January 2022 Island Batik Challenge

Aurora

45" x 64"

By Connie Kauffman

The January Challenge for the 2022 Island Batik Ambassadors is called the Step by Step Challenge

We were to use the fat quarter bundle of Foundation Gradation Island Batik fabrics we received in our first Ambassador box for 2022 (be sure and see my unboxing video on Jan 22 to see what else came in my boxes).

I received the Ravishing Red collection of 20 fat quarters in various shades/steps of red.  There are 9 other collections of gradations in different colors.  Other Ambassadors got different color bundles, so be sure and check them out to see what they received and what they made with their collections.

These fabrics are available in shops now.  

What to make with these fabrics?  They ranged from almost tan to peachy to red to orange/red to purple and almost mauve.  I knew it would work well with a bargello style quilt, but I didn't want to do anything that traditional.

My son was home on vacation and he helped me play around with some possibilities.  I decided to use 15 of the 20 fabrics.  I knew I wanted to use black Island Batik with them to make the reds really pop.

I ended up sewing the fabrics together into strips similar to a bargello quilt, but separated them with black and varied the placement and widths of the strips.

As always- the scraps are pretty too!

I used a black batting from Hobbs that came in my box last year.  Black batting is great to use when you have a dark background and backing, because there are no bits of batting poking thru with the quilting to show up on the back.

Four Aurifil threads worked well for the straight line quilting.  

I used Schmetz needles in my machine.  Schmetz is one of our sponsors and they are the only needles I use.

Thanks to my sister Jody for naming this quilt.  She's great at coming up with names!

January 22 I'll be posting my unboxing video so you can see the other lovely things I have to work with the first half of this year!

All products for this project were provided by Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting and Schmetz Needles thru the Island Batik Ambassador program