I have been waiting all year for this blog hop to get here. This month’s blog hop is called tool talk as the Island Batik Ambassadors will all be using different Studio 180 Design Rulers and different fabric collections from Island Batik. I love the Studio 180 Design rulers as they create a slightly oversized unit which allows you to obtain great results in making your quilt. Also, most of the Studio 180 Design rulers allow you to make approximately 8 different sized units with one ruler. How awesome is that? I know you are going to see some fantastic quilts with this month’s Island Batik blog hop. Since this month is a blog hop, you can check out the Island Batik blog and enter each week to win a fat quarter bundle of some of the fabrics that the Ambassadors are using in their projects. I will show the other fabric collections later in this blog along with a link to the giveaway from Island Batik and links to other ambassador’s blogs.
The September project was to make a quilt using an upcoming fabric line from Island Batik and a Studio 180 Design Ruler. I was so excited when the fabric I was given to use was Simply Southwest by Kathy Engle. Just look at this gorgeous collection of batik fabrics. The Simply Southwest collection may be found at your local quilt shop that carries Island Batik, such as Fabric Smart in St. Petersburg FL. You may find them online at www.fabric-smart.com or call them at 727-914-8850.
The quilt I made is called SW 60. It is a large lap quilt size 70″ x 66.” This stunning quilt has dark brown stars, highlighted in off-white, and surrounded by large hexagons in gorgeous Southwestern colors. Mr. James of the Raymond James Financial company loves to collect Southwestern art in the form of bronze statues. The art displays outside their headquarters were the perfect backdrop for a photo shoot. It’s always fun to find cool locations for the photo shoot.
This is one of those quilts that looks fantastic with the sun shining through it, and in these glorious fall colors, it is a very masculine quilt.
The batik bundle I was provided was the Simply Southwest collection by Kathy Engle. Beauregard loves this glorious selection of rust, brown, green and yellow batiks. These fabrics are so yummy.
I downloaded the images of the fabric collection into my Electric Quilt 8 software, which is the software I use to design quilts. Here is what the quilt looked like in the software. It’s amazing how much it looks like the real quilt don’t you think? I love how the colors in this collection invite your eyes to dance across the quilt.
When you work with a fabric collection, such as Simply Southwest from Island Batik, it makes it so easy to create a coordinated quilt. Everything just works well together.
The tool I was given to work with was the Studio 180 Design Star 60 ruler and with this tool, you can create units from 1″ all the way up to 9″. The size unit I was working with was 8″. It is so awesome that you can create so many different sized block units with one ruler. With the results I was able to obtain with this ruler, I would love to try making a 1″ mini version of this quilt. The ruler also comes with an awesome set of instructions, which are very easy to follow. There are directions, and diagrams, for both left and right handed people. This came in handy with me being a lefty. Deb Tucker, the designer of these rulers, has also created fantastic videos on YouTube that give that visual presentation for following the written instructions. Deb has also created many technique sheets, which allow you to get even more creative with this tool, as they allow you to create pieced sections within the block unit. I choose to make my diamonds, in the block units, a four patch and I used the Checkerboard 60 technique sheet instructions. There was a video you could watch for the Checkerboard 60 technique sheet as well. It is so easy to get really great results using this tool and following the instructions. I was a little intimidated in making this quilt at first, but with the Studio 180 Design Star 60 tool and following the instructions, it really was easy. The most complicated part for me was keeping all of the pieces organized as I was using so many different colors that had to be placed next to each other.
It is easy to cut out the number of side triangle shapes you need as you first cut strips and then use the ruler to cut out the triangles. There is very little waste. If you would like to see some videos of me with the quilt and how I use the Star 60 tool to cut out the various needed shapes, please go to my Tok Tok channel and YouTube channel, they are both called-Blue Bear Quilts. Here is a link to the YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Cl9nijmFcvI
After I had cut all of the side triangle pieces, it was time to start working on the checkerboard diamonds. They were created by sewing off-white and brown strips together and then sub cutting them into slanted rectangles. Then I sewed those slated rectangles into the pieced diamonds.
checkerboard diamond
The seams are pressed open. which will make for a flatter laying block, for which your long arm quilter will be thankful. Looks like I forgot to press one of the seams open in the picture below. Then, one end of the checkerboard diamond is trimmed so that the side triangles can be added to it.
There were so many color combinations and each block unit had a different set of side triangles. In order to be organized, I needed to lay the pieces out before sewing.
The right side triangle was added first and was pressed toward the checkerboard diamond.
The left side triangle was pressed toward the left side triangle. The pressing was done this way so that the seams would nest with each other when the units were sewn together. This method of pressing worked for the majority of the block units in this quilt.
In order to keep this quilt organized as I was making it, it was necessary to number the block units with a label.
I made a numbered chart so that I would know where all of the block units were positioned in the quilt. This was absolutely necessary since I was working with so many different colored fabrics. As I completed the units, I colored them in with colored pencils.
Finally, it was time to trim up the block units using the Star 60 tool. First the two sides were trimmed, as shown in the picture below, and then the ruler was repositioned to trim the bottom.
As you can see, there is very little waste when trimming up the units with this tool. If you are a quilter who does not like to waste fabric, then the Studio 180 Design rulers are for you.
Once the units were trimmed up, I sewed three of them together to form a larger triangle.
Next, I sewed the larger triangles together to form a larger diamond. Doesn’t the back look so nice and pressed flat? I was able to achieve this by following the pressing directions with the tool instructions.
Finally, the larger diamonds were sewn into rows and then the rows were sewn together. I pressed all of these seams open.
Since the quilt had a Southwestern theme, I wanted a Southwestern quilting design. The brown fabric has longhorn skulls on it as you can see in the picture below. So at Urban Elements, I found this quilting design called Roundup with a longhorn skull and stars on it. Isn’t it just perfect for this quilt?
I purchased the design and loaded it onto a thumbnail drive to bring to my long armer. My long armer for this quilt was Kim from Sunshine quilts. Didn’t she do a fantastic job with this design? Here is a link to her Facebook page if you would like to bring, or send, your quilts to her: Sunshine Quilts.
White 50 wt. Aurifil thread was my selection to piece the blocks. I used a 80/12 universal needle from Schmetz Needles. For the batting, I used Hobbs Heirloom Premium 80/20 batting.
The supplies I used to make this project were provided by:
Island Batik Simply Southwest for the top.
Aurifil 50 wt Thread
Hobbs Heirloom Premium 80/20
Schmetz 70/10 Quilting needle
Studio 180 Designs Star 60 Ruler
If you are on TikTok, be sure to check out the video I have posted of me with the quilt. (Look for Blue Bear Quilts)
Blue Bear hopes you like this quilt. Please let him know how much you love the this quilt by writing to him in the comments!
The other amazing Island Batik Ambassadors are also posting their September Blog Hop Tool Talk quilts. Check out their projects by clicking on the links next to their names to be directed to their blog posts.
WEEK 1
September 6
Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads
Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde Gifts
September 7
Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations
September 8
Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter
September 9
Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway
WEEK 2
September 12
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
September 13
Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese
Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
September 14
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs
September 15
Megan Best, Bestquilter
Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
September 16
Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway
WEEK 3
September 19
Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio
Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting
September 20
Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts
September 21
Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights
Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia
September 22
Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts
Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts
September 23
Blog Hop Week 3 Round Up + giveaway
WEEK 4
September 26
Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts
September 27
Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum
Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky
September 28
End of Blog Hop + Final Round Up
The giveaway of the Blog Hop started on Friday, June 3rd. Each week two lucky winners will each get one Fat Quarter bundle of a complete Island Batik collection. This week, it is Paisley Got Mod by Kate Colleran Designs or Silverado Canyon by Kathy Engle! To enter for your chance to win one of the two prizes above, follow the simple Rafflecopter prompts below.
This giveaway ends on September, 23rd at 11:59 pm PDT. Two random winners will be notified by email on September, 24th and announced on our Facebook page on September, 27th. If the winners do not respond within the first two days after being notified, two new random winners will be chosen. Please, check your spam folders!
Make sure to follow Island Batik on social media to hop along with the Tool Talk Blog Hop. Be sure to check out the Island Batik Blog.
#islandbatikambassador #islandbatik #iloveislandbatik #hobbsbatting #aurifil #aurifilthread #schmetzneedles #doyoueq #Janome #studio180design #tooltalkbloghop #Star60
Great pictures showing the process of making your quilt.
Thank you. I’m so glad you like it.
Gorgeous, it reminds me of a middle eastern mosaic design. Love your photos too.
Thanks Denise! Glad you like it. It does have a middle eastern as well as southwestern feel to it.
This is a wonderful quilt. I wouldn’t normally pick these colors but your quilt is just outstanding. I truly appreciate the tutorial and I bookmarked it for future reference. Thank you.
Hi Christi, Thank you. I am so glad that you liked it.
Oh my, Reed! This is a gorgeous quilt!! I love the southwest theme! Thanks so much for sharing how you used this tool as I just purchased it!! I’ve seen so many great Studio 180 tools that I don’t own, YET!! LOL This collection reminds me of fall, which it kind of almost feels like today in Alabama! Have a great weekend!
Thanks Brenda, I too am becoming a big fan of the Studio 180 tools. These colors do look very fall. I wish it felt like fall in Florida.