Starburst Wall Hanging {Finished Quilt}

My Island Batik version of our long-time favorite Starburst pattern is now complete!

For the quilting, I picked out a tan Aurifil thread that is nearly the same shade as the tan batik that I used in the blocks and for the inner border. I drew inspiration from my Magnolia quilt and quilted the blocks with different motifs and a consistent filler in the background. I used a meander with a "shell" in the background.

Here are my first two blocks close up.

I used the grey batik for the backing, and here is the first block quilted, from the backside! For the batting, I used a Hobbs silk blend batting -- my first time using a silk blend -- because I know this will be a wall hanging and not a throw quilt and likely will not need washed (or less frequently washed.)

I used the tan thread everywhere except the dark teal border, where I used a light teal thread and quilted leaves.

Here's the quilt top, post quilting, post trimming, pre binding. Also notice how well this quilt matches the rug -- it might end up being hung in this room!

Here's a photo showing the sold batik backing and how the quilting shows up on it. The two different thread colors are more apparent on the back than on the front, but I think the teal thread looks amazing on the dark border.

For the binding, I used the steel blue mottled print that I used in some of the borders. I made a hanging sleeve for this quilt and added it when I added the binding.

Get your own copy of Starbursts on Etsy! As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you!

Quilt stats:
Name: Starbursts Wall Hanging
Pattern: Starbursts by us
Fabrics: Island Batiks
Techniques: Paper piecing, free motion quilting
Batting: Hobbs Silk blend
Quilting: various FMQ designs
Size: 48" square
Started: July 2019
Finished: August 2019
Future: TBD

Sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday!

Star-Crossed {Starburst Quilt Top}

It's time to show off my Starburst quilt top before I start quilting it!

Taking a quick rewind, here are my blocks before adding my sashings.

I moved around the locations of some of the blocks from this layout slightly while putting together the quilt top. I used the simple sashing option without cornerstones for my quilt top.

I used the tan mottled batik for my smaller inner border and the dark navy/teal print for the border.

For the backing, I am planning to use a chunk of the solid batik fabric provided in our most recent Ambassador box; save the pretty fabrics for the quilt tops!

Now I'm ready to quilt this beauty! What color (or colors) of thread do you think I'll be using?

Get your own copy of Starbursts on Etsy! As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you

Lucky Stars {Starburst Blocks}

The blocks for this month's Island Batik Ambassador challenge are complete! I'll have a finished Starburst top in no time!

I finished up blocks 6 through 9; these blocks are the most intricate blocks of the bunch and so they took a little longer than the first five blocks.

Here are these four blocks together:

Here are all nine of my blocks together:

Back to the grind to finish this quilt top! Get your own copy of Starbursts on Etsy!

Sharing at Wait Loss Wednesday and Needle and Thread Thursday! As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you

Catch a Falling Star {Starburst in Progress}

I've been putting the pedal to the metal (or really, my hardwood floors) on my paper pieced Starburst blocks for this month's Island Batik Ambassador challenge!

For this installment of creating my constellation with fabrics, I've finished up blocks 2 through 5.

Here are these four blocks together:

So far, the darker blue-grey and the tan batiks are the two non-strip fabrics I have mixed into my blocks. I'd like as much of the block piecing as possible to come from my 2.5" strips but the first couple blocks have quite a bit of piecing that requires pieces wider than 2.5".

Only four more blocks to go! Get your own copy of Starbursts on Etsy! As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you

Star Light Star Bright {Shooting for the Stars with Island Batik}

I'm not on the blog hop schedule this month for Island Batik (but make sure to check out the other posts!) so I am tasked with making a star-themed project this month!

This month I am going to be making a wall hanging or throw sized version of one of our original Honey, Bunny, and Doll patterns -- Starbursts!

If you've followed me for a long while, you might remember that Starbursts was our first-ever quilt along! My original quilt (above) is a twin-ish sized quilt, and I made a mini quilt during my first year as an Island Batik Ambassador that just used one of the blocks repeated four times.

This time around, I will be making the wall hanging/throw size version -- this version utilizes nine blocks, one each of the designs included in the pattern. The throw size is not set on point like the twin sized version.

For the fabrics, I am going to be using the Sand Bar line that I received in my latest Island Batik Ambassador box. As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics to use and share with you!

The light blue Cheerios print will be my background fabric and I will be using the dark navy print for the eight star points in each block. I will use the 2.5" strips for the majority of the piecing, mixing in the half yard cuts for any of the piecing where I might need pieces larger than 2.5" wide.

Here's one of my favorite paper piecing tips: it can be helpful to pin your first piece of fabric to your paper foundation to provide some stability until you start sewing to the foundation.

Here's my first block:

I used 2.5" strips for all of the piecing with the exception of the center square and the background.

I absolutely love to paper piece, but I know a lot of people struggle with this technique -- so leave your burning paper piecing questions in the comments and I will try to answer some of them (with pictures!) over my next few posts.

Happy Monday! Get your own copy of Starbursts on Etsy!

Summer Patio Pattern Premiere {Giveaway and Sale!}

I'm excited to share our newest Honey, Bunny, and Doll pattern -- Summer Patio!

This pattern is perfect for the jelly rolls you've been hoarding in your stash! This pattern includes a twin size option (68" x 91") and a full size option (77" x 91"). Rather than using a background fabric for the sashing, this pattern uses a single fabric for the borders and the sashing to make the blocks float like tiles! You can get the pattern on Etsy or Craftsy.

We've also reached a huge milestone -- over 900 likes on our HBD Facebook page! Thank you for showing such support for us over the last few years! We love designing patterns and selling fabric. As a little thank you to all of our friends and followers, our Christine's Kitchen and Starburst patterns are $9 on Etsy for a short time only! (Regularly $12!!)

So let's also do a Summer Patio pattern giveaway! As is our normal MO, leave comments to enter!

1. Leave a comment with what fabric line you'd use to make your own Summer Patio quilt. I think it would be great in any Bonnie and Camille line!

2. Leave a second comment if you are a follower of Little Bunny Quilts (blog, Instagram) or Honey, Bunny, and Doll (FB page, FB group, Instagram)! We couldn't have gotten to where we are without you!

I'll pick winners (YES WINNERS!) next Monday and update this post when I do!

Here are our winners!

Happy Tuesday!

March {Mini} Madness with Island Batik!

As I previewed a few weeks back, my Island Batik project for March is a mini quilt and I'm happy to share the finished mini with you today!

When last I shared, I had just started working on the paper piecing units for my stars. I pulled out selected 10 inch squares from a layer cake of Lake Life and added in some Lake Life yardage as my background. As a reminder, I am using star #5 from our Starbursts pattern.

Since I got back from vacation I was able to finish it up rather quickly! I made four stars total, two pairs of matching stars. I ended up using a total of ten layer cake squares plus some background for my stars.

I cut 1.5 inch sashing for in between the blocks. I decided against sewing the blocks directly to one another so that the stars had more of a floating effect in the background.

I again used the blue fishes print from the Lake Life line for my backing (seriously, I have a lot of fish fabric!) and then quilted the mini with one of the spools of variegated Fantastico Superior Thread included with our Ambassador boxes. I used a yellow and green variegated thread and quilted free-form overlapping waves in a diagonal direction on the mini.

I made bias binding from the same blue fabric as the backing. Normally I don't do bias binding, but it worked well for this project.

Some of my fellow ambassadors have already posted their March minis and I highly suggest you check them out!

Joan @ Mouse Stash Quilting
Karen @ The Quilt Rambler

Sharing at Let's Bee Social and Finish It Up Friday!

Don't forget our Christine's Kitchen QAL starts MONDAY!

HBD Designs: Made by YOU!

One of the most exciting things about being a pattern designer is seeing people make quilts from your designs! Today I wanted to share a few quilts made by you inspired by our patterns!

First, we have Debra's Starburst Quilt. She participated in our original quilt along and here is her finished quilt!

Next we have Jordan's version of Square Pegs. She made an ombre effect quilt!

Finally, I wanted to share a few quilts made by my mom (the Honey of HBD!) who is always willing to play along with our quilt alongs and new patterns! She is the official pattern tester of HBD. :)

First we have her QCQAL quilt from 2014:

Next we have her QCQAL 2 quilt from 2015:

And finally her Spring Splendor quilt -- with a candy pink background!

If you've made a version of one of our patterns, please share it! You can email us pictures at honeybunnyanddoll@gmail.com or littlebunnyquilts@gmail.com!