It's my day to share with you the project I made as an Island Batik Ambassador starring the Globetrotter line. I was blown away by the variety and intensity of color in this line. So gorgeous, and the fun globes, luggage and world landmarks add great interest to them!
One of my goals as an Island Batik Ambassador this year was to create a bed size quilt with the fabric I received, so I knew this was my opportunity to come up with a great large scale project! And with so many different fabrics, it really played into my love of a good scrappy project.
Well, if you know me at all, you know that I have a definite thing for all things Paris - so that was my inspiration for my project. It took me a lot of thinking, and playing around with these fabrics trying to figure out what to do. Maybe something like this lovely tile floor?
I started cutting some triangles, and sewing them together, thinking that maybe I could come up with a kind of mosaic or tile design and decided that I loved mixing up all the fabrics together.
Keeping it simple and sticking to triangles in light/dark pairs seemed to work best, and would make a great border so I can do something that really stands out in the center. The addition of a three part border with the dark "blurple" globes and a bit more of the fabric I used for the background of the center set it off beautifully.
It's so big it doesn't fit on my swing! Are you curious to see what I did with the center of the quilt yet? Or have you guessed?
.
.
.
.
.
You see, I definitely had the perfect inspiration for the center of my quilt!
.
.
.
.
.
The Eiffel Tower! Yes, it's great, and it's outdoors - what could be more perfect? I even had a pattern to use. (unfortunately, it's now out of print, so I can't pass a link for it along.) "La Tour Eiffel" by Metropolitan Quilt.
As you can see in the picture, the Eiffel Tower is actually a lovely soft brown - so I chose this fabric for the tower:
So gorgous! I love the results, but you can see how much work it was to cut out! It only took a half yard to cut it out in three different sections, but it was close.
And here is the finished quilt with the triangle borders:
Well - as you can see one of the challenges of making a queen size quilt is being able to take a decent photograph of it! Outside on the lawn.
I love how the quilting shows in this picture! I used the Hobbs Thermore batting in this quilt that was sent in my ambassador box, and it was perfect. It's so light and thin that it really makes machine quilting a large quilt on a domestic machine a piece of cake. I also used some of the Aurifil thread I received for this - a light and medium brown, both in 50 wt. I stitched all around the edges of the tower, then did a hook and swirl in the background around it. For the triangles I stitched 1/4 inch on each side of the seams - I thought this would echo the gridwork look of the tower. The border got loops and more swirls. Here's a peak at the quilting from the back side:
This quilt is the perfect size for a queen size bed, so I can say that I officially met the challenge that I set for myself.
And aren't the colors just gorgeous? Frankly I was a little worried about how they would play together, but as I often say, one of the nice things about working with batiks is the way that they blend together and always look great!
Would you like a chance to play with all these fun colors? I've cut 3 sets of 5 inch squares to give away. Anyone can enter, I will ship internationally for this one! I have a plan for a little project with these, so the winners might have to keep their eyes open for ideas on how to use them next month.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
My giveaway will end next week. If you haven't already entered - Island Batik is giving away three different prizes as well:
a Rafflecopt er giveaway
Thanks for following along on our blog hop! We still have a lot left, so here is the list once more:
I love the colors of batiks and the different patterns that are stamped on them. Your quilt is amazing! I can only imagine how long it took you to cut and sew the Eiffel Tower.
ReplyDeleteLove your Eiffel tower quilt!
ReplyDeleteI think batiks come in such a great variety of colors & prints that they make up beautiful quilts. Your quilt is great and I can't believe you used your domestic machine to quilt it. Great job!
ReplyDeletepetuniakr@aol.com
What a nice quilt! I can't imagine quilting a queen on a DSM--I did a twin once, and that was pretty difficult.
ReplyDeleteThere's not much I don't like about batiks--the colors are amazing and they don't really fray.
Gorgeous. I love the Eiffel tower!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYour Eiffel Tower is amazing and I love the scrappy colors combos in the border. I love working with batiks because of the variety of the colors and the crispness of the fabrics. Thanks for sharing. grinnie1961 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful!! I would love to see the Eiffel tower. I love working with Batiks. They press so well!!
ReplyDeleteI like applique with batiks, no fray! Your quilt is beautiful, Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteCork@pa.rr.com
WOW, that is an awesome quilt. Sew creative too. Gives me ideas! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love batiks. I love that in lots of them you can use either side of the print.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt and what a neat applique!
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about Batik fabrics is that there is no wrong side!
ReplyDeleteJust what you said "They play well together". I use batiks 95 % of the time, they're like a palette of watercolors!
ReplyDeleteoh my your quilt is gorgeous. and the center piece is fantastic. thank you for sharing and inspiring today. i really love the feel of these fabrics while working with them. they are so rich and lovely in what ever pattern.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Wow, tis was gorgeous before you even showed the Eiffel Tower centre. That took it over the top. Stunning. Nicely done. Did you applique stitch all those little nooks and crannies of the tower?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win. I love the feel of batiks, the fact that the back and front are virtually the same, and they do not fray.
Your quilt is absolutely wonderful! Love the cutout of the Eiffel Tower that you put in the center of it.
ReplyDeleteBatiks are my favorite. You can use them in just about any way. I love to use them in applique.
ReplyDeleteYour choice of fabric for the Eiffel Tower is absolutely prefect. I love working with batiks for their vibrant colours, wonderful tone on tone patterns and the fact that they don't fray. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletei love the feel of batiks and love the weave that doesn't ravel as so many quilting cottons do.
ReplyDeleteI am so liking what you did with the collection - I too am a Francophile. I especially like that you made a bedsized quilt, that is what I enjoy seeing on these challenges.
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt! The Eiffel Tower cut out is amazing, much more than I could ever do. I have not used batiks much yet but I love how the fabrics blend together so beautifully. I have a project waiting for me using batiks and I am anxious to get started.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite thing about batiks is the depth of colour. That and the higher thread count of the fabric. But the colour comes out on top. I just adore looking at batiks. Your quilt is so lovely! And I always love reading about quilt bloggers who quilt on a domestic machine - it seems so many have gone longarm, but that is out of reach for most of us. It's good to be reminded that bed sized quilts are totally quiltable on home machines!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the richness of the color and the feel of the fabric. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteC’est si bon! Tres magnifique!!
ReplyDelete(Fellow Ambassador Karen :)
Batiks are my #1 choice for any quilt or other sewing project, and your design shows those off to an amazing finish. The centre, wow, that is superb. The mosaic look is so right with the tower, and the border, a super size on your own bed. Not one to be tucked away, but on show every day.
ReplyDeletereally beautiful! I cannot imagine the work required to cut and then to sew the Eiffel tower!
ReplyDeleteI meant to add, batiks with their fine finish and close thread count are what I so like, and when I do raw edge applique, they just need a blanket stitch or similar and stay so well on the background.
ReplyDeleteI like not having to worry about the right or wrong side!
ReplyDeleteturned out wonderfully.....great job!
ReplyDeleteI love the crispness of a batik fabric
ReplyDeletewow that Eiffel Tower is amazing!!!! churcaeAtauburndotedu
ReplyDeleteThe best part of batiks is that they don't ravel or stretch very much. Great to piece with.
ReplyDeleteI love all the colors that you find in batiks.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful batiks!
ReplyDeleteBatiks don't fray!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing about working with batiks is that they stitch up so great and don't fray on the edges! Your quilt is beautiful!! Love those colors!
ReplyDeleteWOW! The tower is amazing. Well done.
ReplyDeleteIt's fabulous! Just perfect to fit the theme:)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt! Love your choice for the center.
ReplyDeleteFantastic quilt! An art quilt for the bed - perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love working with batiks because most times both sides of fabric can be used. Besides the colors are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGreat use of those fabrics with the Eiffel Tower!
ReplyDeleteThe colors are wonderful on both sides.
ReplyDeletePamela - I love the fabrics and I love what you have done with them. Kiddos to you!
ReplyDeleteI love the Eiffel Tower made from the fabric. The colorful border prints frame it nicely like a garden surrounding the tower. Nice picture of the quilting. You should be proud.
ReplyDeleteSuper quilt Pamela! I thought you might put la Tour Eiffel there, but thought, man that's a LOT of cutting... Love how you quilted it aussi! Quilting the HSTs to emulate the grillwork was genius. Quelle belle courtepointe! :-)
ReplyDeleteFantastic quilt! Love the Eiffel Tower! Well done. I like that the batiks are tightly woven, and the natural coloring making them great for nature designs. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing is the colors just live the colors....happyness04431@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI love batiks, the colors all work together, and the feel of batiks is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors!
ReplyDeletebarbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)
Love Batiks for the colors, and softness of the fabric...
ReplyDeleteYour Quilt is AWESOME!! Beautiful work!! You're soooo creative..Wow! Thank you for sharing the pictures..and for chance to win your Give-a-way too! :)
This is wonderful! I'm so glad you met your goal, and the quilt is really fun and interesting. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI love the depth & vibrancy of the batik colors, as well as their crispness and lack of fraying. (Sorry--I couldn't pick just one.)
ReplyDeleteI love the gorgeous colors on batiks and how they make me love it even when it has a color is really dislike haha. Gorgeous quilt btw!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt. I love all of the wonderful colors you can find in batiks, and they always have a fabulous feel. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeletei love the rich colors of batiks. I have been using them for several years, especially when I am taking a mystery class. I find I am drawn to the batik section of any quilt shop I visit. Your quilt is beautiful and I like that the border is so simple yet so looks intricate.
ReplyDeleteI love the crispness of batik fabric and the bright, saturated colors. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think batiks are perfect for applique and love to use them. I love your tower! perfect. Would also love to win your charms
ReplyDeleteI have always loved the depth of color that batiks have and feel that the patterns add a lot to a quilt.
ReplyDeleteAwesomeness
ReplyDeleteI love the rich colors and the feel of batiks.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! What a terrific pattern - I can't imagine the work that was! It is so lovely and the quilting is awesome. Congratulations on a real beauty!
ReplyDeleteAdding the Eiffel Tower is brilliant and the colors are perfect for it! Very impressive! I love the depth and saturation of colors in batiks. Each is beautiful and unique! duchick at mchsi dot com
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Pamela
ReplyDeleteI love batiks the don't travel or fray as much.
ReplyDeleteravel, not travel.
DeleteOhh ahh! I love your quilt! And I like the way you surprised your readers in the blog post with the reveal of the center! I love batiks for their painterly appearance and crisp, nonraveling edges. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteYour Paris quilt is wonderful, & so creative! Great use of the fabrics! My favorite think about batiks is the illusion of depth because of the different layers of color.
ReplyDeleteCool idea using the Eiffel Tower. Love it!!
ReplyDeleteI like the colors and patterns of batiks and that there is no wrong fabric side. Batiks have come a long way in their colors and patterns. I have loved batiks for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt you created is fantastic.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Love all the vibrant colors and raw edge appliqué is fun with this fabric
ReplyDeleteI really love the blend of the colors!
ReplyDeleteOh my! That Eiffel Tower is awesome...and it looks very hard! You did a spectacular job on it.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I like most about batiks is that they don't ravel a lot. Hmmmm...or maybe it is the beautiful colors.
I love the vibrant colors and the way the batiks don't ravel. They are so soft and so strong.
ReplyDeleteI'm following you via email. I do love this quilt and the Eiffel Tower came out so well. Congratulations on a beautiful and unique quilt. What a great quilting job.
ReplyDeleteI like batiks because they are so vivid, and have great color on both sides of the fabric. ljbisme at msn dot com
ReplyDeleteBatik is so rich looking. Love the way it looks.
ReplyDeleteThis is so wonderful Pam! Great job, and perfect for the Globetrotter fabric line.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun travel quilt! Super!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is gorgeous! I love that you can use either side of batiks. I ordered batiks for two projects this week and I'm impatiently waiting for their arrival.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness! What a beautiful quilt! Your quilting is just the icing on the cake, too :)
ReplyDeleteWow, that quilt is stunning! What a pleasure to look at each day. Thanks for linking to Finished or Not Friday!
ReplyDeleteWow! That Eiffel Tower is AMAZING!!!! I love the triangles around it, great border for that fabulous center.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just saw the question I'm supposed to answer! For me, the best thing about batiks are the colors!
Delete