This is one of my favorite but also one of the most nerve wracking parts of being an Island Batik Ambassador. Today, I get to show you what I created with the new collection, Enchanted Forest which is available in stores right now! I hope you enjoy the story of Morning Glory Mosaic!
The Beat the Heat Blog Hop is happening this month AND Island Batik is giving away prizes all month as are many of the ambassadors. So stick with us, read our blogs, enter our giveaways and you too may get to play with a new collection of fabrics. My giveaway will be at the bottom of the blog – open until the end of the month! As for the official part, the fabrics, thread, and batting were given to me by Island Batik and their industry partners.
When I saw these gorgeous fabrics, I thought oh – this makes me so happy. My cottage in Maine is green with purple accents. My garden has a lot of purple – asitble, butterfly bush, salvia, Russian sage and Joe Pye Weed. In my mind I had this image of lavender fields in France and a way to portray them….well that didn’t happen.
But then, I was playing in Electric Quilt 8*. I ran into this picture of a morning glory (from EQ8) and started playing with special effects. I came up with this mosaic and had to make it. I consulted with Kari Schell and others in the Tech Know Quilter’s group, where I am learning about EQ8. I would have to draw each patch (OMG) and go on from there. Morning Glory Mosaic is her name and I am in love with this fabric and quilt!
So, I decided to go with proof of concept and start. I decided to make a 1/4 of the circle. Now, this was no small feat. 20 pieces of fabric, attach 6″ x 42″ pieces of HeatNBond Lite*, cut into a bazillion rectangles ( 2 7/8″ by 3″). That picture is just the purple stack – the green hadn’t been cut. I then laid them out and decided I could do this. I knew I had enough material to go with something else if it failed. It looked like it would work.
Yes, I was nervous, so I took it to a photo editing software and made a collage of 4 quarters to see what it looked like. I also did a test of quilting it on the frame as I realized going around all these pieces on a domestic machine then quilting would be crazy. The picture on the right is 1/2 half the quilt. I spaced the rows with a small ruler, about 1/4″. Each section was made on top of a prior section to keep things lined up – and it worked.
Off to the quilt machine…. The SS Tabitha, my Handiquilter Sweet Sixteen on a Little Foot frame with Little Buddy, worked hard. We quilted together, 1/2 the quilt then the other half – that way I would not have to baste (the little foot frame is a hoop), as it would be small enough to go on the LittleBuddy frame – 50″ quilting space!! Now, I had to give up a little precision….there was a trip to MN and I could not see using a ruler to go around each piece. I got this done before our trip, knowing I had time to finish upon my return.
I took very few stitches out and am anxious to wash it as I think it will be so much happier – or I will – as I won’t notice my weebly-woobly stitches. On the other hand, I like the irregular look like stone, and it is a mosaic, so I think it is just fine.
Yup, the struggle wasn’t over. I had two perfectly lovely pieces and now to finish.
I have done some QAYG (quilt as you go) but never of this size. I connected the two halves sewing the front pieces, one half of the batting and one back side together. I trimmed the batting from the “unattached side” and then pinned down the seam. I only had a 1/4″ to turn under, so that’s what I did! I hand sewed the backside down. The ironing board was extremely useful in this endeavor.
For threads, I pieced with my favorite Aurifil white # 50 wt. thread. For quilting, I used Superior Threads King Tut Nefertiti (#901) 100%Cotton and a Madeira AeroQuilt 40wt (#8990) 100% Poly that is finished like cotton. Both were terrific in the HQ Simply Sixteen. I loved this 80/20 Belaced Cotton Batting. It really has a lovely loft to it when quilted. Both the Aurifil thread and Hobbs Batting were given to me as part of the ambassador program – thank you!
The back is pieced. I love seeing the quilting definition on the back. It has to be my favorite thing about quilting on th SS Tabitha – we are learning and having fun. It is impossible to hold a quilt this size – but my husband does a good job. However, I do keep thinking I need to have him make me a quilt holder like Yvonne did (here).
It was a gorgeous day so we went to one our favorite outcroppings of rock on the island! Many sunbathers couldn’t figure out what were doing but I loved it. The sky was so clear, and the air so crisp – a perfect day for Morning Glory Mosaic to make an appearance.
Here she is on my outside porch.
Here’s the link to all the Island Ambassadors blogging this month. Do check out Pamela’s version in the same fabric line! I will put a page on my Island Batik tab with the links and update them as the links become live so you can get in on all the goodies (by Saturday that will be there and updated as the weeks go on).
My Giveaway
I have 2 sets of 2 1/2″ strips from the Enchanted Forest fabric line that I cut with my Accuquilt Go Cutter*! I cut over 80 strips in less than a half hour – sweet.
[contest-cat id=”7631″]
Morning Glory Mosaic: 81″ x 83″
Original Design
Fabrics: Enchanted Forest Fabric line & Almond from Island Batik
Batting: Hobbs 80/20 Bleached Cotton Batting
Piecing Thread: Aurifil thread #50 wt white
Quilting Threads: Superior Thread King Tut Nefertiti #901, Madeira AeroQuilt Sour Apple #8990
Pieced and Quilted by Kathleen Scargle McCormick
Linking Up:
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?
Put Your Foot Down #12
UFO Busting #69
Finished or Not Friday
What I Made Monday
Main Crush Monday
Wednesday Wait Loss
TGIFF
2019 FAL Quarter 3 Finishes
My Affiliate Links
I love your mosaic and your bazillion rectangles! You did a great job. Thanks for sharing the journey with words and pics.
Thanks so much, Pamela. I hope to share about the picture process in another post for EQ8 users (and maybe other photo apps).
Your quilt is gorgeous! I never would have thought to make a mosaic quilt but it works!
I did work and it was a lot of fun – once I was sure I could do it.
Wow, that came out great, Kathleen. I love the “back photo” also. But the photo on the rocks is my favorite.
The rock is always my favorite. I’ll post a better picture of the rock itself sometime – known as Whaleback here. My hubs is sweet and it is fun to sneak him (socially-network phobic).
Oh wow Kathleen, this turned out just fantastic! Fun to see your progress with it, truly a one of a kind quilt.
I am pretty sure it is a one of a kind quilt – at least in this size! It was fun to see how well the fabrics and the photo worked together.
Oh my, Kathleen! This is just amazing! Love, love, love it! Aren’t you just giddy over creating that, making it, and now getting to enjoy it! Love the photo on the outcropped rocks. So cool!
I am so glad you love it. I am trying to figure out which bed now – guest room or our room? The rocks are just so much fun!
This is absolutely beautiful.
Thank you!
100% beautiful. I love the quilt design and the color. Looks like some tile in a museum or a garden somewhere.
I am so pleased with it and do love tile work.
Oh the things our husbands do to keep us happy, It’s a beautiful quilt made by a dedicated quilter.
Thanks so much, Denise. And, yes, our DH are great helpers and even co-consipirators!
My first reaction was WOW! That is a gorgeous quilt.
Thank you! Happy for the wow-noises I am receiving.
That is one gorgeous quilt! Wow!
Thanks, Janet!
This is just the coolest. I want to play with that technique now. You are such a life saver too…I was just about to post online and ask if anyone remembered who it was who had the great quilt holder tutorial. I remembered seeing it, but couldn’t remember where. Thank you thank you!
I am so glad my post helped solve your problem. It was a great technique and I know I will do it again – someday.
I love what you did with this! What a great idea! Love the technique! And I love this line of IB. Thanks for sharing and for the opportunity to win!
Good luck with your entry and I am glad you share my enthusiasm for both the technique and the fabric line!
Wow, so gorgeous!! I am infatuated with your quilt! Are you thinking of selling a pattern?
I think I will do a technique or something like that. It is really fun once you get going – maybe not that large but many would enjoy it.
This is a beautiful quilt and such a creative realization of your inspiration picture.
What a perfect comment, thank you.
What a lot of hard work but it is absolutely beautiful!
Thank you, Jayne.
Wow! Fantastic!! Your quilt turned out lovely!! Thank for sharing.
I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Whoa!! That is just gorgeous. Wonderful job of making that photo come to life.
Thank you – it was really fun (and a lot of work).
Wow. It’s amazing. I don’t think I could have put in that amount of work. But it paid off.
It was a lot of work – probably 60 hours plus but fun. I am not sure what got into me, but I don’t think I could let go fo the design once I saw it.
That quilt is a great big Wow! Gorgeous! I enjoyed seeing how you made it, and thanks for the giveaway of that beautiful fabric.
Thanks so much and good luck in the giveaway!
Wow very very nice job and the colors you got are so pretty…enjoy hun… happyness04431@yahoo.com
Thank you so much! I was very pleased with this group of fabrics. They are all great but some just click with you more than others!
Hi Kathleen! The link up worked! Woohoo. But OMGGGGGGGGGGGG! I had NO idea you were making something this large with all of those little pieces. This is gorgeous beyond my word capabilities. Wowee. I love everything single about this. And the quilting – look how great it looks on the back (great job to the quilt holder). I’ll bet Keri was thrilled to hear about your idea. I hope you posted this in her FB group. I am so proud of you for coming up with this idea. Island Batik has to be over the moon with it as well. I wouldn’t be surprised it they didn’t feature it in one of their publications or ask to take it to a quilt show. You r.o.c.k. ~smile~ Roseanne
Roseanne, you are too sweet! All.those.pieces. What was I thinking??? Kari did love it and I showed off in the help group the other day. The response has been overwhelming…..I am feeling a little puffed up but I worked really hard and really love it! I’ll let you know if they ask- maybe this is my year!
Wow! Your quilt is gorgeous! Great job!
Thank you, Cecilia.
I am blown away by this awesome quilt. That you made your own pattern and made a quilt of this size using a QAYG method is great. Thank you for sharing.
It was a challenge, but I couldn’t not make it. Never happened this way before but this time it did. So glad you enjoyed it!
This is gorgeous! I always love quilts that resemble tilework, but this takes it to another level. Thanks for the detailed explanation of how you went from the idea to the finished quilt. I would not have thought of working with one section on top of a prior section, although it makes perfect sense now that you suggested it.
You are so welcome. Working on top of the other piece helped keep the sections lined up and with white as a background it was particularly helpful
Your mosaic quilt is absolutely stunning, all the colorful pieces are amazing! I would never have imagined to make a quilt like this, so this is very impressive!
Thank you so much! I don’t know that I would have imagined it without EQ8.
What you created is spectacular!! I love your quilt! I didn’t know you could be so creative with the EQ8… wow!
EQ has some truly amazing features.
When I opened your web page and saw your quilt my jaw literally dropped and I said WOW!! right out loud!! It’s stunning. You have every right to be proud of it.
You are too kind. I do love it and yes, even a little proud of it.
Your quilt is stunning. Love the lovely colors, but your design is amazing.
Thank you; it is a pleasure to share it.
Such a cool quilt, Kathleen! Sew interesting how you made it half and half. It looks like a beautiful stone/brick patio or featured area in a garden.
It was a totally fun idea. I did think of a labyrinth as I was dong it, but that is another design. It was pretty intense doing it the way I did, but I love the result.
So beautiful, it reminds me of a mosaic bird bath we had, SO much smaller, the graded shades worked perfectly, and pieced together, wow, just so lovely,This is a keeper and needs to be on display every day.
In fact, there is a similar one on the market as I was looking for naming ideas – always difficult!
Oh my gosh, your quilt is stunning! I love the movement and the way you used the colors. And thanks for showing how you joined the two sides. I’ve struggled with large quilts on my domestic machine, and I’m going to try your method next time.
The method for joining works and was really easy. I would leave a little more on the backing side next time and depending on the quilt I might do it on the machine.
This is a gorgeous quilt Kathleen. I am very impressed with what you designed and then made and the back is just gorgeous.
Thanks so much, Lisa. It was a labor of love.
That Mosais is a thing of beauty. Your colours are perfect!
Thank you, but much credit goes to the Island Batik designer did a fabulous job with this line of fabric.
I really, really love this quilt, Kathleen! You did a great job creating the mosaic look 🙂
Thank you, Leanne. It was a challenge but I am so pleased I conquered it and the result is pleasing.
Thank you for linking up with Put your foot down. Your finish is so pleasing to the eye.
Happy to link up and glad your eyes are pleased.
AMAZING!!! Your talent and creativity together with a beautiful fabric collection made one stunning quilt!
I am glad you enjoyed it and thank you. I do love it!
What an amazing mosaic quilt. Such thought and work went into this quilt and it shows,
Thank you, Mary. It was a challenge, but I am so pleased with the results.
Your quilt is stunning! Love the story you wove around it.
So glad you enjoyed both the quilt and the story, Myra.
I really do love your quilt and the fabrics, just amazing.
Thanks, Barbara. The fabric line is so gorgeous; it spoke to me and the rest is history.
This quilt is incredible, Kathleen! I’m so impressed. It looks like it was really hard to get all of those pieces just right. And your photos are stunning!
Thanks, Bobbi. I love the way it turned out. It was funny that I just couldn’t let the design go – good thing I am mostly only quilting these days – no time for other work that is for sure!
Absolutely splendid!!!
Thank you, Preeti.
I really love this quilt. So much work, and the result is fantastic.
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Beautiful quilt, love the color combination.
Thank you!
Love your Quilt!!!!
Thank you!
Absolutely loved your gorgeous quilt!! The fabric line is stunning. Just a question – are you going to give it a try in stone/glass tiles?
I am so glad you enjoyed it. I don’t do stone or tile, but have gotten tempted.
This turned out AMAZING!!!!!! And isn’t it a beautiful fabric line to work with? Thanks for linking up to What I Made Monday.
I loved working with it and love connecting to your linky party.
WOW!! That is one amazing quilt – and laying on the rocks like that makes it shimmer and shine even more!
Thanks so much! I am so pleased with it and love taking quilts outdoors to photograph! Today is one of those days I should be doing that…
Beautiful idea! Love these fabrics–purple and green are my favorites. Congrats on tackling such a complex design! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
WHOA, WOW, AMAZING. yeah wow
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have a Mosaic quilt in the works. Can’t IMAGINE doing one on this scale!! It is simple stunning.
Can’t wait to see yours!
My favorite! Love the mosaic look.
Thank you, Sally – it means a lot coming from the artist you are!
This is so gorgeous! Great job! Isn’t experimenting fun?
Its a little nerve wracking, but the final product is so worth it!
Wow! That is stunning!!!
Love your Quilt, breath taking!!
Don’t know how I missed this a year ago, but holy cow! What a masterpiece!