Island batik Ambassador – November Challenge…

Hello… welcome along to the Island Batik November challenge, this month we have been asked to make a lap quilt or bigger using special quilting tools – rulers, templates and dies.

Earlier this year, all the Island batik Ambassadors received a AccuQuilt ultimate cutting machine – wow… right!! … I know , I couldn’t believe it either… and oh my goodness, it really is an amazing cutting machine…

As an Island batik Ambassador we receive two huge boxes, filled with gorgeous Batik fabrics, Hobbs batting, and Aurifil threads, twice a year. This year AccuQuilt joined in as a sponsor, and I was blown away with the goodies we received – the Ultimate cutting machine and the dies… So couldn’t resist having a go at using the Cleopatra’s Block…

“90% faster than rotary cutters*, the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter is one for the quilters, accurately cutting up to six layers of cotton fabric at a time!

With an easy-to-use design, developed to help reduce hand and arm strain, this innovative machine is portable and easy to store – weighing just 15lbs.

The double roller design provides clean cuts, while the rubber feet grip and hold the cutter in place when cutting. But it doesn’t end there – the comfortable roller handle grip is easy and safe, eliminating the aches and pains often caused by using a rotary cutter“

With my fabrics chosen… to be honest with purple and teal being my favourite colours, they literally leaped into my hands, screaming ‘pick me’…

This cutting machine doesn’t just cut up to six layers at a time, but if you look closely you can see the very clever points, which makes matching up your points, a dream.

With beautiful, clear instructions from AccuQuilt, this pattern wasn’t as over whelming as I first thought it was going to be

The Island Batik fabrics I chose for the top quilt were Mosaic Burst, solid black, Fan Mardigras, and Jelly basic in Lilac.

I love the contrast of the black against the vibrant Fan Mardigras and Mosaic Burst fabrics

I decided to create 4 blocks all the same, to create a bold centre to my lap quilt, framing it with the gorgeous jelly basic in Lilac

The backing I chose was Opal Escence. Finished off with hand made solid black binding. Inside I used the very cosy Hobbs Tuscany 100% wool batting.

An alternative to hand sewing your bias binding, is to machine sew… but have you tried using Gütermann variegated threads… They add a beautiful finished. I’ve used thread colour 4033.