Patchwork Breeze: #island batik

12/08/2016

Mug Rug Christmas Exchange

This evening our quilt guild had their annual Christmas potluck. We enjoy appetizers and desserts at the potlucks. Then we have a fun gift exchange.

This year we were to bring a mug and a matching mug rug that we made. I had chosen my mug a few months before, but really pondered about the mug rug design. I found an embroidery at Embroidery Library, Inc. called Koi Circle which was just the thing for the mug rug.

I found the fabric colors that would go with the mug. All the fabrics are Island Batik fabric scraps I had. The mug rug measures 7" x 11".

I layered the top and batting on the larger solid piece of Island Batik ginko print in red.

Quilting didn't need to be extensive because the piece is small. I slowly stitched around the circle with my walking foot. I threaded the starting and ending tread tails in a sewing needle, pulled the threads to the back and knotted them. I could lift the red side piece to tie the threads because I hadn't quilted the straight seams yet.

I stitched in the ditch of the seams between the red and blue sections.

I didn't have any more of any of these fabrics for a binding. I brought the backing around to the front, pressing, pinning and hand stitching the binding down. Finally I stitched a label on the back.

Sue got my gift. She used to have koi in a pond in her yard, so she really liked it.

All of the mugs and mug rugs were spectacular. This is the gift I got in the exchange from Denise.

Looking forward to hot chocolate in the morning.

If you belong to a guild, do your members have a gift exchange?

8/30/2016

End Nears for Island Batik Seaside Summer Blog Hop

Only 3 more days after today.

As the end of summer nears,

so does the Island Batik Seaside Summer Blog Hop.

I am one of the Island Batik Ambassadors who is at the tail end of this summer blog hop. I hope you have been following along daily and entering for the giveaways. I, too, have a giveaway that I will tell you about at the end of this post.

In the United States, Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of September.

It is a day to recognize the contributions of American workers of all industries to the U.S. economy. It is also the day that we usually take time to enjoy one last summer excursion or event. There may be picnics, watching a parade, or perhaps, if the weather is still warm, a trip to the lake, river or beach.

My quilt was made with a selection of fabrics from the Wind and Sea collection.

The colors are lovely.

I designed the 1,2,3 Sew Easy pattern about 10 years ago

to use with fat quarters from a fabric collection. And Island Batik fabrics all blend so well together that they all shine in this quilt.

The pattern is easy to cut and to sew. Any quilting design works well on it.

I have updated the pattern and it can be purchased from PatternSpot.com HERE.

The quilt measures 42 inches square, just the right size for a patio table or card table.

I wanted to make it reversible.

(I want to thank Theresa and Jake of Sui Generis Home Furnishings

for allowing me to take my photos at their lovely store.)

Not having enough of one fabric for the back, I pieced (in a pattern) two Island Batiks I bought from Hancock's of Paducah. They went well with those on the front. (It is so nice that one can mix and match the Island Batik fabric of different collections to create marvelous quilts.)

Michelle Fialek quilted it using Glide "Cool Grey" thread,

which blended so well with all the colors.

Time spent at the seaside (or river, lake, park or at home)

should include some type of food.

All the Ambassadors included a summer recipe in our posts.

I enjoy eating something cool, refreshing and light in the summer.

My favorite go-to dish is all of that and SO easy to make!

Watermelon Salad

3 cups chilled watermelon (3/4 inch cubes)

1 cup chilled seedless cucumbers (cubes 1/2 inch or less)

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons mint leaves, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons basil leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Serve in small bowls.

Serves 4-6

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You made it to the giveaway details!

My giveaway is some of the Island Batik fabrics I have been using in projects this year. I have cut 30 5-inch squares for one lucky person. (I will only be able to send these to an address in the USA. But if you live outside the USA I will send you a PDF of the 1,2,3 Sew Easy pattern.) Just leave a comment on this post telling what your favorite summer treat is.
Enter through the Rafflecopter below. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are Rafflecopter's random selection. I will announce the winner on September 5.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
On September 7 check out the tutorial I will post on an easy technique to sew a tablerunner using 5-inch squares.

Thank you for visiting.
Visit the other Island Batik Ambassadors' posts listed below and be sure to enter their giveaways, too.

Monday Aug 15 – Rain Forest

Kissed Quilts

Tuesday Aug 16 – Red Tide

Free Motion by the River

Mary Mack Made Mine

Wednesday Aug 17 – Sand Dune

Purrfect Spots

KnitBug 2

Thursday Aug 18 – Seashore

Tammy Silvers

Pamela Quilts

Maria Michael Designs

KISSed Quilts