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Block Mania Tuesday

Today is the day!!! It’s another block mania Tuesday, and I made it in the nick of time… I really didn’t think I was going to have a block to share this month because I just got back from teaching on a quilting cruise for a whole week!! It was so much fun!  I didn’t get to work on my block on the ship. And I didn’t get to work on it the week after I got home either… but last Monday I put on my big girl panties and got it done ...

Aurelia was published in Make Modern Issue #56.

Blue Skies, Breezy Day

In the land of Island Batik, March is Ambassador's Choice Month.  Mine is Lula May. 

EQ8 Design

Lula May

Designed in EQ8, and made with Island Batik's Celebrate Collection, Lula May finished at 62" by 82".

Love this collection!!!

I wanted to step away from square blocks. I designed a rectangular block measuring 12" by 16". The triangle in a square made the basis for the elongated star. The strip pieced alternate block combines the colors used in the stars, using the leftovers and tying the pattern together. 

Design Wall

Alternate Blocks

I used Aurifil Thread to piece ...

I first made Avantika for the Island Batik catalogue. The working title was Mosaic Stars but once the quilt was completed, it needed a better name. Avantika means princess :-)

Avantika, the original princess :-)

Sunset Backing and Binding

Made using Island Batik Juicy Mosaics fabric collection, Avantika finished at about 64" by 84". 

Juicy Mosaics is a beautiful collection and I love every fabric in it. 

Of course, we took her out for a photoshoot, thanks to Paul!

Ooh, the reflection!!!

I was so much in love that I chose to make these blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023. 

Since ...

In anticipation of the second shipment of Island Batik Ambassador boxes, I had to clean house, get rid of some scraps and make room for the new supplies. 

In doing so, I came across some star blocks, that date back to 2015, I think. Who knows? It was so long ago ...

 Today we've had a public holiday to celebrate Matariki.

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in midwinter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. From Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.  

Back in 2018 I made a quilt called Matariki +/- 1.  I entered it into the QuiltNSW Sydney Quilt Show and I won a Judges Commendation for it.  

I don't have this quilt any more because a very kind grandma bought it to go on her grandson's bed when he ...

Designing for the May/June 2023 Issue of Quiltmaker Magazine, I chose the fabric line Celebrate. Designed by Kathy Engle, this fabric line will be available in stores in May 2023.

Imagine my surprise when the magazine was published in March 2023.  It is Island Batik's guidance to release patterns as close to the fabric availability as possible. If the fabric is not available (at the time of pattern release or shortly thereafter), then it feels like a tease or even a torture, especially when the fabric is this gorgeous!!!

For this reason, I have been slow/reluctant to ...

This is the second quilt finished while watching Conference this past weekend.

It is based on THIS tutorial (She calls it Sunburst).

It will be delivered to our Assistant Principal who has a great love for Africa and does much good there sponsoring the education of children.

I hope the rich colors will evoke that beautiful place, and the star will demonstrate the light she shares.

Starting a new baby quilt. This one for the son-of-the-granddaughter-of-my-husband’s-mother’s-best-friend. Of course.

I had a few small pieces, each 9″ x 18″, of Star Wars fabric. What to do?

Cut them smaller…

I have a new finish to share. Meet Paroma.  Although the quilt was completed in August 2022
(hence the lush green backdrop), I had to sit tight till now. 

Paroma. 56" by 68"

Paroma is a Fat quarter friendly quilt published in Quilt Patterns - Fun Fat Quarter Quilts for Spring (anniescatalog.com)  With 22 FQ projects for just under $10, this is a steal.

In process

20 FQs make 20 stars and yield enough fabric to make a scrappy happy border.  Paroma finished at 56" by 68" and it just sparkles ...

Can four blocks, even fairly large ones (18″) make a quilt?

Well, they will need some help. In this case I used a simple 6″ block that could be repeated and serve as a sort of background and filler, while adding texture and interest. It uses 1 2-1/2″ square for the center and 2- 2-1/2″ squares and 2 2-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ strips to round it out. They go together really quickly.

Then a small stop border and a wider (3″ finished) outside border.

And, before you know it, you’ve got a quilt.

The minkee backing ...

Diwali Lights designed, pieced and quilted by me is in the November/December issue of the Quiltmaker Magazine.

Picture by Quiltmaker

The journey of this quilt began in January of this year, when I submitted the pattern to the Quiltmaker magazine. When I received the acceptance email, I was thrilled but realized that I won't be able to meet the March deadline (for publication in the September/October issue) due to other engagements. 

Mock-up in EQ8

Quiltmaker honored my request and agreed to delay the publication to November/December issue and I had until May to make and send ...

I have completed my Positivity 2.0 Quilt. I have named him Naman. It is a Sanskrit word meaning salutations.

On the banks of Potomac

Walking Foot Quilting

Labelled

Good use of the Picnic Table :-)

Two of the most popular motifs in quilting are hearts and stars. I’ve combined both hearts and stars in this new quilt pattern “For the Love of Stars.” It is a quick pattern to put together, using lots of heart quilt blocks combined with 9-patch stars made using the Strippy Stars Tool. The Strippy Stars […]

I have a new finish!!!  Let me show you a few process pictures before the final reveal.

Basting

A Grizzly and a Polar Bear walked into a quilt!!!

Quilting Slowly