The February Island Batik Ambassador Challenge titled “Create for a Cause’ gave me the opportunity to choose a charitable organization and make a quilted project for donation. I selected the Michigan Legacy Art Park located in Benzie County. This outdoor venue brings art, nature and history together with over 50 sculptures dedicated to Michigan’s history on a wooded hiking trail. Hundreds of area students visit the outdoor classroom to study math, science and history each year. There is also an outdoor concert venue. This project will be a part of the silent auction at their August fund raising Gala.

Island Batik along with their industry partners, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles and Aurifil Thread provided the batik fabric, batting, sewing machine needles and thread used in this project for my role as an Island Batik Ambassador.

The animals in Sleepy Acres book by Amy Bradley Designs was the inspiration for this quilt. I purchased the book fifteen years ago because I was attracted to the personalities of each critter. Here’s a sneak peek at the Summer Fields collection designed by Kathy Engle that will be coupled with Island Batik black and white solids.

This collection is currently shipping to your local quilt shops. See the complete collection below.

I’m not sure if it was more fun to select four animals for this quilt or to decide which fabrics to use on each. These are the fifteen batiks selected from the collection of twenty. I love how well that play together.

I created one critter to decide on the technique before cutting the pieces for all the animals. A. Using Misty Fuse to bond two layers of solid white together. The white bed is placed on a black background and this will prevent shadowing under the light colors. B. Odif 808 Reactivating Adhesive is applied to the back of patterns. C. Misty Fuse is bonded to the back of each fabric. Frog pattern parts are then pressed to fabrics before cutting each along outside line. D. Pattern is placed on Cutterpillar light table to assemble. E. With all parts in place, the frog is fused together on a non-stick sheet.

Adding personality to the frog and his flies. A. Frog unit is bonded to the square of Island Batik Black Solid. B Aurifil in black is selected for blanket stitch around the white bed frame. C Assortment of Aurifil thread is used to satin stitch all fused appliqué. Black crochet cotton is couched to create a smile.

All the techniques on the frog block worked well so it’s time to ramp up production on the remaining three critters. A. All pattern pieces fused to bits of Summer Fields collection designed by Kathy Engle. Misty Fuse webbing has been applied to all fabrics. B. Using Caterpillar light table to accurately align quilt block design. C. Couching black crochet cotton to pigs mouth with Aurifil Black thread. D. All blocks fused to solid black Island Batik and ready for blanket stitching, satin stitching and details. Schmetz Microtex Needles work perfectly to stitch through all these layers of fabric and Misty Fuse.

Critters have been detailed and ready to become a quilt. A. So many choices for setting blocks and sashing. B The two perfect choices are Berries-Lemongrass and Wheat Field Buttered. C. Auditioning blocks with yellow sashing. D. Sashing and setting blocks are complete. E. Auditioning choices for outer border.

With sashing selected and stitched. It’s off to the Handi Quilter Amara. A. Glide Foot 2 is used to move smoothly over appliqué and couching. B. Three Tours Wavy Stripe edge to edge computerized design by Joyce Lundrigan stitches out the quilting using Pro-Stitcher. C. Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting by Hobbs really shows off the stitching done with Aurifil thread.

Quilting is completed and the quilt is ready for binding. A & B. Auditioning binding for the final step. C. Binding selected and cut. D & E. Stitching in the ditch with Bernina foot #10. Machine-stitching binding on a baby/kids quilt adds durability.

Close up of all the critters tucked in for the night. Each has their own bit of security to assure a restful night. Rooster - two alarm clocks so he’s up in time in the morning, Pig - flashlight for late night trips to the trough. Frog - flyswatter to get those flies for breakfast. Bunny - security bunny to cuddle.

Quilt is completed and ready to donate to the Michigan Legacy Park Silent Auction.

The Giveaways

ISLAND BATIK GIVE AWAY - Two lucky people have a chance to win a 2.5″ Strip pack of the new Island Batik collections that will be featured this week: Starry Night, designed by Kathy Engle, or Painted Blossoms, designed for Kate Colleran of Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs by Kathy Engle. Head over to the Island Batik website to enter their giveaway.

SALLY’S GIVE AWAY - One person will win this packet of twenty 5 inch squares of the SUMMER FIELDS collection. To enter just leave a comment below stating which critter on this quilt is your favorite. A random number generator will be used to select a winner. Please leave an email address so I can contact the winner. This is drawing is open to United States mailing addresses only. Contest closes February 22, 2021.

Visit all the Create for a Cause Blogs

Here's the list of the all the Island Batik Ambassador “Create for a Cause” blog hop. Be sure to visit then all to can see the new fabric lines, enter the giveaways, and be immersed in Island Batik inspiration.

February 1: