EQ's Birthday!

This year Electric Quilt turns 25!  They are having a great contest along with Island Batik this month.  Island Batik is giving away a copy of EQ7 - a $190 value.  You can enter by going to their website/blog or by clicking here:  Island Batik blog

Electric Quilt is giving away a 10 yard bundle of Island Batik fabric.  It's just beautiful!  You can enter by clicking here: Electric Quilt Blog

Be sure to enter!

2016 Quilt Garden Quilts

With summer comes the lovely Quilt Gardens in Northern Indiana.  I've been privileged to make a quilt representing the Nappanee Welcome Center's quilt garden for several years.  Because this is Indiana's Bicentennial - all the quilt gardens on the tour ( 19 gardens and many quilt murals) selected traditional quilt blocks for the gardens.  The Nappanee Welcome Center selected the Whirligig pattern.

Here is a photo of the garden in full bloom - it's really lovely.

photo courtesy of the Nappanee Welcome Center facebook

And here is a photo of the quilt.  I always add a border around the central garden quilt block design.
This year Ande Stephens quilted the quilt.  You can't see the quilting, but in the borders she added a torch from the Indiana flag, the Indiana State Bird- Cardinals, Indiana's State flower- the Peony and the dates of the bicentennial.  Just beautiful quilting!

The quilt is available for view in the Nappanee Welcome Center located behind the garden.  As an added bonus this year- all the quilts from past gardens are also on display.                                      

I've also  made a quilt for Lintons Enchanted Garden for the past three years.  This quilt is made using some of the current Vera Bradley fabrics and the quilt is offered as a raffle with the money going towards breast cancer research.  This year  Linton's garden block design was the traditional Card Trick pattern.  Here is a photo of their lovely garden.

photo courtesy of the Nappanee Welcome Center facebook

This is a photo of my quilt called Playing With a Full Deck.  I named it this in case anyone counted how many "cards" are on the quilt.  If they counted - it may not add up correctly - until you look on the back where I added enough cards to make a full deck!

If you are interested in touring the quilt gardens, you can find more information at:  http://www.amishcountry.org/explore-the-area/quilt-gardens
The gardens are a lovely way to spend a day or two and enjoy the added attractions in Northern Indiana

Modern Quilt Challenge with Island Batik

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors are all challenged to make a "Modern" quilt using some of the new Island Batik fabrics.  "Modern" quilts are not what I usually make, so I had to think a little about what I wanted to create for this challenge.

What is a Modern quilt?  Usually there is a lot of solid background- which is great for a variety of quilting, although generally the quilting is not elaborate.  Lots of bold colors, straight lines and simplistic piecing.  These are all generalized thoughts and like all mediums- there are a wide range of variations.  This is what I conceptualize when I think of "modern".

I decided to use my collection of Sea Salt Sandy by Kathy Engle. These are lovely bold colors with relatively small print which was great as I once again decided to make a small project.

Here is a close up of some of the fabrics.

This time I searched for a quilt I had seen on Pinterest that I liked and that I felt fit the challenge. I found the quilt photo, but couldn't locate the designer or any further information on the design.  I made a mini variation of the quilt.  This quilt measures 13" x 15 1/2"  and the block size is 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".  This is a two block pattern that I made with paper piecing.  I used a white on white cotton for the background to make the colors really pop.

I used all the colors in the Sea Salt Collection.  I still haven't decided on a name for the quilt- feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions for a name!

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves

Photo by Mellisa Karlin Mahoney
Courtesy of Quilter's Newsletter 

This is my quilt Falling Leaves.  It has just been published in the June/July issue of Quilter's Newsletter.  

The fabrics are Island Batik fabrics from the Green Acres collection and  Neutrals.  These colors are very deep rich shades and wonderful to work with. 

This quilt was fun to make, but it is a bit challenging with things like fusible applique, partial seams, diagonal settings, etc.

Quilter's Newsletter has made kits available - if you are interested you can shop online at:  quiltandsewshop.com

Playing with leftovers

I'm sure a lot of you have had piles of leftover scraps after making a quilt project.  It seems like I always do.  The little individual pieces I usually add to my scrap drawers, but this time I was left with a lot of 1" strips of the same fabric line (French Roasted by Island Batik).  They were from a couple projects that will be in a future book by Annies (yet to be released).  Anyway- these strips were so lovely and so small- what to do with them?  I didn't want to just put them away with my scraps.

I wish I had taken a picture off all the strips before I worked with them, but I just jumped right in and forgot all about photos.  I decided to sew the strips together into various rows of four.  Then I cut those into 1" strips and sewed them into squares  of 4 rows.  So each block has 16 squares.

I had enough other fabric to add the squares and border strips.
Here is the little runner.

You can't tell from the photo, but the pieced squares measure 2" x 2" (1/2" squares inside).  The whole runner is 26" x 11".

Play with your scraps - you can make a whole new project!

Playful Paper Piecing

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors are all working on Paper Piecing projects.  I happen to love paper piecing and have several books out with paper piecing patterns.  The theme for the Island Batik projects was Playful Paper Piecing.  I thought about the word Playful, and decided to go with a pattern from my book 24 Kids Quilt Blocks (available at: e pattern central

I decided to make the block design for flip flops.  Doesn't that sound like summer fun!

I used three fabrics from the Island Batik Lavish collection.  They are so colorful and fun to work with.

Here are my flip flops made into a cute little hot pad.

The flowers are silk flowers attached with a single button.  It gives a cute 3-D effect.

Paper piecing is really fun - give it a try!

April Showers

My husband and I spent a few days last week hiking in some of the Indiana State Parks.  I love to see the spring wild flowers.  Above is Toadshade Trillium.

Here is a miniature Dutchman's Breeches.  We saw Trout Lily, Spring Beauties, May Apples,and many more.  April showers do bring April and May flowers!

The Island Batik Ambassadors are creating projects this month with the theme of April Showers.


 I wondered what to make as I've been busy with a couple projects that are due next month (you'll see them soon!), and didn't have much time for another project.

I wanted to make something with a flower theme.  Instead of creating something new, I thought about some of my past projects that had flowers.  I decided to take a block from the quilt Garden Stars that was published in the book Amazingly Simple Star Quilts by House of White Birches (now Annie's).

I used the fabrics London Fog that you can find in the store now.  It's a lovely group of soft purples, blues and greens.


Here is my one block quilt- a hot pad! I did reduce the size of the block from 10" to 8".  I used one layer of Insul-Bright batting from The Warm Company and one piece of cotton batting.

 It's a great idea to make hot pads when you want to try out a block, or if there is a block you love all by itself.  They are also great to have on hand for gifts!