Top It Off - Island Batik October Challenge - Bats on the Run

I've been sewing up a festive Halloween storm this month.  Almost every project I've worked on in October  has involved Halloween themed colors or prints, this next one is no exception!

For the October Island Batik Ambassador challenge we were asked to make a festive table topper or runner.   As an Island Batik Ambassadors, I was provided with fabric to create these challenges. Since we are in October, I opted for a Halloween project.

Part of this challenge was to incorporate applique.  I wasn't quite sure what spooky addition I was going add to my runner until I went to pick up my older Bernina from the quilt doctor and they had Accuquilt dies on sale.  I could not resist bringing home the Cat and Bat die.

I put some wonder under on the back of my Island Batik Fabric and ran it through the machine.  The bats came out perfect and ready to iron on.

This runner has 36 Quarter Square Triangles.  I used the two at a time method and started out with 3.5 inch squares and trimmed down to get a 2.5 inch quarter square triangle.

The purple fabric comes from the Island Batik Foundations Basics collection. 

It is called, Purple.  Perfect name.

For my corner stones I used 12 economy blocks, aka square in a square.

I paper pieced these because my triangles always get wonky on these and one corner always ends up too small.  With paper piecing I get perfect points and can trim down to a perfect 2.5 unfinished block. These Island Batik fabrics came from the Stash Builder Rolls I got in my first box in January.

These stash builders 5 inch strips x WOF and are perfect for scrappy quilts and small projects like this.  I recommend picking one up if you ever see them in your local quilt shop.  They are my "go to" when I am looking for a specific color for a project.

 Table runners are a great way to use the extra wide batting strips you have left over from previous quilt projects. I had the perfect size of leftover Heirloom Hobbs 80/20 with scrim for this project.   

I love this batting! It lays flat yet still has a nice fluff to it.

This bat filled runner got quilted with Orange and gray 50wt Aurfil thread.
I even used the gray on the black fabric.

I like how the grey thread gives more detail to the bats and quarter square triangle blocks.
Almost like a spider web shine.

If really you like this runner and really want to make one for your self, I created a pattern to help you out. The pattern is free so go ahead and test it out for me. I have stared at it a lot trying to catch any errors, but if some slipped by let me know and I can fix it right up.  

You can get the pattern by clicking Here:

If you are not into bats, you can change the colors and applique design for any holiday. You can even use Novelty fabric for the center squares if you are not a fan of applique.

This is the set up in town on Main Street.  It is pretty cool and a great spot to take pictures of Halloween Quilts, even if one of the witches is having trouble with her hat.


This is also my first finish for the 4th Quarter Finish-A-Long!
Wahoo!!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Witchy Stitchy Blog Hop

Welcome to the opening day of the Witchy Stitchy Blog Hop hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt.
I am happy to help start the week!

For this hop I focused on making small fabric decorative items.  One was done in less than an hour and the last one I split up in three days.

First up I have some small treat totes to show off.  I have made these before and even for a previous Halloween hop years ago, but I love them and had new ones to show off, so here they are again.  They are super quick to sew up. Once you make one, you can knock out the other three in less than an hour. 

All four together only takes two fat quarters and some ribbon. They are fun to fill with treats and hand out to the special little monsters in your life.  The pattern is a free pattern from All People Quilt.

Another quick Halloween stitch project is this striped pumpkin.   It uses batting scraps and is made somewhat similar to the Jelly Roll Rugs.  The pattern is Festive Pumpkins by Aunties Two.  They also have bags patterns using this similar technique that I am itching to try.  I have a nice roll of leftover batting I cut into 2.5 strips waiting to be used.  This one took me about 2 hours to put together.  Now that I did the first one, when I make more they should come together a little quicker.

Last but definitely not least is Patch the Kitty from Funky Friends Factory by Pauline.  He is a patchwork of Halloween spookiness!  He did take several hours, but is doable in one day if you have good chunk of sewing time.  I split him up into three days. I worked on him about an hour before going to work two days in a row, then finished him up Saturday morning when I had a good few hours in the sewing room.

I love him and the Funky Friends patterns!  Not only are Pauline's instructions wonderful, there is also a link in the pattern that takes you to a page with picture instructions that follow along with her written instructions.  That link was so helpful for me. 

Check out her Website to see all the Friends in the line up.  You can buy and download the patterns on her website or throw one in your cart next time you are shopping at Missouri Star.

And make sure to check out all the other Stitchy Witchy Blog Hoppers today and the rest of the week.

October 7
Creatin' in the Sticks
Songbird Designs
For The Love Of Geese
Quilted Delights  (Me)
Kathleen McMusing
Quilts By Joanne
Whims And Fancies
Janie G. – Hosted at Just Let Me Quilt
 

October 8
Selina Quilts
Vroomans Quilts
Days Filled With Joy
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Life in the Scrapatch
Just Because Quilts
Brenda's Quilt Blog
 

October 9
Home Sewn By Us
Kathleen - Hosted at Just Let Me Quilt
Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales
Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting
WebsterquiltSeams To Be Sew
Sew Many Yarns

October 10
Beaquilter
Homespun Hannah's Blog
MooseStashQuilting
Cynthia's Creating Ark
It’s A T-Sweet Day!
Count it *all* JOY!
Bethni L. – Hosted at Just Let Me Quilt
 
October 11
Just Let Me Quilt
Quilt Fabrication
Melva Loves Scraps
Patchouli Moon Studio
Ms P Designs USA
Karrin’s Crazy World
Patchwork Breeze
Words & Stitches

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Child's Play - Island Batik September Challenge

The September challenge for Island Batik Ambassadors was to make a child's quilt using one of the dies sent to us by AccuQuilt.

AccuQuilt has dies that cut a whole quilt block on one die, they are called Block on Board dies or BOB for short.  I was given the Crossed Canoe die to play with.

This 10 in stack of Kaleidoscope fabric came in my ambassador July box from Island Batik and it is the perfect fabric line for a bright cheery kid quilt.

I cut a 6 inch square out of each 10 inch square and ran it through the AccuQuilt go cutter.

I also used some of the Sprinkles neutral fabric that came in my July box for the other half of the canoes. It looks white, but there are some grayish dots all over it it.  It is part of their Batik Foundations Neutrals. 

Not only did these pieces cut out super fast, they sewed up super fast.  The notched edges saved me a lot of time by not having to trim off any dog ears.  The notches also helped each piece line up nicely.

I love all the colors in this line.  I particularity love the orange and blues.

A pile of half canoes sewn together.

I used the leftovers from the 10 inch squares to make a piano key boarder.

Hobbs seams to be my go to batting lately, even for non ambassador projects.  I really love their cotton batting with Scrim Binder. Its so soft, yet a wee but fluffy.  The quilts feel so nice quilted up.

The batting was also provided in my July box.  It was for a queen size, but I cut it in half and will use the other half for another small quilt.  I even sew together smaller pieces from time to time to get a whole piece.  No need to waste good batting!

This was a fun color pallet to work with.  It makes the inner kid in me happy when I look at.

Make sure to visit some of the other ambassadors and see what die they got to play with for their September creations.

Carolina Asmussen ~Carolina Asmussen

Gene Black ~ Gene Black

Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts

Connie K Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Anja Clyke ~ Anja Quilts

Tina Dillard ~ Quilting Affection Designs

Becca Fenstermaker ~Pretty Piney

Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Barbara Gaddy ~ Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Dione Gardner-Stephen ~ Clever Chameleon

Sarah Goer ~ Sarah Goer Quilts

Vasudha Govindan ~ Storied Quilts

Lori Haase ~ Dakota City Quilter II

Joanne Hart ~ Unicornharts

Mania (Magdalini) Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for Quilts

Carla Henton ~ Creatin’ in the Sticks

Stephanie Jacobson ~ Steph Jacobson Designs

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Joan Kawano ~ Moosestash Quilting

Kim Lapacek ~ Persimon Dreams

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Leanne Parsons ~ Devoted Quilter

Bea Lee ~ BeaQuilter

Toby Lischko ~ Gateway Quilts & Stuff

Bill Locke ~ Studio Bill Locke

Denise Looney ~ For the Love of Geese

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights  (me)

Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke

Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack’s Blog

Kathleen McCormick ~ Kathleen McMusing

Carol Moellers ~ Carol Moellers Designs

Karen Neary ~ Sew Karen-ly Created

Lisa Nielsen ~ Lisa Lisa and the Quilt Jam

Jackie O’Brien ~ If These Threads Could Talk

Laura Piland ~ Slice of Pi Quilts

Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde

Vicki Schlimmer ~ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Sherry Shish ~ Powered by Quilting

Anita Skjellanger ~ Quilt in a not-Shell

Laticia “Tish” Stemple ~ Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland

Jennifer Strauser ~ Dizzy Quilter

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations

Terri Vanden Bosch ~ Lizard Creek Quilts

Alison Vermilya ~ Little Bunny Quilts

Sandra Walker ~ mmm! quilts

Suzy Webster ~ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

(Debora) Anne Wiens ~ Seams like a Plan

Geraldine Wilkins ~ Living Water Quilter

Janet Yamamoto ~ Whispers of Yore

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Pink Bricks - 2nd Finish for Q3 FAL

My second finish for Q3 of the 2019 Finish-A-Long.  Wow, I can't believe it! Two finishes already this quarter.  I have already doubled last quarter finishes.  Haha!

I think it helped my sew-jo by putting small, almost completed projects on the list.  This one had been a top waiting for quilting.  It is about 34 x 40 inches. Once I got it on the machine, it only took about 35 minute to quilt using this all over quilt design.  

I started this one sometime in 2018.  I think in the spring.  

This is one of the few that I don't have an actual start date for but I do remember having a lot of pink "bricks" cut out so I whipped this little top together to have a gift ready to go in case a baby girl ever comes around.

Now it is finished and ready for gifting.

You can check out my full Q3 list here.

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