July 2021 Unboxing!

 

Two amazing boxes from Island Batik arrived in late June to all the Island Batik Ambassadors.  What excitement!  These are the BEST boxes full of wonderful things to work with for the next six months!

Below is a video of all the goodies that were in the boxes

Sometimes still photos show the items the best.

This is a Spring 2021 collection called Sunkist Soleil designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works.  There is also a selection of foundation fabrics that coordinate with the bundle and a light and dark coordinating fabric with yardage to use.  These will be used in the August Challenge coming up.  With this challenge we are to use the ruler we received from Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  My ruler is called Corner Beam and makes the block you see below.

This package is a surprise!  The fabric in this package is a summer 2021 collection and hasn't been released yet.   You will see it in the November Challenge.  A hint to what these fabrics may look like is in the foundation fabrics they sent to coordinate with them...

 

More and more fabric!  Two Stash Builder Bundles came in lovely colors along with more foundation fabrics.

Aurifil Thread sent a box of their Color Builder threads.  My threads are black, gray and white and represent the endangered African Penguin.  See what I make with this interesting challenge in October.

By Annie sent a kit to make one of her great projects.  I chose to make the Catch All Caddy 2.0 and I'm excited to start working on it.  It is so fun to get a kit with everything you need to make the project from start to finish!  There is even an add on video for extra help if you need it.

Can you believe there is MORE fabric!   Yardage in their solids white, gray and black and also 6 yards of the neutral fabric called buttermilk.  It is really wonderful to have these basic colors on hand for when you need them.

Hobbs Batting once again sent a very generous supply of battings - 80/20 Bleached Cotton, a roll of Fusible Batting strips, Thermore, Cotton/Wool blend and my all time favorite- their Fusible Batting.

Many, many thanks to Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, By Annie, Studio 180 and Hobbs Batting for being sponsors for the Island Batik Ambassador Monthly Challenges!

July Island Batik Challenge

 

Sugar Plum Star

36" x 36"

Designed and made by Connie Kauffman

The July Challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors was called Never To Early.   It's never to early to start on Christmas and holiday projects!  

The challenge stated that we could make anything we wanted for the holidays.  My first thought was to make something in the traditional Christmas colors of red and green.  Then I looked at the beautiful collection by Kathy Engle called Plum Pudding.

These colors bring to mind this line from "Twas The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore - "While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads".

I love the plum colors mixed with the soft grays and muted blues.  I designed the central star for this quilt and added the mixed squares in the border to bring in the lovely variety of fabrics in the collection.

It's nice to get started on Christmas projects early.  This wall hanging would be a nice gift, but sometimes you want to give something smaller.  How about a mini Sugar Plum Star quilt?

The mini quilt is fun to make and is 13" x 13".  It fits perfectly on a 12"  Ackfeld Wire Stand.  I used Schmetz Microtex sewing needles,  Hobbs Cotton Batting, and  Aurifil Thread in making these projects

What ever you make for holiday gifts, it is nice to start early so you have more time and less stress.

*Island Batik fabrics, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil Threads and Schmetz needles were provided for these projects thru the Island Batik Ambassador Program.

Sewing with Rayon

(Above is Pastel Romance one of the 46 Rayon prints  by Island Batik)

Island Batik often sends the Island Batik Ambassadors a couple yards of their rayon fabrics.  If you haven't seen their collection of rayon fabrics, be sure and check them out by clicking here.   They have a beautiful array of colorful prints.

I had a couple rayon fabrics that I loved, but never knew what to do with them.  I haven't sewn clothing for years, but I looked for a pattern for a top that I liked.  I looked for a long time and struggled on finding the correct size in the pattern.  It's not easy! 

I finally found a pattern I liked and thought I could handle.  It is McCalls' M7629.  I think it is a discontinued pattern, but I was able to get it online.  

Here are the tops I made

I struggled to get the pattern to actually fit.  After some adjusting, I'm happy with the fit.  Luckily I even had buttons to match!

The rayon fabric was easier to sew with than I thought it would be.  It does shift a bit more than cotton, but it was manageable with pins.  I had lovely matching Aurifil thread to sew with.

The purple fabric is called Wisteria and the multicolored one is called Dragonflies.  Unfortunately for you- these prints are no longer available, but there are many others that are lovely!

It might be time for you to sew a project with rayon.  These fabrics are great for cool summer outfits.  I hope you give it a try!