Monday, January 30, 2017

New Beginnings Blog Hop

New Beginnings - a great title for the New Year.  This blog hop's theme is New Beginnings and we (the Island Batik Ambassadors) were all given a wonderful bundle of fabrics to create something with this theme in mind.

As I thought about the theme - I thought of butterflies, new plants popping up from the ground, spring flowers, birds and bees, etc.  And guess what - my fabrics were all Christmas fabrics!  So much for the spring/new growth ideas!  

I pondered long and hard about what kind of project to make for this theme.  I thought maybe I should go with something about new beginnings for the New Year -new goals, new things to try, etc.
Actually I love the new year - it's after Christmas with all the hustle and bustle and (hopefully) all the Christmas projects made and finished.  Kind of a clean slate.  I like to clear things off and get better organized, dream about new projects and jump right in!

So I looked at the fabrics again.  I received the fabrics for Jolly Holly by Island Batik.  You can check out each of the fabrics at their website, but here is a peek at my lovely bundle.  


I thought about what I could make with these fabrics, what pattern, what kind of project, what size, etc.  I decided I wanted to use a big variety of fabrics, but make something rather simple.  I was working on this in late Dec, so quick and easy was a good thing!.  I decided on a one piece triangle pattern with a single border.  I used all the fabrics in the two bottom rows in the photo above.  This quilt is 39" x 39".  It's a good size for a table, or a small lap quilt.  

This would be a great quilt for using up scraps.  You could make it in Christmas colors, or any combination of colors.  You could also use your Accuquilt Go Triangle Die to speed things up!


I did straight line quilting 1/4" from each seam line and on into the borders which made a lovely double X in the borders.  Warm Blend batting from The Warm Company was used, which quilts up very nicely.  I think this looks masculine and like winter in a forest.  I may put it away for a gift for next Christmas.  This could be a new tradition- making gifts EARLY instead of last minute!

This stop is at the tale end of this blog hop.  Only two more days.  I hope you've visited the other blog posts, but if you haven't they are listed below.
Monday, January 9 – Coastal Mist
Stone Cottage Quilts
Wednesday, January 11 – Drizzle
Webster Quilt
Thursday, January 12 – Fifi and Fido + Happy Hounds
Mary Mack Made Mine
Quilting Affection
Friday, January 13 – Fresh Catch
Bejeweled Quilts by Barb
Monday, January 16 – Glowing Embers
Purrfect Spots Designs
Tuesday, January 17 – Lake Life
Freemotion by the River
Wednesday, January 18 – River’s Edge
Ark Angle Creations
Friday, January 20 – Blushing Blooms
Desert Bloom Quilting
Monday, January 23 – Gone Fishin’
Maria Michaels Designs
Wednesday, January 25 – Surf and Sand
Linda Pearl
Beaquilter
Thursday, January 26 – Twilight Blush
KISSed Quilts
Friday, January 27 – Happy Harvest
For Quilts Sake
Monday, January 30 – Jolly Holly
Kauffman Designs
Tuesday, January 31 – Frost
MooseStash Quilting
Wednesday, February 1 – Merry and Bright
Patchwork Breeze
Sally’s Quilting Corner

Be sure and enter the Island Batik Raffle copter for their great prize drawings of two fabric bundles.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm also having a drawing for  6 quarter yards of the fabrics shown below.



Leave me a comment on what you think of when you think of New Beginnings to enter.  You must make sure I have your email to contact you if you win.  USA residents only.

                          I wish all of you new and exciting things this year!


31 comments:

  1. Connie, even though you used a simple pattern, your quilt is very striking. It is so beautiful with the fabrics you used. I like the way you quilted it too. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway.
    New Beginnings means to me a fresh start and hoping things are better in the New Year than they were in the past.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think they have hit on a great word for this quilt. Striking it is. Those batiks make it jump off the page!

    ReplyDelete
  3. New bigginings means to me.I just moved back to Michigan after living in maine for 32 years.I am living new bigginings. .
    happyness04431@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. New bigginings means to me.I just moved back to Michigan after living in maine for 32 years.I am living new bigginings. .
    happyness04431@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well each morning is a new beginning don't you think?
    Love the way that pattern used the colors

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love your quilt! Hmmm...new beginnings make me think about the cycles of our lives. Grandchildren are definitely a new beginning for our family.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful quilt Connie and that batik collection is perfect for it! Someone will really enjoy this Christmas gift next year!

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow your quilt is truly lovely. you really put the fabrics where they showed off each other really well.
    When I think of new beginnings I think of every day is a new day to start with the Lord. I also think of new flowers, new babies etc.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love how the quilting pattern made the double x in the border. How cool! New beginnings for me is when things don't always happen the way we think they will and we have to start with new ideas and new direction in our lives.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The New Beginnings line is just gorgeous....the colors are so rich. Every day is a new beginning for me and I can choose what that might entail!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great way to use the gorgeous fabrics, and I love the "new" tradition of having a gift early.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your quilt. I think of a sunrise and the idea of a new day. I suppose that could mean a new quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  13. To me, new beginnings means to stop, see where you are and where you want to be. If you need to change direction, thoughts, habits, now is the time to do it. New beginnings can happen anytime you feel the need.

    ReplyDelete
  14. New Beginnings makes me think of spring....maybe wishful thinking.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful quilt - great fabrics! New beginnings - I always think of babies at the hospital - and puppies for some reason! LOL mumbird3(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your quilt turned out great...and lucky you, now you have a holiday gift all ready to go for this year! When I think of new beginnings, I do think of the New Year,and even though I am not a teacher somehow it makes me think of the start of school. Each year brings a new class room of kids, a new chance to start over and a new chance to learn something new.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Beautiful fabrics and quilt--I guess new beginnings could mean the finishing of a quilt project and the beginning of another!
    bjkaup(at)(abbnebraska)(dot)com)

    ReplyDelete
  18. New Beginnings, the name itself brings hope for spring to come! I love the array of colors! I really need more neutral colors to bind things together!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great fabrics make great quilts!! The smell of a freshly sharpened pencil always brings me back to the first day of class in my little country school!! Oh the possibilities that came with the start of a new grade--what new beginnings to learn!! I still love the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil!! lizardcreekquilting (at) yahoo (d0t) com.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I loved how you used a dark background. I can't help but think of newborn babies when I hear New Beginnings. A new life is just beginning and each baby is special and precious. And i love making quilts for new babies.
    reillyr2(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  21. New Beginnings collection makes me think of nature and all of the beautiful colors that can be found in it. Whether it's the ocean, the desert, the mountains, the woods...the colors are glorious!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've always held fast to the thought that every new day is a new beginning... No matter how bad or sad you may feel today, tomorrow is always a new start.
    lstangl482 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  23. New Beginnings has always been what I say when Spring finally gets here! :) But it also reminds me that we have fresh new beginnings every morning when we wake up & start our day...

    Thank you for sharing your Beautiful Quilt!! & for chance to win your give-a-way too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Connie! You quilt is beautiful! New beginnings is an inspiring phrase that reminds me that there is always hope in any situation. And in this blog hop, beauty too!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your quilt is lovely! New Beginnings makes me think of rebirth, new friendships, rekindling love, buying a new home! So many things come to mind! quiltlovefordomesticfelicity(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. New Beginnings hop is so much fun, seeing all the projects and different fabric collections. 24Tangent@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. New beginings to me usually means the start of a new day, year or even season.

    ReplyDelete
  28. As I grow older I dream of new beginnings. New house, warmer climate, more creativity, more time for sewing. Lovely quilt - the colors are sew rich!

    ReplyDelete
  29. New Beginnings means a peaceful cup of Yin Hao Jasmine Tea to start a new day.

    ReplyDelete