living in sort of the middle of no where, it is so nice to have a few battings on hand and not have to make a special trip out to buy one, which I used to have to do quite often! I'm excited to play with the fusible batting roll -- is a jelly roll rug in my future?

I have two "surprise" packages that are soon-to-be released lines that I can't show off just yet! Just believe me when I say they are gorgeous!

I also received some half-yard cuts of batik basics that coordinate with my "surprise" packages; you can get an idea of what the color schemes will be!

Next up is a gorgeous fat quarter bundle of Catching Dreams! Love those purples.

This time around we each received a Studio 180 ruler to try! I've never used one of these before and I am excited to try it out. This was bundled with a set of 2.5" strips and coordinating cuts of yardage from the Nouveau Soul line.

I also received a 10" square stacker of the Venetian Marble line with some coordinating yardage.

And I would be remiss if I skipped over the extra large cuts of solids and basics! I have started using the solids for some of my backings on my Island Batik projects and it's worked out great!

One of my favorite things that usually makes an appearance in our Ambassador boxes are the stash builder rolls! These two are all blues and all teals, respectively, and I think a lot of those blue fabrics will be turned into a baby quilt for one of our best friends! And Aurifil thread is always a good addition!

The final thing in our boxes, which I am so excited to show, is a full kit from By Annie's to make one of their bag patterns! A while back we got to chose one of their patterns and I chose the Open Wide pouch patterns. They picked fabrics for us and all of the coordinating notions! I'm very nervous to work on this project but I am in DESPERATE need of a new set of travel toiletry bags!

I am having a giveaway on my previous post (click here to see it) that closes on Tuesday, July 28th so make sure to enter!