Life is Better on a Bicycle February 2024 Island Batik Ambassador Log Cabin Blog Hop

The Island Batik Ambassador Log Cabin Challenge Parameters:

  • Project Type: Quilt
  • Size: Lap or Larger
  • Island Batik Collection: Local Motion
  • Island Batik Designer: Kathy Engle for Mary Mack Made Mine
  • Technique: Log Cabin
  • Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, thread by Aurifil, needles by Schmetz, ruler by Studio 180 Designs (Tucker Trimmer), Smart Iron by Oliso 
  • Pattern Release!! See my Etsy page for details!
  • Giveaway: Enter to Win the pattern to this quilt and a Shoebox of Scraps of Local Motion and Stash Builder Island Batik fabrics. To enter: Tag a friend on my Log Cabin Blog Hop IG and/or FB, Leave a comment on this blog, follow me on IG and/or FB.Each comment and follow is an entry. Winner will be a random selection. The Giveaway is February 13-20, 2024. Winner will be posted on February 21.Sorry, this giveaway is for U.S. Residents only due to rising postage costs.

Local Motion, a Signature Collection by Kathy Engle for Maryellen McAuliffe of Mary Mack Made Mine is shipping to fabric shops in February 2024. Maryellen stated she was influenced by the tjaps (the block print maker) and colors to create patterns she thought were interesting. Her favorites in the collection are the bicycle, starbursts, and atomic prints. Maryellen was honored to be asked to design exclusively for Local Motion. See the Island Batik website to learn more about how batiks are made.

Before starting this project, I cleaned the bobbin case of my Brother Dreamweaver, wiped down the sewing table and of course, changed out my Schmetz needle!

I opted to do a Log Cabin style I have never tried before called Thick and Thin. A Thick and Thin Log Cabin block has two widths of fabric strips. I designed four blocks with 2.5-inch (lights) and 1.5-inch (darks) widths. Then four blocks with 2.5-inch (darks) and 1.5-inch (lights) widths.

The lights chosen from the Local Motion collection were soft yellow to dark golden yellow. The center square was a lighter value Island Batik Foundation fabric, Fondant. Local Motion lights used:

  • Disks Brown Ecru
  • Sonic Yellow Amber
  • Optic Flower Yellow amber
  • Circle Dots Brown Rust
  • Circle Dots Brown Ecru
  • Optic Flower Yellow

The dark shades from the Local Motion collection were a mix of purple and teal.

  • Bicycles Purple Jelly
  • Circle Dots Teal
  • Geometric Flowers Purple
  • Bicycles Teal Bridgewater
  • Circle Gears Purple
  • Fan Teal
  • Fan Purple Wine
  • Gears Teal
  • Geometric Flower Purple

My design also consisted of a bicycle fabric collage 13.5 inch center block. The local motion fabric motifs inspired me to design the bicycle fabric collage block based on the image imprinted on the fabric. I spent one evening working on several reiterations of a bicycle pattern to get it just right. The bicycle pieces are included in the quilt pattern available on Etsy. I use Pellon 725 for fusible raw edge applique.

My Oliso Smart Iron was so important in the pressing of the log cabin block construction and in the pressing of the fabric to the fusible.

Of course, the nine squares created a 45 inch square when sewn together. After adding a border of the light purple bike fabric around perimeter, I added a strip of piano key pieces from the leftover fabric used in the log cabin blocks.

The final perimeter border was another quilt block I had never used before, the Delectable Mountain block which was fun to learn. Instructions are included in the pattern available on Etsy.

I used Deb Tucker’s Studio 180 Design Tucker Trimmer throughout, especially on the Delectable Mountain block. This is a really handy tool to keep on your cutting table!

I used Hobbs Batting Tuscany Collection for the batting and kept the quilting to a very simple wave stitch using Aurifil’s 2520. The binding was Island Batik Local Motion Collection’s, Disks (brown ecru)–a favorite!! Two pillows were made from the scraps–a habit I cannot seem to overcome:)

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik. Be sure to visit all of the the Island Batik Ambassador team members, see the links below for the 2024 Ambassadors:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs

Megan Best ~ BestQuilter

Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts

Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts Studio

Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts

Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights

Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion

Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique

Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Julia Schweri ~ Inflorescence Designs

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color

Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations

Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt

Responses

  1. Jennifer Thomas Avatar

    Oh my! This quilt is delightful! I absolutely love it. I have some of this fabric with the bicycles, and I can see how you were inspired to make the collage block. Love, love, love!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Poetry Road/Marty Goes to Mars Avatar

      Thanks Jennifer! It was fun!! I love this group ❤️🙂❤️

      Like

  2. Kathy R. Avatar

    I like your quilt! The placement of Log Cabin blocks shows off the circular motion of the fabric print and the bicycle wheels.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Connie Kresin Campbell Avatar

    Beautiful quilt and the applique really sets it off.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. quiltingtangent Avatar

    I like the bike in the middle of the big wheel, prefect for the title.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. shadesofrandom Avatar

    I am just wowed by your quilt! It is fabulous! great connecting the design to the fabric collection. I am totally in love with it.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Barb K Avatar

    Love the bicycle idea–great quilt!!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Beth Talmage Avatar

    This is such a free-spirited quilt, with a very playful vibe–despite how much obvious care went into its creation.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. cshelleyqbq Avatar

    Gorgeous quilt. Great colors.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. lee Avatar

    Your quilt if fabulous! I love the design and the cycle in the middle is lovely!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Beth Talmage Avatar

    There is something so fun about using straight strips to give a circular feel to a block, and your wide and thin log cabin strips do that–a perfect companion to your bicycle wheels. I love this quilt!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Joyce Carter Avatar

    What a gorgeous quilt! I really love this design. It looks like it is swirling. Great job!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. PK Solberg Avatar

    Thanks for sharing your process and the beautiful result! I just love this joyful quilt!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. minibea12 Avatar

    Such a sweet quilt! Love your placement of the log cabin blocks!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. minibea12 Avatar

      I am adding my email address: nikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Judy Avatar

    Your quilt is so pretty I love how the purple really stands out.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Kathrie Avatar

    Great and fun quilt, I love how you pushed the design into the border, it made an excellent frame. You had beautiful fabrics to work with.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. End of Log Cabin Blog Hop Week 2 and Giveaway Avatar

    […] Quilt by Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting + BONUS GIVEAWAY! […]

    Liked by 1 person

  17. mumbird3 Avatar

    cute quilt! I love the bike!

    Liked by 1 person

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