Island Batik Ambassador Program 2025 Box 1 Reveal!

Hello Everyone

Happy January! A bit blustery and cold here in lovely New Hampshire. A good day to sew. And I have some fabulous new fabric to sew with thanks to the #islandbatikambassador program. I did a video and posted it on Facebook on the Dragonfly Fiberart Pattern Company page which was super scary for me. I do live stuff but recording and editing is another thing entirely.  In any event, thought I would share closeups, especially for those not on FB.

So a very fun item in my box was a new M3Pro iron with silicone pad, I was just looking at these as a bunch of the ladies in one of my guilds just ordered them. These are the little ones that sit by your machine and they also sent a nice travel bag,

The fabric was lovely! Had these cute little Stash Builder rolls. It is 5” wide strips of multiple colors rolled up together. 2.8 Yards in those little packages. These will be giveaways on the blog during the next few months so stay tuned!

Also received these great Stackers! (10” squares) Neutrals and Sunlit Garden. There was also coordinating fabrics with the Sunset Garden Bundle.

The fabric bundle below as all ½ yard cuts and you will be seeing a fun sew-along project in May using these fabrics as well as some coordinating pieces. I can’t wait! My project is all designed, now just to get it made.   The collection is Petal Poetry and it will be in quilt shops in February 2025. 

And the fabric just kept coming out of that box! Look at these awesome fat quarter bundles!

This one is Daisy May. How cute is that?

This one is called Flower Pot. 

Beautiful Aurifil Threads! My perfect piecing thread.

A bag of goodies complements of Schmetz Needles had the needle guide book, 3 packs of needles and a luggage tag also with the needle coding chart.  Perfect way to identify those mystery needles not in their package.

Also a huge piece of neutral foundation as well as these great basics in black, white and gray. Perfect backgrounds!

This great bundle of ½ yard cuts from the Island Batik foundations line. Perfect blenders for the other fabrics in the box.

And last but not least, this great 2 ½” strip pack called Tantalizing Teal. I am tempted to keep it as it is in my favorite colors but it will be a giveaway on the blog in the coming months.

Whew! That was quite the box! My head is spinning with all the projects I can do with them. I know, already had a lot of projects in the works, but what’s a few more LOL! Thanks for sharing my box and we’ll see you next week.

Happy New Year

Sue

Follow on Social Media

#islandbatik #islandbatikambassador #iloveislandbatik @Aurifil @SCHMETZneedles @Oliso;

Be sure to checkout these other Island Batik 2025 Ambassdor Blogs: 

Brenda Alburl- https://songbirddesigns.blog

Renee Atkinson- https://wordpress.com/posts/pinktulipquilting.studio

Susan Deshensky- www.ladybluequilts.com/blog

Tina Dillard- https://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/

Brittany Fisher- Www.bobbinwithbrittany.com

Kimberly Flannagan- 

Preeti Harris- https://sewpreetiquilts.blogspot.com

Mania Hatziioannidi- www.maniaforquilts.com

Kim Jamieson-Hirst- https://www.chatterboxquilts.com/blog

Connie Kauffman- Kauffmandesigns.blogspot.com

Connie Kresin Campbell- https://conniekresin.com/

Emily Leachman- https://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/

Denise Looney- https://quiltery.com

Leah Malasky- www.quilteddelights.com

Susan Michaels-https://dragonflyfiberart.blogspot.com/

Lisa Pickering- https://lisasquiltingpassion.blog/

Sarah Pitcher- www.pitchersboutique.com/blog-1

Gail Sheppard- https://quiltinggail.com/

Carol Stanek- stitchwithcolor.blogspot.com

Solomae Stoycoff- https://cuddlecatquiltworks.com/blogs/island-batik-ambassador-blog

Jennifer Thomas- https://curlicuecreations.com

Suzy Webster- www.websterquilt.com

Sending All My Love Table Runner

 

Download The PDF HERE

Autumn Leaves Table Runner Free Pattern

 Hello Everyone!

I a new, fun Autumn project for you.  It is called Autumn Leaves and it is a lovely table runner to grace your homes for the season.  

I really had a lot of fun making this one.  The leaves are super simple and the border is all flying geese.  In the instruction, the fast four method of making flying geese is detailed.  I had a little fun with reversing the colors on a few of them so we have geese flying and chasing, creating the chevron effect.  I couldn't decide which I like better so I did one side traditional geese and the other side the chevron geese.  

Here is a close up of the leaf block.  These blocks finish at 10" so you can easily make your runner as long or short as you like or even make some matching placemats simply by adding geese to the right and left sides!

I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!

Autumn Leaves Runner Instructions

Happy Fall!

Sue

Dragonfly Fiberart Pattern Company  www.dragonflyfiberart.com 

 Half Square Triangle Fun

There are so many different ways to make a half square triangle. Tonight on my sampler group sew, we explored a couple of different ways and I thought it would be nice to post the cheater chart with the sizes to cut the square for 8 at a time. I have done the math for you up to 8" finished but if you need larger, the formula is there for your reference.  I always add a 'fudge factor' to my cut size. For example, we were sewing 2 1/2" half square triangles to finish at 2".  The chart tells me to cut a 5 3/4" square but I added 1/4" and cut two 6" squares.  This gave me a little wiggle room to trim to perfection in case my seams were not perfect.

Finished Block Size	Minimum Size of Squares To Cut:*	Trim Pieced Block To:
A	A x 2 + 1 ¾”	A + ½”
1”	3 ¾”	1 ½”
1 ½”	4 ¾”	2”
2”	5 ¾”	2 ½”
2 ½”	6 ¾”	3”
3”	7 ¾”	3 ½”
3 ½”	8 ¾”	4”
4”	9 ¾”	4 ½”
4 ½”	10 ¾”	5”
5”	11 ¾”	5 ½”
5 ½”	12 ¾”	6”
6”	13 ¾”	6 ½”
6 ½”	14 ¾”	7”
7”	15 ¾”	7 ½”
7 ½”	16 ¾”	8”
8”	17 ¾”	8 ½”

 *ADD ¼” to the cut size of the square to allow a little fudge factor for trimming to perfection!

Once you have cut the two contrasting squares, layer them right sides together.  Draw a line on the diagonals, corner to corner.  Your block should have an 'X' on it.  Sew 1/4" to either side of the lines.  (Sew lines are the Blue dotted lines on diagram)

Cut lines are the Solid Black lines on the diagram. When the sewing is completed, line up a ruler to cut vertically straight through the middle of the block.  Without moving the sections, now place the ruler horizontally through the center and cut.  Again without moving the sections, place your ruler on the diagonal line corner to corner and cut between your seam lines.  You now have 8 half square triangles. Tip:  If you have a spinning cutting mat, it will make the cutting easier.

Press open to the darker side.  Now square your triangles to perfection using the TRIM block dimension in the chart.  When sewn into the quilt, your block will be the Finished block dimension in the chart.  My favorite ruler for trimming is the BlocLoc ruler but any square ruler will work.  Just be sure you are lined up on the diagonal seam.

    

Happy Sewing!

Sue

PS.  Be sure to visit our web site for great patterns, rulers, tools and more!

Pretty Quilt As You Go Placemats From Scraps

 My quilt guilds often make placemats to donate to the Meals On Wheels program which delivers freshly made meals to folks in their homes that may need that extra bit of help.  I think it is a wonderful program and just think how happy those folks are to see the smiling face of the volunteer delivering that meal especially now when everyone is so isolated.  And also the happiness of a bright and cheerful placemat to line their tray and add that personal touch that says someone is thinking of me.  Sometimes these placemats are holiday themed and other times they are just a fun collection of fabrics meant to add some brightness to the day.

Here is a version I like to make as it is quick and pretty!  It also helps me use a bit of my scrap pile.  Actually, it doesn't even put a dent in it but it gives me joy to think it does as well as to make them. 😂

Need to gather our materials.  You will need some 2" strips of fabric in various colors.  You can use variable widths but we'll save those for another project I will show you.  I used batting scraps leftover from quilts, the trim offs after they are quilted.  Also some backing fabric.  Keep in mind that in quilt as you go (QAYG) your bobbin thread will show on the back so make sure it works with your backing fabric.

(1) fabric backing piece cut 14 1/2" x 19 1/2"

(1) batting piece 14 1/2" x 19 1/2"

(5) or (6) strips of fabric 2" x WOF or enough pieces to make the equivalent

(2) strips 2" or 2 1/4" wide x WOF for the binding

(1) 6" x 6" focus block for the center

Smooth out your batting piece and find the center.  Draw a vertical and a horizontal line though this point with a marking pen.  I used a blue water soluble pen but a Frixion would work fine as we won't need the lines after the center is placed. Place your backing fabric wrong side up on a flat surface.  Center the batting piece with the lines facing up on it.

Center your 6" x 6" focus fabric on the batting lining up each point on the drawn lines until the piece is centered. Place a pin or two near the center just to hold it in place.

Lay your first strip right sides together (RST) along one edge of the focus fabric making sure one corner is squared up.  Stitch along the edge using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Stop at the edge of the focus square. Take your scissors and trim off the excess even with the center square. Press the strip open.  I finger pressed as I went to save time or use an iron if convenient.

Place your strip on the opposite side from where you just finished sewing and sew 1/4" from that edge, stopping at the end of the focus block and trimming the excess. Press open.

Next place a strip on one of the sides not yet sewn and repeat the steps (sew, trim, press open).  Trim and repeat for the last side.

Continue working your way around placing the strips on opposite sides, sewing and trimming.

As you get closer to the edges of the placemat, the strips will be shorter and cut off at the edge of the batting.

Once all the strips cover the batting, your placemat should look something like this.

We will now trim down the placemat to it's final size, 14" x 19". Place a ruler that is at least 7" wide on the placemat, lining up the 7" line through the horizontal points on the center focus block.  Trim off the excess.  Flip the ruler and do the bottom the same way.  The height of the placemat should now be 14".

Now trim the width to 19". Place a ruler at least 10" wide on the placemat lining it up the 9 1/2" line to the top and bottom points on the center focus block.  Trim off the excess and repeat for the other side.

Your front and back should now look like this.  Trim any loose threads off of the back that may have been left behind.

Make a double fold binding and sew to the back of the placemat. Be sure to leave a 3" tail not sewn down on each end of the binding and cut on the diagonal.  Fold under about 1/4" on the edge of one of the ends. Tuck the unfolded raw end inside the one folded over and refold the binding neatly. Align to the edge of the placemat, make sure it is nice and tight and finish stitching down.  Fold the binding to the front and secure with wonder clips.  Fold your corners into nice neat miters and hold in place with a clip.  Now top stitch the binding in place.  

Thanks for sewing along with me!  Would love to see what you create.  Post it on the Dragonfly Show and Share on Facebook.

Happy Sewing

Sue