Island Batik Ambassador Post Archives - Page 6 of 13

March 19, 2019January 19, 2024

Crazy Coral – Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Crazy Coral colour scheme by Clever Chameleon

Just crazy enough….

Like a good friend with whom you can let your hair down anytime, my new little quilt is going to be just crazy enough to be great company. 🙂 I am beginning to really like having this scrap buster hanging around, brightening my day. Even though it is only half done. And running waaaay behind schedule.

I’m talking about my vintage reimagined, crazy-modern tribute quilt that has featured in my last few posts. I am struggling to find time to focus on it, with life throwing our family too many curve balls this last fortnight. But although the quilt’s not coming together as quickly as I would like, it is coming along a treat overall. I love the colour combination I’ve chosen (and that I’ve somehow miraculously managed to stick to). I also love my solution for highlighting the crazy seams without the complexity of masses of embroidery.

And I love how it looks with the flowers my hubby and daughter chose at the supermarket this week. Happy Tuesday!

March 12, 2019January 19, 2024

Sew Succulent: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Sew Succulent colour scheme by Clever Chameleon

Sometimes you just have to get started. Then the ideas will finally come….

This week I have been working on my crazy diamond quilt idea from my previous post. I started this quilt with very little idea where I was headed…. A bit scary!……. But to put it off much longer would have been inviting worse disaster. Like, no quilt at all….

No captivating ideas had been forthcoming to me for the March Island Batik Ambassador challenge until now, and it certainly wasn’t for lack of pondering. All I had to show for about a month of ruminating was an urge to make improv diamond blocks from my Island Batik fabric scraps. Ever noticed that the calendar is relentless?!

Anyway, although I started this quilt with a sense of trepidation I have not felt in a while, my usual excitement is now building and I think I have a plan. I certainly have some blocks, and the void of ideas has made way for my more usual sea of squirrels. Come on in and see where I (think I) am headed. And of course, find out who scored last week’s Colour & Inspiration features. Happy Tuesday!

March 9, 2019January 19, 2024

Vintage Reimagined with Island Batik

“Give the Past a Personal Touch”

That is the monthly challenge for Island Batik Ambassadors this March. An invitation to reimagine a vintage quilt (or a building or furniture or another artefact of some kind) into a new quilt.

As the muse for my challenge piece, I have chosen an early Australian quilt by Martha Bingley. Not much is known about Martha Bingley or her quilt (pictured above). Except for one picture of her and the information contained on the quilt itself. There’s a good reminder to label your quilts right there, people!

Martha’s crazy quilt is now owned by Annette Gero. It is also featured in Annette’s book about Australian quilting history called “The Fabric of Society – Australia’s Quilt Heritage from Convict Times to 1960”. The quilt is dated 1883 and is slightly unusual for its time and place. Perfect Chameleon fodder!

Can you see why this quilt is notable? Let’s take a moment to muse this quilt from yesteryear. And I’ll share with you where reimaging vintage Australian quilts has led me so far.

February 9, 2019January 19, 2024

Marvellous Minis with Island Batik

Year of the Pig appliqué by Dione Gardner-Stephen at Clever Chameleon

Happy New Year of the Pig 2019

February is Mini Quilt Month in the Island Batik Ambassador calendar: “Create a mini quilt 24″ x 24″ or smaller, any technique” is the challenge we’ve been given. Minis are a great way to try a new technique, or explore resource/time intensive projects on a doable scale. Or to commemorate an occasion or holiday. Like the Lunar New Year. For my first 2019 Ambassador challenge I decided to make something to mark Chinese New Year. Happy New Year of the Pig!

February 5, 2019January 19, 2024

New Lunar Year, New Ambassador Year, New Fabrics, New Colours!

Fabric colours for 2019 at Clever Chameleon Quilting blog

Happy Chinese New Year 2019

Today, Tuesday February 5th, is Chinese New Year and also my 1st Island Batik Ambassiverary. 2019 is Year of the Pig and in the next few weeks we will have several cute piggy appliqués on the blog to celebrate. But first, we get to herald in the New Lunar Year with Colour & Inspiration Tuesday. The Chameleon thinks this is a very good sign for 2019!

The bronze pig sculptures in our Adelaide CBD. This little piggy is my favourite.

And today is not just any Colour & Inspiration Tuesday either. It is none other than the first opportunity in my blogging calendar for me to share with you about the 2019 Island Batik Ambassador year. If you read on, you will see that we going to have a lot of batik fun here this year! And there is also one major change in the program from last year, that I hope you will like.

As on previous occasions, there is also one set of pre-release fabrics in my new samples from Island Batik that is concealed for now. But I promise you, you are going to love my surprise fabrics come August. And I can let slip a little something about them today……. Shhhhh, don’t tell though, it’s our secret.