Beat the Heat Blog Hop and Giveaway!

NOTE:  Giveaway closed.  Random.org picked comment #4, and Allison will be getting her prize soon.  Thanks!


Hi, and welcome to my day on the Island Batik Ambassador Beat the Heat blog hop!  I'm featuring Steam Engine, by Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Designs. So I found a steam engine that could help display this gorgeous collection.  

Here's the flatlay of the collection.  A few of the collections this year featured gears, fans and chains, but this one has the gorgeous plum and teal, along with grey and blue.

I do happen to have some 10" stack packs for sale in my Etsy shop. 

So, let me tell you the story about this collection and my design for it.  This was wrapped in gift paper in the January Ambassador box.  Once I opened it, (off camera) I put it in an Artbin box, the 12" square totes that is sold for scrapbooking supplies, but works just as well for fabric collections (watch for them on clearance at Sam's Club after Back to School).  I put it on a special shelf so that I would not be tempted to use it before now, except to make the rep sample.  But the ideas and colors were on my mind for months.  I knew it had some darker colors, and I wanted to add black, and use the Hobb's black 80/20 batting that was included in the same box.  In the beginning of August, I put the box on my cutting table, and really looked again.  Then I went to EQ8 and did some searching for blocks.  I was wondering if there was one that had gears, then thought of the wind turbines I saw so often on my trip to Colorado 2 years ago.  I searched for windmill blocks, and found a double windmill.  It looked a little challenging, especially with the partial seam needed for the center, but when I put in in the grid I LOVED what happened with the secondary design.  I uploaded the fabric samples into the program and played with placement of the colors.  

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I also looked at foundation piecing and rotary cutting directions, and the size of the pieces.  I kept playing with the block size until I didn't have too many pieces to cut on 1/16 inch lines.   Yup, it's a tricky block to cut.  I ended up making the blocks 17" finished.  That also meant that the fabrics would really shine in the blocks.  I was given 2 yards each of the dark teal bolt design (used in the border) and a light fabric.  Since I wanted to try the black batting, I decided to use the solid Grey and Black from Island Batik, instead of too many of the light designs.  So, I cut out a block and tested it, and figured it would be okay to just piece it.  If you look around the purple center, the unit that makes the fan blades is a pieced triangle square, which measures 6 1/2".  Once that's done, you add either a a wedge shape or a 1/2 goose block, do the partial seam around the center plum fan square, then the setting triangles of grey.  I opted to make 20 blocks, to make sure that all of the darker fabrics were included, and some of the lighter ones.  In a 4 by 5 setting, with borders, the top measures about 88 by 106".  I know, I'm going HUGE but with Vanna, my Handiquilter Amara, I figured I would really test it out, and see how long it takes to quilt.  I also purchased a wide backing fabric in a black/grey design.  The batting is queen size. 

The original plan (EQ8 photo here) was to use a lighter inner border, but I was worried about show-through from the batting. I opted for the black instead.  

 So, about the photos!  I had most of the blocks done, but the top was not together last Tuesday.  My QBFF (quilting best friend forever), Christine, was over and we were doing some counted cross stitching, and chatting, and I asked her for suggestions for photo locations, for steam engines or gears.  She suggested a junk yard, which may have worked.  I thought about trains, and we do have a very active rail road system, but not steam engines.  It's commuter, not often carrying freight cars.  I said Steamtown National Historic Site is in Scranton, PA, and they have tons of steam engines, but I can't bring just blocks.  She said "But you're going to Scranton tomorrow!  Get some blocks together and use that.  So I said "Duh, it's a block away from my eye doctor's appointment at Northeastern Eye Institute."  I have not found a Long Island eye doctor that's as great as Dr. Shovlin and his team, for my special lenses for Keratoconus, so my son was coming down from PA to stay with Mom so I could get to my appointment in PA.   So, after Christine left, I ran upstairs, grabbed 9 of the completed blocks, and quickly stitched them together.  Right after my appointment, I drove over to the park.

 I asked someone walking past to hold this for me.  Thanks, kind sir! And when I saw the spinning designs in this photo, I was really excited.  So much going on!

 I loved how the grey paint on the wheels matched the grey fabric for the design, and that the gears and bolts were similar.

So, over the past few days, I finished making the blocks, got them added to the original 9, and added the borders.  I was hoping to get it quilted, but that will be soon.  I'm searching for quilting designs, maybe one that has gears or fans, or maybe a design like the center plum square.  I think I'll do an edge to edge, but that may change, lol  Vanna may want to do custom stuff for the blocks.  I did get a dark grey Aurifil Forty3 thread, and ordered the dark teal for border, but that's not in yet.  

As for Beating the Heat, I really enjoyed my day in Scranton.  I love the cooler air and driving through the mountains and seeing the woods.  I love to travel to beat the heat, but on Long Island, I'm always using fans or AC which is another reason this quilt design works!  

All fabric for the top is from Island Batik as part of the Ambassador program.  Aurifil 50wt thread was used for piecing, and Hobb's batting will be used, and both are provided for Ambassadors, as well.  

So, thanks for stopping by, and for reading this far.  I know I can write a novella for a blog post, but I really wanted to share the fun of creating this quilt and getting the photos.  So, since you've come this far, leave me a comment either about the fabric, or something you enjoy to cool off, and I'll enter you for a drawing of some Fat Quarters from my left-overs, and maybe some surprises.  I'll cover shipping for US winners, and if you're international, if you don't mind paying the difference for the shipping cost, you can enter as well.  Entries open through September 3, when I'll pick a winner.  Please make sure I can contact you.

Also, remember to visit the Rafflecopter link below to enter to win fabric from Island Batik.  And follow the other Ambassadors sharing their collections.  Many have ongoing give-aways, as well, and there are some gorgeous quilts to inspire you.  

Thanks!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday August 5

Leanne Parsons - The Devoted Quilter

Sherry Shish - Powered by Quilting

Tuesday August 6

Bill Locke - Studio BIll Locke

Lisa Nielsen - Lisa Lisa and the Quilt Jam

Wednesday August 7

Sandra Walker - Mmm! Quilts

Terri Vanden Bosch - Lizard Creek Quilts

Thursday August 8

Pamela Boatright - Pamela Quilts

Kathleen McCormick - Kathleen McMusing

Monday August 12

Karen Neary - Sew Karen-ly Created

Carol Moellers - Carol Moellers Designs

Tuesday August 13

Michelle Roberts - Creative Blonde

Laticia "Tish" Stemple - Tish's Adventures in Wonderland

Wednesday August 14

(Debora) Anne Wiens - Sweetgrass Creative Designs

Gene Black - Gene Black

Thursday August 15

Tina D Dillard - Quilting Affection Designs

Bea Lee - Bea Quilter

Monday August 19

Joanne Hart - Unicornharts

Carla Henton - Creatin’ in the Sticks

Tuesday August 20

Connie Kauffman - Kauffman Designs

Vasudha Govindan - Storied Quilts

Wednesday August 21

Vicki Schlimmer - Vicki's Crafts and Quilting

Mania (Magdalini) Hatziioannidi - Mania for Quilts

Thursday August 22

Gail Sheppard - Quilting Gail

Monday August 26

Maryellen McAuliffe - Mary Mack's Blog

Jennifer Strauser - Dizzy Quilter

Tuesday August 27

Connie K Campbell - Freemotion by the River

Joan Kawano - Moosestash Quilting