January 2024 Island Batik Unboxing

It's that wonderful time of year when the Island Batik box arrives!  This is the 11th year that I've been selected as an Island Batik Ambassador and I couldn't be happier!  All the Ambassadors eagerly await their boxes of goodies to work with.  Here's a peak at my box - what treasure!

Below you can see a video of what's in my box.

Unfortunately my video cut off before I could show you the last two things in the box - the Oliso iron and Hobbs batting.  I couldn't get my phone to retake the video, so look below for still photos of all the contents.

Oliso is a new sponsor of the program this year.  They sent each Ambassador a new Smart Iron!  This is a TG1600 ProPlus.  It comes in a few lovely colors.  Mine is a lovely yellow they call Butterscotch.  I've never owned an Oliso and look forward to trying it out.  

The batting from Hobbs is from the Tuscany Collection - a cotton wool blend in a throw size.

Another sponsor is Deb Tucker's Studio 180.  Every Ambassador was sent a different ruler to work with.  I received the ruler called Split Rects.  It makes a rectangle piece that is divided on the diagonal.

Schmetz Needles has been a sponsor for several years.  This year they sent a nice package with three sets of needles:  9 Needle Costume Pack, Vinyl Needles and Piecing and Quilting Needles.

Funky Friends Factory is another sponsor again this year.  Each Ambassador was able to select a pattern to make and patterns were sent to us electronically.  These are always fun to make.  You will see these projects presented in our April challenge.

Now for the Island Batik fabrics!  The surprise bundle is wrapped in a nice package.  I can't show the fabrics yet as they aren't in stores yet.  I will be making a project with these fabrics in May- so be sure and check back then!

Starting in February I will be working with the collection called Squiggles, Dots and Lines by Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  This is a lovely collection with blues, greens and purples.  They also send 2 yards of a light neutral and 2 yards of a dark fabric that coordinates with the fabrics..  Both of these fabrics are from the collection.

Fairy Frost is a Fall 2023  2 1/2" precut collection. This is a collection by Tammy Silvers for Tamarinis. It also came with 2 yards of a light and dark coordinating fabric.  The light purple is called Thistle from the Playful Purples foundations.  The dark fabrics is called Cerulean from the Tantalizing Teals foundations.  The foundation fabrics are always available.

Peppermint Sprinkles is a winter 2023 10" square precut.  This is a Signature collection by Kathy Engle for Heidi Pridemore of The Whimsical Workshop.  It came with 2  yards of a light/neutral called Whip Cream and a dark red foundation called Cherry.  These cheery fabrics make me think of Christmas.

I received two precuts from their Gradations foundation collections.  The 2 1/2" strip pack is called Brilliant Blues and the 10" Stack is called Tantalizing Teals.  Both are lovely gradations of colors.  Island Batik has 9 color runs in the Gradation Collections.  Check them out here.

Three Stash Builder Bundles were included.  These are rolls of 4 strips that are 5" wide by width of fabric.  They come in a variety of colors and are a great way to increase the variety of colors in your fabric stash.  It's always fun to see what different fabrics are in each bundle.

Always very generous, Island Batik included 6 yards of a lovely gray foundation called Parchment and 4 yards of solid white, black and gray.  These basics are so handy to have on hand.

Another great bundle is half yard cuts from the Foundation Collections - 12 of them!  Many of these colors coordinate with the collections they sent.  I don't know who selects and cuts all these fabrics at Island Batik, but we all really appreciate their hard work!  Foundation fabrics are always available.

This box of goodies came at a good time- a week before we had subzero temps for several days.  How fun to stay inside and work with all of this!

Many, many thanks to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles ,Funky Friends Factory, Deb Tucker's Studio 180, and Oliso Irons for providing these products for the Island Batik Ambassador Program.