Island Batik April Challenge…

This month is all about the AccuQuilt cutting machine, this A-mazing piece of equipment was given to us by Accuquilt as part of the Island Batik Ambassador program 2019.

AccuQuilt Ready. Set. GO! Challenge Baby Quilt  – Make a 40″ to 48″ square baby quilt using AccuQuilt dies

So how long would it take you cut out 625 Half Square Triangles ? With the Accuquilt Go  Cube, you can Mix and Match to create over 72 block designs, I chose the following die cuts, and it took me under an hour to cut all my pieces out  – That’s Crazy right? and not a dog ear in sight!!! – Happy days!!

I create my design on the EQ8 software.

This quilt was made using Island Batik fabrics given to me by Island Batik, as part of the Island Batik Ambassador Program

The pile of HST looked so pretty all stacked up, don’t you think?

It took me almost 7 hours to sew these 625 pieces together, but I love the end result…

Thanks for reading, be sure to head over to the Island Batik Facebook page to see what the other ambassadors are making this month, and throughout the year…

Follow me here on my blog, and you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Happy Sewing

Michelle @creativeblonde66

almost there…

We’ve almost made it, January is coming to an end, we can leave those dull, dark, wet and cold January days behind us, and we can finally begin to enjoy the dull, dark, wet and even colder days of  February 😉  Don’t get me wrong I do love the winter months, there is something quite cosy about binding a quilt on the sofa with the fire on and my cat sleeping next to me, but I do miss the longer days, in the UK its dark at 4 pm and I long for the evenings that remain light till 9-10 pm.

So until then, here is a rainbow to bring some sunshine vibes your way

If you happened to read my blog a few weeks ago, you’ll know I was signing up for lots of sewalongs, I really enjoy getting involved in these, I love to see what others come up with, and I love the social side – meeting new sewing friends

Pat Sloan in hosting a weekly sewalong, so i have four blocks to show you. I making all my blocks using Gutermann threads and Gutermann fabrics from the Portofino fabric collection… You can download all Pats blocks so far, from her website.

https://www.ilovetomakequilts.com/2019/01/pats-free-a-flower-bouquet-block-1.html

 

I has so much fun making tiny dresden plates for the #tinydresdenparty2019 hosted by Deidra at linktr.ee/quiltyobsession. I used fabrics from Stof fabrics, and have created a table topper (free tutorial coming real soon) – check out Stof’s website, its full of gorgeous fabrics www.stoffabrics.com/collection. I used Bosal double sided fusible foam, and it was really lovely to quilt on, I love the texture that the table topper now has.

 

Next up is a monthly challenge hosted by Jen patternsbyjen.blogspot.com.  Its a colour challenge, and this month its green. I teamed up some Island batik green pieces with some fabric I has left over from Northcott fabrics, they have the most amazing fabrics, check out their website by clicking the link below

www.northcott.net

and the last one i wanted to show you was #modernhstbom. 

You can find out more about this Block of the month by visiting Steph’s blog  www.stephjacobsondesigns.com.

I had great fun making this block, as it meant I got to use my new AccuQuilt cutting machine, it was such a beautiful moment, making HST and having no dog ears to trim away. I decided to use up more of my Island Batik scraps, and teamed them with some Island Batik black, and Gutermann threads.

I have loads more to share with you, but i appreciate you have things to do, and your cup of tea is finished, so until next time

I hope this post bring you loads of inspiration and ideas for what you could get involved in – happy sewing, i would love to sew along with you

‘Do what makes your heart smile’

Check out my Instagram and Facebook page @creativeblonde66

~Michelle~

x creativeblonde x

An exciting new QAL…

The fat quarter shop and doing a lovely little QAL, #ladyofthelakequilt. Be sure to check it out and get involved 😊

I should mention that half square triangles and me have a love hate relationship, but we are desperately trying to get along 😉

 

Collaboration of the next 10 blocks (51-60)

I’ve found I have a love/hate relationship with half square triangles, but I refuse to be beaten… However I’m secretly thankful the #100days100blocks2017 challenge has moved onto strips and has left the half square triangles as a distance memory/nightmare….

Thanks for reading, love to hear any comments. Follow me at http://www.instagram.com/creativeblonde66 for daily instalments of this block challenge.

Happy crafting ♥

Creativeblonde