May Island Batik Ambassador Irish Chain Blog Hop

The May Island Batik Ambassador challenge is all about the Irish Chain pattern.  

Accuquilt Go! is one of the sponsors of the Ambassador program and this year they supplied the Ambassadors with their Irish Chain 10" finished block die (55649).  They also included the Go! cutting mat to go with it.

Cutting with the die makes the process quick and easy.  The die also comes with a pattern on the back to make a lovely scrappy Irish Chain Throw quilt.

Another part of the challenge this month was to use our Surprise fabric bundle of a new Winter 2024 Island Batik Collection.

My package contained the collection called Essence by Jerry Khiev.  These fabrics are a lovely blend of blue/teals and purple - some of my favorite colors!.

The traditional Irish Chain pattern only uses two colors.  I used 16 out of the collection to make a lovely scrappy Irish Chain throw quilt.  The four fabrics I decided not to use all have a little more of a lime green color and I decided to use the blue//teal and purples.

I used the Irish Batik foundation called Mint for the background which blended perfectly with the Essence collection.  The foundation fabric called Rice also blended nicely and I used it for the backing.

I went with the typical Irish Chain block and added a square in a square block that accentuates some of the fabrics.

Here is a computer image of the design layout.

Piecing was quick and easy.  I used Hobbs Cotton Batting and sewed with Schmetz needles to complete the quilt.

I was pressed for time to finish the quilt in time for the block hop, so my friend Ande Stephens machine quilted it for me.  I was so grateful!  She did a great all over pantograph, using a light blue thread to quilt it.

I wanted to take a photo outside with our blooming ornamental pear tree, but clouds and wind wouldn't allow it on the day I could take a photo, so my pictures are taken inside.

I made this quilt to suit the challenge requirements of a lap size or throw quilt. Usually I prefer to make smaller quilts, so I challenged myself to make a mini of this quilt using the same fabrics.

This is the same quilt only smaller.  It finished at 15 1/2" x 15 1/2".  I left off one row to make it square instead of rectangle.

Many thanks to Island Batik, Accuquilt Go!, Hobbs Batting, and Schmetz needles for supplying products to use in this challenge.

Be sure and check out the Island Batik blog each week of the Hop for their great giveaways!  The fabrics in the prize bundles are amazing!

I will be having a giveaway of 4 fat quarters (or close to fat quarters) of Island Batik fabrics.  The colors will be a surprise!  Leave a comment below to enter.  Make sure I can contact you if you enter.  USA entries only due to postage costs.  Prize will be awarded at the end of the Blog Hop

I hope you continue to enjoy the Irish Chain Blog Hop.  Below are a listing of all the Ambassadors so you can check out what they all made.  

Renee Atkinson @ Pink Tulip Quilting
Tina Dillard @ Quilting Affection Designs
Connie Kauffman @ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman @ Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney @ A Quiltery
Susan Deshensky @ Lady Blue Quilt Studio
Brittany Fisher @ Bobbin with Brittany
Carol Stanek @ Stitch with Color
Solomae Stoycoff @ Cuddle Cat Quiltworks
Jennifer Thomas @ Curlicue Creations
Gail Sheppard @ Quilting Gail

Preeti Harris @ Sew Preeti Quilts
Susan Michaels @ Dragonfly Fiberart
Connie Kresin Campbell@Free Motion by the River
Leah Malasky @ Quilted Delights
Lisa Pickering @ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher @ Pitcher’s Boutique LLC
Suzy Webster @ Webster Quilt
Mania Hatziioannidi @ Mania for Quilts
Kimberly Flannagan @ Kimberly’s Quilts
Kim Jamieson-Hirst @ Chatterbox Quilts
Brenda Alburl @ Songbird Designs

Drunkards Path Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

 

                                                                

                                                                   58"  x  58"

                                                    Quilt by Connie Kauffman

The April Challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is all about the Drunkards Path block.

The Drunkards Path block is one that has curved piecing.  I have the Accuquilt Go! 7" Drunkard's Path die, so I decided to use that in my design.   It may be hard to see where the cutting edges are on the die.  I went over the lines with black permanent marker.  The newer dies have the cutting edges nicely outlined in black to help in fabric placement.

In looking over the Island Batik fabrics I received in my first box, I decided to use the 10 stack of Forest Flora in the project. This collection is a lovely combination of oranges, greens and browns.  I used 17 of the 20 fabrics in the collection in the project.

I used the Island Batik Foundation fabric called Sage for the light background and Large Netting Pine Needles from the Blenders Foundation for the dark green backing. These foundations were sent with the 10" stack and were perfect to use with the Forest Flora fabrics.

Before cutting any fabrics, I decided on the layout of the design.  There are a lot of creative ways to use the block.  I decided on using the dark green background in the border and using the light green Sage as the background in the center blocks as shown below.  At first I wanted to make curved corners, but later changed that idea.  I also decided not to have the dark green in the four center blocks.  Some quilts just tell you what to do!

You may have noticed above that I did something different in some of the center curved blocks.  The Drunkards Path block has two curved pieces.

Since the 7" finished Accuquilt Go! die is rather large, I decided to take the outer section from some of the center blocks and piece it in three sections.  I love how this looks in the finished quilt.

The curved piecing was very easy with this large block.  I used Schmetz needles that sew thru batiks wonderfully and Hobbs Natural Cotton Batting which is a favorite.  Four Aurifil threads blended with the fabrics beautifully for the quilting.

This quilt still does not have a name.  Leave any name suggestions in the comments and I hope to pick a favorite from one of them!

Many thanks to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil Threads and Schmetz needles for donating products for this project thru the Island Batik Ambassador program.

Be sure and check out the other Ambassadors Drunkards Path Challenge projects below:

Renee Atkinson @ Pink Tulip Quilting
Tina Dillard @ Quilting Affection Designs
Connie Kauffman @ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman @ Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney @ A Quiltery
Susan Deshensky @ Lady Blue Quilt Studio
Brittany Fisher @ Bobbin with Brittany
Carol Stanek @ Stitch with Color
Solomae Stoycoff @ Cuddle Cat Quiltworks
Jennifer Thomas @ Curlicue Creations
Gail Sheppard @ Quilting Gail

Preeti Harris @ Sew Preeti Quilts
Susan Michaels @ Dragonfly Fiberart
Connie Kresin Campbell@Free Motion by the River
Leah Malasky @ Quilted Delights
Lisa Pickering @ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher @ Pitcher’s Boutique LLC
Suzy Webster @ Webster Quilt
Mania Hatziioannidi @ Mania for Quilts
Kimberly Flannagan @ Kimberly’s Quilts
Kim Jamieson-Hirst @ Chatterbox Quilts
Brenda Alburl @ Songbird Designs

It's All Up To You Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

 

Fab Farm   38" x 39"  by Connie Kauffman   Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman

The March challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is called It's All Up To You.

This challenge is always a favorite as we can do whatever project we want.  There are always patterns in the back of our minds, or patterns by other designers we are wanting to make.  This time I had a pattern by Elizabeth Hartman called Fab Farm that I was excited to work on.  This is a cute pattern with farm animals and some sunflowers, a bee and a strawberry.  Using Island Batik fabrics brought these to life.

Elizabeth's  patterns have simple piecing, but ALOT of cutting.  I cut each block and stacked each block on a  paper plate.  Once all the blocks were cut out, it was fun to sew a block at a time.

I used a variety of Island Batik fabrics from the Stash Builder rolls and scraps from previous Island Batik projects.  Gray solid Island Batik was used for the background.

These are the pieces to make the chicken.

Below you can see the bee and strawberry block sewn together.  The horse block is in process.  Isn't it cute already!

The eyes for the cow were a challenge.  Dark eyes didn't show up against the black.

All the blocks are done and ready to be put together.  I should say that I made the small quilt from the pattern.   Elizabeth's pattern also has a layout for a larger quilt which you can see on the cover of her pattern.

I quilted it in a diagonal cross hatch pattern.  Hobbs Cotton batting, Schmetz needles and Aurifil Thread made quilting a breeze.

Many thanks to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles and Aurifil thread for supplying products for this project thru the Island Batik Ambassador program.

Be sure and check out the other Island Batik Ambassadors March Challenge projects.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs

Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting

Tina Dillard – Quilting Affection Designs

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Kimberly Flannagan – Kimberlys Quilts

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts

Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights

Susan Michaels – Dragonfly Fibertart Pattern Company

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color

Solomae Stoycoff – Cuddle Cat Quiltworks

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations

Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt