Spread Love & Joy for Island Batik
The Island Batik Ambassador June Challenge is “Spread Love & Joy with AccuQuilt” The mission to create a gift of comfort gave me the opportunity to thank my dear hubby for his support and assistance as I pursue my fiber design passion. He has folded over 3,000 of my Whimsical Bicycle full-sized patterns plus lesser numbers of many more designs . A new chair runner for his favorite recliner is a small token of thanks.
This is the practice version before I cut into the fabric I intended to use. Island Batik along with their industry partners Accuquilt, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles and Aurifil Thread provided the batik fabric, cutting dies, batting, sewing machine needles and thread used in this project for my role as an Island Batik Ambassador.
This project will use the (A) Accuquilt 2” & 4” die from the GO! Qube 8" Mix & Match, as well as the (B) Snail’s Nail BOB (Block on Board) die. (C) The Venetian Marble line of Island Batiks designed by Claudia Pfeil is combining with batiks from the basics line.
Do you ever hesitate cut into your special stash of fabric? I had just enough fabric to create a chair runner for my dear hubby and I’m designing the pattern as I go. Good time to pull fabric from my stash to make a test project. (A&B). Dark gray and gold create a four-block. (C & D). Using bright colors for a modified Snail’s Trail.
Work continues on a new design that combines the Snail’s Trail and four patch block. A.) Snail’s Trail blocks are auditioned on point with four patch blocks on top and bottom. The solid dark gray batik fabrics from the Basic line just make the colors pop. B.) Blocks stitched with half-square triangles and end quarter-square triangles. This runner is ready to be quilted
The creation of the new pattern and design went smoothly with the help of the AccuQuilt Qube and Snail’s Trail dies. A.) The runner is on the Handi Quilter Amara with backing fabric and Hobbs Quilt Batting Heirloom® Premium 80/20 Cotton Blend and Aurifil Thread. B.) Auditioning orange binding strips. C.) The machine-stitching the binding is the final step with Clover Wonder Clips holding everything in place. The PDF pattern for Snail’s Trail Table Runner is available in my Etsy Shop.
With all the bugs worked out of the design, it’s time to begin dear hubby’s new chair runner. The Accuquilt Qube and Snail’s Trail dies will cut accurately on this “no room for errors” fabrics. A.) The four patch blocks have two sizes of both light & dark squares. B.) Stitching begins with the accurately cut squares. C.) First completed four patch block. D.) All fourteen four block squares are completed!
The Snail’s Trail Die perfectly cuts all of the pieces needed for one color in one block. A.) By layering four pieces of fabric on the die with each pass, all of the pieces for this block were completed with just four trips through. B.) Eight blocks (8 inches finished) are arranged on point for the chair runner. C.) Four patch blocks are added to the layout. All stitching is done with Aurifil Thread and Schmetz Needles, both Island Batik industry partners.
Progress continues on hubby’s chair runner with auditions for background colors in A., B., and C. Eight diagonal rows are stitched together in D. The darkest background was selected for quarter and half square triangles. E.) They are ready to stitch to complete the runner.
The Accuquilt Snail’s Trail blocks, four patch blocks and outer half and quarter square triangles A.) are joined to form a 22” X 90” rectangle. B. & C.) Details of stitching on HandiQuilter Four Squared Twice Block design created with Pro-Stitcher. D.) Chair runner loaded with Hobbs Batting Tuscany Collection Cotton Wool Blend, backing and top.
Just in time for Father’s Day, dear hubby’s chair runner is ready. Note the remote at the ready on the arm of the chair.
It’s a bonus to have two completed projects this month.
A special shout-out thank you to Island Batik, Accuquilt, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil and Schmetz Needles for their support my fiber art passion.
Published by Sally Manke, Fiber Artist
Sally Manke's mission is to delight others with textile art that exemplifies her passion for joyful, creative expression through color and texture. She is a speaker, teacher, pattern designer, Island Batik Ambassador, and fiber artist. Contact her to book a workshop or trunk show. You can also see Sally’s work in her Etsy Shop.