Blog Block #1 Bright Star

Quilt Blocks.  I have a whole collection of quilt block patterns that I've saved - thinking I'll use them someday.  Someday...when is that?  I've finally decided to make a sample of each block to try them out, and I'll be posting them for you to see.  Maybe you'll see one, or two or three, that you'll enjoy making too!

Here is the first block I made.  It's called Bright Star or Christmas Star.  I used 4 fabrics from the line Quilted in Honor by Island Batiks.

I thought I would make all of my blocks 6" x 6".  I may have to rethink that.  The pieces in this block are pretty small at this size.

Sneak Peek - Quilter's Newsletter Magazine

I thought I'd give you a sneak peek of a project that will be coming in a future Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.  I designed and made a table runner using these fabrics from Island Batik.  The fabric line is called Winter Wonderland and they are a lovely variety of blues.  Keep your eyes open for this project!

Island Batik Ambassador

The highlight of my year has been that I was accepted as an Ambassador for Island Batiks.  I'm very excited to work with these beautiful fabrics and promote them in different ways.  I will be bringing sneak peeks of new fabrics, new projects and published projects, so keep watching this site for the most recent posts.

This is a sneak peak at some of the new fabrics that will be coming out this fall with Island Batiks.  I get the privilege to start designing with them now!

Dreams of Winter Gold

This special edition magazine from Quilter's World is called Quilting for the Holidays/November 2014. I have a project in this called Dreams of Winter Gold.  It is a bed runner made with beautiful Silent Night fabrics from Island Batiks.

Here is a partial photo of the runner.  The fabrics have a lot of gold print in them.  I designed the project while watching the 2014 Winter Olympics.  That inspired the name of the quilt- Dreams of Winter Gold.

I also have a project called Stretched Nine Patch Place Mats in the magazine.

Quilt Storage

Do any of you have the same trouble I do - what to do with all your lovely quilts?  My husband and I had been looking around for some kind of cabinet or shelving unit to store some of my quilts.  We finally found this lovely curio cabinet at a consignment shop in our town.  We just love it.  It has has glass on the top, the front and both sides.  You can see the quilts from any side!

This unit holds about 13 quilts.  Now what to do with all the other quilts....

Tamarinis Blog Hop

Welcome to day 7 of the Tamarinis Blog Hop!  Tammy is excited about her new Craftsy class on Creating Quick Quilted Gifts. The blog hop started on July 7 with Island Batiks, and each day since has had a different blog posting projects of Tammy's using Island Batiks.

Today is my day!  Here are the beautiful fabrics that Island Batiks sent for my block.  

My assignment was to make a flower block from Tammy's pattern Mary's Contrary Garden.  My fabrics from Island Batik were fun to work with.  I loved the purple fabric with the yellow flower print and thought it would look nice in the center of the flower.  I made the flower with a darker center and went from dark to lighter fabrics. 

Tammy's flowers are trimmed to square blocks.  When I finished sewing my strips for the flower, I thought it could be an interesting hexagon block, so I trimmed my block this way.  Hexagons are really popular right now and this method would be an interesting and quick way to make them.

There are only a few more days in the blog hop, so be sure and visit the other sites and enter the Island Batik drawing for fabric and Tammy's drawing for a free class!

Here’s the lineup -

July 7 – Island Batik 
July 8 – Tammy Silvers
July 9 – Freemotion by the River
July 10 – Bejeweled Quilts
July 11 – Freemotion by the River 
July 12 – TeachPany
July 13 – Kauffman Designs- you are here
July 14 – One Quilting Circle
July 15 – Susan Vassallo Quilting Art

Tamarinis Blog Hop - Island Batik Fabris (Giveaway)

This is a special week.  Tammy Silvers has begun a class on Craftsy called "Quick Quilted Gifts".  She uses a lot of beautiful Island Batik fabrics in her projects and has joined with Island Batiks in this weeks Blog Hop.  Tammy asked several of the Island Batik Ambassadors to join her in this blog hop and showcase some of her designs.  Also, Island Batik is having a wonderful Giveaway of five one yard cuts of beautiful batiks!

Island Batik started the blog hop on Monday.  Everyday through  July 15 there is another blog site to check out.  Go to the Island Batik website:  www.islandbatik.com  and click on their blog site to enter for the fabric  drawing and see all the daily blog sites.  Tammy is also offering a chance for a free class at her site.  Check it out!

 My day to post is July 13.  Be sure to check back and see what I made with beautiful Island Batiks!