A piece of...Blog Hop: The Fisherman's Tale
The Island Batik Blog Hop is happening this month and today is my stop!
"The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik"
Click here to visit Island Batik’s page!
Before I even start to talk about my quilt I want to FINALLY show my surprise bundle (yes the shinny package on my Island Batik Ambassador's box from January!) Sand Bar collection designed for Kari Nichols of Mountain Peek Creations by Kathy Brett Engle.
When I opened the package it was a "wow" moment. All my my favorite colors plus the under the sea motives and... the octopus! It's magical, isn't it?!
In 2015, I designed a collection of quilt patterns. The first to come to live was "Amsterdam View" part of The World of Beauty exhibition on the International Quilt Festival Houston 2016. The second one is on my quilting line, waiting to be loaded on the frame. And the third one was "The Fisherman's Tale".
This quilt pattern was eating my brain, asking to come out for years. But sometimes things are not so spontaneous, some patterns need the perfect moment, the perfect fabric, the time (to be honest the time is never enough)... So the quilt pattern was "on hold" like many others.
So when I opened the surprise package, I knew the stars were aligned... It was the perfect moment, it was the perfect fabric for my quilt pattern!
When I started to design the quilt, it reminded me of sailor's knots, "hatches" shapes, submarine windows (probably not the formal name for them), it was for me an under the sea quilt for sure. I was not sooo sure about all that curved piecing and to be honest how much of my piecing plan would be successful...
I started piecing from the center using Aurifil thread 50 wt color 2610, and adding blocks around the center. Can you guess who is the "big star" on the center?! You can follow the piecing progress throw the images below:
Before loading the frame I decided to highlight some of the designs with faux trapunto and Hobbs Heirloom® Premium 80/20 Cotton/Poly Blend Batting.
The image is from the back side of the block, with the extra layer of batting.
For the quilting, I used 2 layers of batting: Hobbs Tuscany 100% Wool on the top and Hobbs Heirloom Premium 80/20 Cotton/Poly Blend Batting on the bottom. Free motion quilting and ruler work with Aurifil 50wt colors 2908 and 2785, same for the bobbin. Now some quilting highlights!
A piece of... imagination! A Fisherman's tale with mermaids, turtles, giant octopus, adventure and fantasy direct from under the sea!
I can't get enough of this fabrics... And the most amazing news, the giveaway price for this week is a precut bundle of Sand Bar so Click here to enter the Island Batik Blog Hop giveaway!
Don't forget to check the amazing work of my Ambassadors fellows!
To celebrate my epic finish this time I also decided to make a giveaway (US ONLY). To enter is simple, just comment this post bellow for a chance to win a bundle with 8 fat-quarters of Seedlings collection and a coordinated spool of Aurifil 40wt color 6726 (exactly like the image on the side!).
The giveaway ends on Sunday, November 17th at 8pm (NY time). The winner will be announced here so stay tuned ;)
See you on Sunday and happy quilting ;)
And here we go! Sunday 17th, 8pm (NY time) my giveaway is closed. Thank you for all the lovely comments bellow and for join the fun!
The lucky winner of 8 fat-quarters of Seedlings collection plus the coordinate Aurifil 40wt color 6726 is: Kelly D!
Thanks again and see you in December ;)
