2024 Island Batik Ambassador Recap

Well my third year as an Island Batik Ambassador (IBA) has come to a conclusion.  It has been a great year. I have loved the different projects I have done with Island Batik fabric.  Here is a recap of 2024 IBA!

January – first unboxing video of the year!  So much great fabric, thread and batting.  This year we had a new sponsor Oliso Irons.  We received one of their Irons, and they are so nice to work with.  I was happy to get started using it.

February  – was our first Blog hop of the year.  We were challenged to create a log cabin quilt with the new Island Batik fabric line. The line I received was by Studio 180 Designs, called Squiggles, Dots & Lines.  The design I decided to make was from Missouri Star Quilt Company, called “Cozy Cabin.” This design includes both the traditional Log Cabin block and a house block. It is surrounded by log cabin rows.    I quilted with a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Abby’s Joyful Hearts.

March – was “All up to You”. We got to pick the projects that we wanted to make with our Island Batik fabric.  I actually ended up doing two quilts for the month.

• First Quilt was “Let it Snow” – with the fabric line Let it Snow!  A winter 2022 Precut, and coordinating fabric.  In Texas we don’t get a lot of Snow.  I used the pattern for Coin Quilt to make the quilt.   I quilted using a design from from Quilting Pantographs, called Silly Stipple.

• Second Quilt was made with some leftover fabric. I had it from another project, Winter 2021 Collection. The collection is called “Savannah” by Tammy Silvers by Tamarinis.  I used a ruler that I had purchased from Missouri Star Quilt company, Half-Hexi.  The Half-Hexi ruler gives it the look of full-sized Hexi’s when they are matched with the same fabric.  I love the look.  To quilt I used a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Coral Meander.  I used some left-over Hexi’s to make the back.

Here is the Front of the finished quilt

Here is the Back of the Finished Quilt.

April – was a partnership with Funky Friends soft toys.  I made the “Silly Scrap Snake“.  I used some pieces from the Stash Builder sets of 5” x WOF (width of fabric) strips. I created the “toy” snake for my new puppy.

Here is my puppy Blondie playing with her new squeaky toy.

May – The challenge was to create a Paper-Pieced Quilt, using the “Surprise” fabric line we received.  The fabric I received was called “Oasis” by Kathy Engle for Megan Best of BestQuilter.    I decided to make a Summer “Oasis” Quilt.   You need a good iron for Paper Piecing. You will be doing a lot of ironing as you go. This was a great project for the year, as we received the new Oliso Irons. 

I decided to create a back for the quilt as well using large square pieces of all 20 fabrics.  I finished the quilt using a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Summer Flowers. 

Front of Quilt

Back of Quilt

May Part 2 – Jennifer of Inquiring Quilter asked me to participate in her Reflection Blog Hop. It is for her new fabric line, Reflections Signature Collection by Kathy Engle, for Jennifer Fulton of Inquiring Quilter! Of course I wanted to participate! I created a layout to showcase the fabric line. I quilted using a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Garden Flowers.

(Yes, two strips got put in the wrong spot, but I still love how the fabric looks).

June – Tool Time – Creating ‘Quilts Across America’ with Island Batik and Studio 180 Designs.  We received a ruler from Studio 180 designs to create a charity quilt.  I received the “Tucker Trimmer I, and I love this ruler and have used it for multiple quilts since June.  I prefer using the Stash Builder sets. They consist of 5″ strips of fabric. These come in a group of 4 strips, packaged in 5 rolls.  I quilted using a design from  Quilting Pantographs, called Square Halls.

July – Second Unboxing Video full of goodies. These goodies are from Island Batik and their industry partners, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting, and By Annie. Check out my video to see all the goodies!

July part 2 – We didn’t have any IBA challenges for July. After the unboxing video, I was working on another quilt.  I loved working with my Tucker Trimmer I, so I decided to make another quilt with the ruler.  I quilted using a design from  Quilting Pantographs , called Summer Flowers.    This quilt used some Black Hobbs Batting.

July Part 3 – Mini-Rhombus Quilt, Using Island Batik Fabrics and Missouri Star Quilt Co. Templates. I decided to make another quilt for my husband. I used some fabric that I had received a couple of years ago. These were 2 1/2″ strips of Copperfield, by Claudia Pfeil Designs. I used a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Flame Leaves.  

August – Mini Quilt Challenge.  We were to make a quilt that is between 12″ x 24″ and 24″ x 24″. 

I loved the quilt that I made in July and decided to make the quilt as a mini quilt.  I used the small fabric and same layout.  I did change the pieces a little bit. I used not only the Tucker Trimmer I but also the Winged Clipper I (Received previous year).    I made this quilt to hang-up in my Sewing Studio. I used a design from Quilting Pantographs called “Sewing Needle and Thread” to finish the quilt.  I used left-over black batting from the July project as well.   It finished at 21″ x 24″.

September Part 1 – Adventurous Applique by Aurifil Thread! This month’s Island Batik challenge was a little different than I normally quilt. We were to try Raw Edge Applique. I used a 1/2-yard bundle of Flower Pot. It is a Signature collection by Kathy Engle for Jennifer Fulton of Inquiring Quilter. The quilt was quilted with a design I got from Quilting Pantographs, called Poppy Mia. 

Quilt Front

Quilt Back

September – Part 2 – Jennifer Fulton of Inquiring Quilter asked if I would be interested in her Blog Hop. She wanted to promote her new line of Fabric, Flower Pot. After working with the fabric, I was excited to participate in the Blog Hop, and Instagram Hop.

I wanted to do something different than the other quilt. I tried to still highlight the flowers of the fabric. I decided on a pieced flower block. The fabric reminds me of summer and all the pretty flowers. Was quilted with a design I got from Quilting Pantographs, called Daisy Bell.

October – What’s in your bag!

This month we were allowed to choose any Bags by Annie pattern that had a video. This is my third Bags by Annie challenge. I actually picked one of the easiest bags I had done so far. I picked “Pocket Packers“. I used these when I went to the Houston Quilt Festival at the end of October. The fabric was quilted with a design I got from Quilting Pantographs.

November – Dresden Blog-hop

Our Island Batik Challenge for November 2024 was to create a Dresden lap-sized or larger quilt. We used our assigned Summer 2024 fabric collection.   This was the “Surprise” package that we received in our July Unboxing Video. The fabric line that I received was Butterfly Haven. It is a signature collection by Jerry Khiev for Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations. It was quilting using a design from Quilting Pantographs  called “Butterfly Leaves“.

December – Part 1 – Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations, invited me to participate in her Blog Hop. The event was a Blog Hop featuring the Butterfly Haven fabric line.  Butterfly Haven is a signature collection by Jerry Khiev for Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations.  I had already worked with this stunning collection for my Island Batik November Dresden Blog Hop. I was excited to join in another event showcasing this beautiful fabric. It was quilting using a design from Quilting Pantographs, called Butterfly Rose Flip. 

December Part 2 – Our final challenge for 2024 is again our choice. I love this type of challenge. I get to do something I have been wanting to do. Or, I have fabric and want to figure out what to create with it. I decided to use the Hobbs Fusible Batting Strips and make a Jelly Roll Rug! I used Island Batik Contempo, by Kathy Engle for Kate Colleran Designs LLC as part of the Fall/Winter 2021 Collections. I used Aurifl thread 4670, a variegated gray thread.

The rug was “dog approved”. Roxie makes it look small, but it is 31″ x 41″. She was sitting upright at the angle I took the picture.

This has been a great year! I want to thank Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil Thread, Oliso Iron, Schmetz Needles, Bags by Annie, and Funky Friends. Without you all these fun projects would not have been possible. I want to thank Natasha Khiev & Elizabeth Lynn Phillips for all their help as well.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Make sure to check out the other Island Batik Ambassador’s for more fun projects and quilts!

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Megan Best ~ BestQuilter
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts Studio

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany
Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting
Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Julia Schweri ~ Inflorescence Designs
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

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