The Island Batik Ambassadors are getting creative this month. This month’s challenge is called It’s All Up to You and the Island Batik Ambassadors are free to make whatever project they want using fabrics from Island Batik. I can’t wait to see what the other ambassadors come up with and I know you are going to see some awesome projects this month. Links to the other Ambassador’s blogs may be found at the bottom of this post.
Since I could come up with any project I wanted for March, I decided to design a 2-1/2″ strip quilt pattern using a strip pack from Island Batik. I love teals and the fabric I chose to use is Tantalizing Teal. Just look at this gorgeous collection of blue and green teal batik fabrics. The Tantalizing Teal 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. Another online option for you to shop for this fabric would be Hancocks of Paducah: Hancocks of Paducah
Here is a closeup of the Tantalizing Teal collection.
The quilt I made, Teal Appeal, is a large lap sized quilt- 52″ x 52.” This gorgeous quilt has shades of teal blues and greens and is highlighted with black. This quilt was easy and fun to make. This quilt will be offered as a pattern later this year, after my pattern testers have finished testing it. If you think you would like to be a Blue Bear Quilts pattern tester, please send me an email asking me for information about the group.
I used my Electric Quilt 8 software to design this quilt. The first photo is a version I thought of doing, which is in the genre of a Row By Row Quilt and it really showed all of the different looks you could create from this block. The block is in the second photo. The block looks complicated, but it really is not. It’s just teal and black 2-1/2″ strips cut into segments. Then you would use either the Creative Grids Folded Corner Clipper Tool, or the stitch and flip method, to create the half square triangles at the end of teal rectangles. The next six photos are alternate versions of the quilt. They can be made using the same blocks by rotating their orientation. They all had a good shot at being the quilt I would make, but I chose the one I did as I liked the secondary patterns that were created in the quilt. It had a more modern look. Quilt alternate #6 had a very good shot as a more traditional looking quilt. You would be able to make this one by rotating the blocks differently than they are in the pattern. Quilt alternate #4 has some white substituted for black. Quilt Alternate #1 has sashing and corner stones to separate the blocks. You may notice that the actual finished quilt looks slightly different that the computer image. This is because you may layout the quilt blocks in any order that is pleasing to you.
Here is the finished Teal Appeal quilt. The next photo is the teal quilting on the black backing fabric. The black backing fabric really shows off the quilting. The quilting was done by Diane from Quilting in the Harbor. If you would like to send your quilt to her to be quilted, you will find details about her long-arm business on Facebook.
This blog post is more about the design process of creating the quilt than it is about the actual making of the quilt. The pattern that is coming out later this year will give specific instructions for how to make the quilt. I also made a YouTube video where I show how I made this quilt.
Here is a link to the YouTube video if you would like to watch it and see more details of how I made the quilt: Making the Teal Appeal Quilt
If you like the video, please be sure to like it, share it with your friends and subscribe so you don’t miss any upcoming videos.
The supplies I used to make this project were provided by:
Island Batik Tantalizing Teal collection.
Aurifil 50 wt Thread
Schmetz 70/10 Quilting needle
Hobbs Batting Hobbs Heirloom® Premium 80/20 Black Cotton Blend Batting
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)
Also, please follow me on Instagram (Blue Bear Quilts) as that is where I occasionally have giveaways.
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 March projects. Check out their projects by clicking on the links next to their names to be directed to their blog posts.
Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
Sarah Pitcher, Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia
Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
Elita Sharpe, Busy Needle Quilting
Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts Thanks for stopping by!
Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting
Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese
Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum
Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels
Susan Deshensky, Lady Blue Quilts
Randi Jones, Randi’s Roost
Brittany Fisher, Bobbin with Brittany
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Victoria Johnson, Forever Quilting for You
Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts
Lana Russel, Lana Quilts
Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts
Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations
Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs
#islandbatikambassador #islandbatik #iloveislandbatik #hobbsbatting #aurifil #aurifilthread #schmetzneedles #doyoueq #Janome #electricquilt #eq8 #creativegrids #HancocksofPaducah #fabricsmart
