Quiltmaker March/April 2023 Cotton Candy Shop Quilt

 My quilt Cotton Candy Shop is in the March/April 2023 Quiltmaker magazine and it's on the cover!

This scrappy quilt was fun to make in spring pastel fabric scraps.  It's so exciting to see it on the cover!

Look for the magazine soon in stores, or you can get a digital copy now from Digital Issue of Quiltmaker Mar/Apr 2023

Cotton Candy Shop

Designed and made by Connie Kauffman

44" x 46"

(photos courtesy of Quiltmaker Magazine)

#quiltmakermag #quiltingdaily #cottoncandyshopquilt

January 2023 Island Batik Unboxing

 The most exciting thing about the new year 2023 is the announcement that I'm an Island Batik Ambassador again this year, and the arrival of 2 huge boxes from Island Batik!

These great boxes contain materials to use for creative challenges for the Island Batik Ambassador program for the next 6 months.

Pretty amazing isn't it!  I can't wait to start designing.

Apologies for the video being sideways!  I have a new camera stand and didn't realize the direction it was taping.  It wasn't until later I found out I couldn't rotate a video, so it is what it is....

Below are still photos with a little more info.

The first big bundle is the Island Batik collection called Sunshine Garden designed by Kathy Engle for Terri Vanden Bosch, Lizard Creek Quilting.  This collection ships to store in February.  I'm using this collection for my challenge in Feb, so you will see it soon.  Island Batik sent two 2 yard cuts of  coordinating fabric with the collection.  The yellow  is a neutral called Butter and the darker blue is called Aruba.  The fabrics have lovely prints of apple, strawberries, peas, corn etc.  A very pretty garden of fabrics!

A great sampling came in the Foundations Bundle.  The Foundations are a variety of Basics, Blenders and Solids.  These colors coordinate beautifully with the Sunshine Garden collection above.  A great thing about Island Batik Foundations is that they are always available.

Island Batik generously sends a 6 yard of a Neutral fabric.  This time I received the color Ceramic.  These Neutrals are great for backgrounds or backings.  Solids in white, gray and black were also sent in 2 yard cuts.  It is really handy to have these on hand!

A 10" Stack pack of the collection Bits and Pieces is a Fall 2022 Precut.  This is a Signature Collection by Kathy Engle for Sherry Shish of Powered by Quilting.  I'm in love with these smaller prints and rainbow of colors.  They also sent a coordinating 2 yard cut of the Neutral called Egg White and 2 yards of a blue Blender called Waterfall.

The 2 1/2" Strip precut pack I received was a Winter 2022 collection called Sunny Meadow by Kathy Engle.  It also came with 2 yard cuts of coordinating fabric- a Neutral called Bone and a lovely teal Foundation called Parakeet.

Island Batik has a selection of fabrics in gradations of 10 different colors.  They are playful names:  Bodacious Black, Brilliant Blue, Glorious Green, Breathtaking Brown, Tantalizing Teal, Opulent Orange, Naturally Neutral, Ravishing Red, Precious Pink and Playful Purple.  They come in 10" Stack packs, 2 1/2" Strip packs and also 5" Stamps.

In my box I received a 10" Stack pack of Glorious Green and a 2 1/2" Strip pack of Opulent Orange.  These are available all the time.

Island Batik also sent 3 Stash Builder Bundles.  These are 5" strips by width of fabric in a variety of colors.  Each roll has 4 different strips of fabric.  These are great stash builders, and also great for giveaways!  

The last bundle from Island Batik is a Surprise Bundle of fabric that is coming out in Winter 2022.  I can't show you the fabrics now as they aren't in stores yet.  I'll be making a project with these fabrics in a Blog Hop in May.  I peeked at these fabrics and they are great! You won't want to miss the hop in May.

There are several Company Sponsors of the Island Batik Ambassador Program that send products for us to use through out the year:

Schmetz Needles sends a nice selection of their needles to use in our projects.  I only use Schmetz needles.  The packages they sent are:  Vinyl Needles (which are Super Nonstick Needles which are also good for fusible applique), 10 Needle Costume Pack which includes  Universal, Stretch, Jeans, Microtex and Topstitch needles - this covers a variety of needs in one pack, and a package of Piecing & Quilting Needles.  

Aurifil Thread sent a package of their Color Builder Thread.  I received the yellow Bird of Paradise box of two yellows and a blender.  You will see how I use these threads in the April Island Batik Challenge.

Deb Tucker's Studio 180 sends each Ambassador a ruler to create with.  The ruler I received is called V Block.  I'll be creating something with this ruler for the Blog Hop in May.

Hobbs Batting generously sent 4 wonderful battings for us to use - 80/20 Black Cotton, 80/20 Bleached Cotton, Premium Cotton and Poly-Down Premium Polyester, all in Queen Size.

As I stated in the video, this is my 10th year as an Ambassador for Island Batik! 💖 I've been fortunate to be an Ambassador since the beginning of the program.  This has been an amazing experience for me.  I continue to be challenged and grow to love Island Batik fabrics more with each new collection. 

Many thanks to Island Batik and all the sponsors  for the donations of products for the Ambassador program.

I hope you follow along this year to see what  the other Ambassadors and I create with the supplies from these boxes!

2023 Island Batik Ambassador!

The year started great with the news I'm an Island Batik Ambassador again for 2023!  This is my 10th year as an Ambassador and I'm super excited about all the challenges that will be happening this year.  

See the listing of all the 2023 Ambassadors below.

From left to right-

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs

Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting

Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts

Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilt Studio

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts

Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting For You

Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost (By Annie Bag Makers)

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For the Love of Geese

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights

Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher's Boutique LLC

Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia

Lana Russel ~ LanaQuilts.com

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle Quilting LLC

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations

Suzy Webster ~ WebsterQuilt

Jan. Doll House Block - Sewing Room

It's time for another block in Amy Bradley's Doll House quilt.  You can purchase a pattern and join in at any time. We are working on one room block each month.

The January Doll House Block is the Sewing Room.  Every house should have a sewing room right?

Here are my block pieces.

Here is the room with stitching finished and pocket attached.  Notice I sewed the buttons on the pocket, but not the background yet.

I love this block, but for some reason it was the hardest for me to decide the background colors.  I'm happy with what I finally decided on.

I'm still using all fabrics from my stash - that's a great feeling!  Amazing what you can create with what you have on hand.

The only top stitching you need to mark and sew is the steam from the iron and the sewing machine needle.

Here is a good time to show how my sewing room floor looked when I was deciding fabrics for doll house rooms.

It was really messy for awhile!

I decided to place the sewing room above the front door.

My sister Jody completed her Living Room.  I LOVE how she added Snoopy on her TV and the antennas!  Great ideas!

Remember that you can purchase the Doll House pattern at anytime from Amy Bradley Designs.

Next month will be the Nursery Room.