It's an Island Batik Christmas in July - 2020 Ambassador Second Round Boxes Revealed

As an Island Batik Ambassador for 2020,  I receive products to use for the ambassador challenges.
Check out this stack of boxes!

So cool and it's like Christmas - the anticipation to see what is inside...

Instead of just tearing into the boxes,

one of the tasks as an ambassador is to make an unboxing video.

Not my comfort zone, to say the least, but here it is:

I went for the shortest unboxing video, but this is the longest one I've done yet.  (insert smiling face here!!!) It's all in fun, right?

I’ll be sharing projects, quilts, or tutorials each month using the items

from the video.

I want to thank Island Batik,  Aurifil, Hobbs Batting, Accuquilt, byAnnie, and Studio 180 Design  for sending me all of these goodies.

You can find the complete list of  2020 Island Batik Ambassadors HERE.
The Island Batik Ambassador challenge for July is a little different than usual  you won't want to miss it.

I'll be posting all about that challenge soon.

The last week of July I'll be sharing in the

Christmas in July (then and now)

Blog Hop 

hosted by my friend Carol at Just Let Me Quilt.

Coming Soon

A  new blog hop to sign up

to play in September, so come back and check it out.

Whew, there is a lot of Christmas in this post.

Can you ever have enough?

Not me...

Words to Grow By - An Explanation and Up-to-Date Blocks and Links

There has been a little confusion about our

Words to Grow By Block of the Month for 2020.

We are a group of designers that work together to design a 

Block of the Month quilt

every year.

Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy
Carol at Just Let Me Quilt
Joan at Moosestash Quilting
Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks (me)

We are great friends and have so much fun designing quilts 
from the yearly theme to the final quilt.

Each designer makes individual patterns for different parts of the quilt
(this year it was 12" blocks)

and

we take turns presenting the parts each month.

This year we decided to create a word quilt with flowers, critters, and words that mean 

a little something to each of us.

It's one of my favorite group collaboration projects, yet!

Our group of 4 designers has really enjoyed this one
and
we've been excited to share every block.

The simple truth is that 2020 has been a challenge for all of us.

For us, it's been a struggle to keep up with the block of the month 
with all the life challenges and chaos.

But, we want you to have every block we created for this quilt and feel like the best way to continue is to release all of the remaining blocks during the next couple of months.

Just to be clear, we ARE NOT leaving you hanging with an unfinished project! 

We love our followers too much to do that.

From July through the end of August, each designer will release the remaining blocks, including the stars, and measurements for the border. 

They will be free through September for downloading, so be sure to grab them.

The Quilt:

The quilt without borders is 48" x 60"

Amy has a plan for the borders (to be released soon)

4 blocks across / 5 blocks down

Here is the layout for the quilt with the blocks that have been released - checked.

You can see that the block to come is August.
The border will be released soon too.

The Blocks:

This is my version of the blocks that have been released

and  

 the designer's direct link to the pattern information.

(I will update this list as the patterns are released)

February - Joy

Sew Incredibly Crazy

March - Faith - Peace

Just Let Me Quilt

April - Share 

Creatin' in the Sticks

May - Bloom

Moosestash Quilting

June - Wander

Just Let Me Quilt

July - Reach

Creatin' in the Sticks

August

Moosestash Quiting

Block is released!
 (my picture coming soon) 

September - Harvest Happiness

Moosestash Quilting

October - Dream

Creatin' in the Sticks

November - Care

Moosestash Quilting

December - Lead

Just Let Me Quilt

January - Grow Stars

Creatin' in the Sticks

January

Borders and Finishing

Uploaded to Facebook by Just Let Me Quilt
(the link is to the files on the Facebook group page)

Remember, the patterns print best with your PC or Laptop.

We have loved our time with you and will leave the Facebook page open so you can ask questions and show us your finished blocks and quilts. 

 There are over 3000 friends on the Facebook group.

Come and join us.

Hopefully the crazy of 2020 begins and ends with 2020.

Peace to you,

Words to Grow By Block of the Month - October - Flower Bed Dream

It's a little early to release the October block

for the

Words to Grow By

Block of the Month.

But, surprise!!

Due to unforeseen events, we have decided to take a break from the block of the months until next year. 

Just to be clear, we ARE NOT leaving you hanging with an unfinished project! 

We love our followers too much to do that.

From July through the end of August, each designer will release the remaining blocks, including the stars, and measurements for the border. 

They will be free through September for downloading, so be sure to grab them.

Here is my final design for the

 Words to Grow By Block of the Month:

Flower Bed Dream

This was to be released in October when I would be dreaming of summer,

but it's always good to dream.

It's 12" x 12" finished.

The download is below.

Our team of designers has enjoyed this

Block of the Month

 and

loved showing new blocks each month.

You can find a list of the fabric requirements and more information about the

Block of the Month in this post.

I love printing the applique patterns right on the fusible adhesive with

 HeatnBond EZ Print Lite 

(no tracing!)

Flower Bed Dream is only free through September

and you can get the free pattern

by clicking HERE.

It prints best with your PC or Laptop.

We have loved our time with you and will leave the Facebook page open so you can ask questions and show us your finished blocks and quilts. 

 There are over 3000 friends on the Facebook group.

Come and join us.

Words to Grow By Block of the Month - July - Reach New Heights

It's a little early to release the July block

for the

Words to Grow By

Block of the Month.

But, surprise!!

Here is the newest block,

Reach New Heights

In these crazy times, why not restrategize 

and

REACH for new HEIGHTS?

Be better, be nicer, be wiser...

Our team of designers is so excited about this

Block of the Month

 and

love showing new blocks each month.

This is my month to design the block.

It's 12" x 12" finished.

The download is below.

You can find a list of the fabric requirements and more information about the

Block of the Month in this post.

I love printing the applique patterns right on the fusible adhesive with

 HeatnBond EZ Print Lite 

(no tracing!)

Reach New Heights is only free for awhile

and you can get 

the free pattern  by clicking HERE.

It prints best with your PC or Laptop.

Join us for this fun Block of the Month. 

 There are over 3000 friends on the Facebook group and we are having a blast.

Everyone is so encouraging.

Come have some fun with us.

Stitching Sunshine- Island Batik Ambassador Free Theme! - Fragments of my Sunshine

Welcome to Creatin' in the Sticks

and

my day - the final day for the

Stitching Sunshine Blog Hop.

To all that participated or commented -

Thank you so much!

My head is swimming with all kinds of ideas

and I can't wait to get to stitching.

But first, it's my day to show my

"Fragments of my Sunshine" quilt.

I'm combining two challenges into one project this month.

You see, I am an Island Batik Ambassador 

2020

and the ambassador challenge this month is

Free Theme!

This is a free month for us to do whatever we like

using

Island Batik fabrics.

Why not make a little sunshine?

I've always wanted to make a mosaic tile project so I used fabric and made a mosaic sun.

I started with a whole lot of Island Batik stash builders (5" strips of fabric bundles).

Next, I used Island Batik Foundation Solid fabric in black for the background

and

drew out my sun.

I handpicked designs on my computer to use for my collage sun and with HEATnBOND® LITE 

I created the sun.

I chose one of my favorite Island Batik Foundation Fabrics, Tourmaline to use for the outside of the sun.  

There are a lot of little things about my life in this sunshine

so I called it

Fragments of my Sunshine.

Each and every little piece is special.

I quilted it by stitching around each piece with a rainbow of Aurifil 50 wt. cotton threads.

The Schmetz Microtex (Sharp) Chrome 80/12 needle 

helped to stitch right through all those layers.

The backing is Island Batik Solid, too.

(Sometimes you just have to show the back)

I had so much fun with this 40" x 40" quilt and love the vibrant colors of the fabrics.

We are celebrating Sunshine!

I have been craving a little sunshine in my life.

Something happy and fun.

No more cloudy days and blah.

So, I invited my blogging friends to
stitch something up with the color yellow or with a little sunshine. 

Here's today's schedule:

Thursday, June 25th

Kathleen McMusing

Den syende himmel
Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting
Samelia’s Mum
Hill Valley Quilter
Seams To Be Sew
That Fabric Feeling
Creatin' in the Sticks You are HERE!

This blog hop is for everyone!

Have fun visiting each blog and making new friends.

They have worked hard to show us some new ideas, so be sure to thank them with 

a sweet comment!

Find the rest of the schedule by clicking HERE.

Follow the Pinterest Board

GIVEAWAY!

One of my favorite online fabric shops is 

Fat Quarter Shop.

One of my readers will receive a 

$25.00 Gift Card to go

SHOPPING!!!

Come back every day of the hop, visit all the blog posts of the day, leave a comment, 

and

 enter the giveaway.

(I've extended the time to enter to allow for everyone to visit all the blogs)

The winner will be announced on Monday, June 29th, 2020.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for sharing SUNSHINE!!