Hello, and welcome to my day on the Island Batik Paper Pieced Celebrations Blog Hop!! I hope you have been following along this week as the ambassadors have shared their creations using the challenge issued by Island Batik – a quilt celebration using paper pieced block(s)! Be sure to read to the end! Island Batik is giving away prizes! Two lucky readers will be able to win one of the two fat quarter bundles being given away, AND, I will have a giveaway as well!
For this challenge I opened up my “surprise” package received in our January boxes!
I’m always excited to find out what Island Batik collection has hidden in this lovely wrapping! How my wandering eyes were surprised when I found this collection of Fire and Ice!! This is an original collection by Claudia Pfeil for Island Batik. Just look at these rich oranges, reds, and blues, with just a hint of purple thrown in for good measure! I’m always happy to see purple! I chose to use the Island Batik solid white for the background of my quilt.
The “celebration” part of this challenge really had me scratching my head…for a while…trying to decide what paper piecing block(s) I wanted to use with this beautiful collelction. When I came across the Chinese Lantern and the pinwheel block in EQ8, my brain finally kicked in and said, “hey, this collection would be perfect for the celebration of Chinese New Year, with a little bit of New Year’s thrown in for good measure! Growing up, we always celebrated the 4th of July and New Year’s with fireworks , and the pinwheel blocks represent the “sparklers” we kids were allowed to do by ourselves! Here are the blocks I chose!
The Chinese New Year occurred on February 10th of this year. Celebrations of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. The public holiday in 2024 was from February 10th to February 17th, lasting 8 days. Each year, a different Chinese Zodiac animal is represented. This year is the Year of the Dragon! So, why is Chinese New Year celebrated?
First, legend states that the Chinese New Year stemmed from an ancient battle against the Nian (/nyen/, which sounds the same as ‘year’ in Chinese), a terrifying beast that showed up every Lunar New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock. To scare away the monster, people displayed red paper, burned bamboo, lit candles, and wore red clothes. These traditions have been continued until the present time.
Second, it is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. You can read more at the link below.
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/
I found their “superstitions” quite interesting, and not unlike some of our (especially in the south) traditions/superstitions. The only “food” superstition I found similar to our New Year is eating fish! Fish and greens here, to keep the money flowing?!! My sweet mama always said whatever you do on New Year’s, you will be doing all year! So, no sweeping, washing, etc. LOL What do you think? You can read more about the celebration at the link above.
Chinese New Year Superstitions: Things You Mustn’t Do
Now on to the fun quilty stuff! For my paper piecing, I chose the “paperless” paper piecing method! I printed my patterns onto freezer paper. For this method, you first fold the pattern on every line. Then, beginning with the 1st area to be stitched, press the freezer paper onto the pattern. I then trimmed using my Add-a-Quarter ruler and added the fabric for the next section and stitched right next to the paper, then trimmed and continued on with each section. I love this method because there is no paper to tear out. There are a lot of videos on YouTube that explain this method in detail, if you are interested. HERE is a great one by Bethanne Nemesh. I love that you can use the patterns several times before having to print new ones! Now, without further ado, here is my quilt – Sparkling Lanterns!
For the backing and binding I used this gorgeous piece from the collection.
The fabric used was Fire and Ice, provided by Island Batik. All 20 of the SKUs in this collection were used in the making of this quilt. It was pieced with my favorite Aurifil thread from my stash and a Schmetz 80/12 needle. These are my go-to thread and needles as they perform well in every application! I always press as I make each block and my Oliso iron was great! I quilted it with Hobbs Heirloom 100% cotton batting, and used a motif from My Creative Stitches (no affiliation) called West Wind Fireworks, which I felt fit perfectly with the theme!
Please check with your local quilt shop to see if they may carry Fire and Ice. Here are some shops that currently have precuts of this collection. Bolts will be shipping later this month. You can also check the store locator on Island Batik’s website.
| Laural’s Fabrics and More, LLC | Lino Lakes | MN |
| Uniquely Yours | Elizabethtown | KY |
| Creekside Quilts | Gales Creek | OR |
| Royal Motif Fabrics | Katy | TX |
GIVEAWAYS
Island Batik is giving away two fat quarter bundles this week! Follow the simple Rafflecopter prompts below for a chance to win one of the two fabulous Fat Quarter bundles – Dots and Doodles by Carol Moellers Designs or Fire and Ice by Claudia Pfeil!
This giveaway ends May 11th. Two random winners will be notified by email on May 12th and announced on the Island Batik Facebook page on May 15th. Be sure to check your spam folders!
I am giving away a nice stack of left over fabrics from my half yard bundle of Fire and Ice. Just follow the rafflecopter prompts below if you’d like a chance to win! US residents only, please. The giveaway ends at midnight Sunday, the 12th and the winner will be notified by email and announced in my Monday Musings post on the 13th.
Thank you for stopping by today. Please visit Preeti Harris, at Sew Preeti Quilts to see her gorgeous quilt made with the Fire and Ice collection. You can find the entire schedule for the blog hop on THIS post, in case you missed any this week. Be sure to visit all the ambassadors throughout the month as they share their paper pieced projects and introduce new lines of Island Batik fabric!
Renee Atkinson @ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright @ Pamelaquilts
Connie Kauffman @ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman @ Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney @ A Quiltery
Megan Best @ BestQuilter
Susan Deshensky @ Lady Blue Quilt Studio
Brittany Fisher @ Bobbin with Brittany
Victoria Johnson @ Forever Quilting for You
Sandra Starley @ Textle Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas @ Curlicue Creations
Gail Sheppard @ Quilting Gail
Preeti Harris @ Sew Preeti Quilts
Connie Cresin Campbell @ Free Motion by the River
Julia Schweri @ Inflorescence Designs
Leah Malasky @ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe @ Mary Mack Made Mine
Lisa Pickering @ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher @ Pitcher’s Boutique LLC
Suzy Webster @ Webster Quilt
Lana Russel @ Lana Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi @ Mania for Quilts
Jane Hauprich @ Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting
Good luck in the drawings!! Until next time…
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Cute quilt design, Brenda!!! And I love the West Winds Fireworks!!!
I haven’t tried PP as I could not get the freezer paper to stick to the fabric. Maybe my iron was not getting hot enough? Old freezer paper? I want to try again, maybe this week.
I did try paper piecing with freezer paper, and I loved it! And at the risk of scaring you with my exclamation points, I want you to know I absolutely love your quilt, too!! I think it is an example of a quilt pattern and fabric coming together perfectly. It just sings!
Love the quilt and the quilting. Beautiful blocks and wonderful texture!
Hello Brenda! I love your quilt, and it was interesting to learn more about the Chinese New Year traditions. Have a fantastic day!
Thanks for introducing me to freezer paper paper piecing. I will have to check it out.
No, I have never tried paper piecing with freezer paper, but want to.
Your quilt is wonderful. Love the Fire and Ice. I have tried it but can’t say I liked it. I really would rather do paper piecing. The new papers don’t have to be removed. That’s for me. Jmikebalou(at)aol(dot)com
Beautiful fabrics and finished quilt, Brenda!!!
Great quilt…I have tried conventional paper-piecing (a VERY easy pattern) but am headed to youtube right now to see how to try your method. Thanks so much!
Your quilt looks amazing, Brenda and the quilting – Wow!!! You rocked this challenge. I have never tried paper piecing with freezer paper. I found that so interesting . I will certainly have to try that sometime. Loved reading about the traditions and superstitions as well. Have a great evening. Hugs.
Beautiful quilt! I haven’t tried paper piecing at all but am intrigued by the freezer paper piecing. Tearing all that paper seems like a messy chore. I’ll have to look up freezer paper piecing and may try it. Thanks for the tip.
I’d like to try the freezer paper method – no tearing paper sounds good to me!
Have never tried this method of paper piecing. Beautiful quilt & love the quilting motif. Beth
I have never tried to paper piece with freezer paper. I have used in ways that it wasn’t intended but never paper piecing. I would think it would be insanely easy to tear away however. I loved your quilt. It was a great combination of designs.
Great design for those awesome batiks!
I love your quilt. The fabrics are so rich and luscious. I loce paperpieced blocks. Such precise points!!
Your quilt is stunning! I want to try paper piecing and freezer paper seems like a good option.
What a great quilt. And thanks for sharing your leftovers! I have used freezer paper for paper piecing and mostly I like it. I do find it a little more difficult to remove the paper afterwards, but I like how it keeps the fabric so nicely in place.
I haven’t tried paper piecing with freezer paper but I should give it a try! I like to paper piece, love the precision.
Wow – this is beautiful and definitely says Celebration!
Fabulous quilt to celebrate new years – two ways – lanterns and fireworks. Love your Mama’s saying – no cleaning for sure on New Years form now on for me. Glad you like the freezer paper method…it is very nice not removing papers.
I designed a dragonfly as my first paper piecing project to challenge myself. It measured about 2 inches by 3 inches. I have since learned about and tried the freezer paper method.
lovely quilt! those colors wow
Your quilt is lovely and I love Fire and Ice.
Beautiful quilt!
Beautiful quilt Brenda, what a neat fabric collection!
Oh so very pretty! I have never used freezer paper, I do not do a lot of paper piecing… Maybe some practice would help me get better results!
I have not tried paper piecing with freezer paper. It is on my to do list, though!!
No needlework on New Year’s??? Forget that! lol. Your quilt is gorgeous. I’ve tried paper piecing, but never with freezer paper. Sounds interesting.
I haven’t tried paper piecing with freezer paper yet. I have done it with regular paper, though!
No, I have never tried paper piecing with freezer paper.
Lovely quilt! I think the most unconventional quilting tool I have is a hand weight I use to weight down my large quilt ruler, so it doesn’t move on me.
Such a gorgeous quilt, Brenda! It is stunning! Not being a paper piecing fan myself, I will check into the freezer paper method. As for the question, I don’t have any unique tools or methods. If they were unique years ago, they are pretty common these days.
May your celebration be joyful, whether you are celebrating with fabric or dimsum 😀 Happy Quilting, Brenda!