I’ve got a new box full of gems! Bright fabric graphic gems!
Do you like these colours? I hope you like these colours, because I love these colours. These are the colours of one of Island Batik’s freshest fabric lines, Graphic Gems – a collection I will happily be working with in the coming months. What’s more, it’s just a taste of what I found in my most recent Island Batik Ambassador delivery.
All the Island Batik Ambassadors have been in a frenzy the last week or so, as new supplies have travelled the globe and landed on doorsteps. Even though I am in Australia, somehow I was one of the first to receive my box this time (!!). Which is awesome because it means the contents were still a surprise when I opened them. That’s a first, out of four Ambassador boxes. 😀 I love, love happy surprises.
What was in my second Ambassador box for the year? Let’s have a look! Pssst…. I made a video…. my first “talkie” ever. I was terrified, but in the end it was actually quite a bit of fun. Come see.
The contents of this box were given to me by Island Batik for use in my role as an Ambassador. It includes samples from their industry partners HOBBS Batting, accuquilt and Aurifil. The opinions in this post are all my own. This post contains affiliate links; a purchase through such links will cost you nothing additional but may result in a small commission paid to me to help keep the Clever Chameleon online (thank you!).
The Fun started with the Sticky Tape!
Truth be told, one look at the tape on the box and the Chameleon was in a frenzy of awed jealousy…. where to get packing tape with his face plastered all over it like this??!!
But we managed to move past the tape, get the box inspected, and open it. Just like previous boxes, it is a veritable trove of treasures. If you’d like to see them come out of the box in real time and hear my thoughts and reactions, then grab yourself a coffee and a snack! I have a video!
My video runs for 16 minutes, but it didn’t feel half that long when I filmed it. I was obviously having too much fun once I settled into it… The “problem” is that I like to unpack things properly and touch them. Quilting is a tactile sport, and fabric is better strewn on every surface than neatly packed away in plastic. I am a Life Member of the “It’s not mess; it’s ideas lying around” Club. Anyways, if you want all the gory details of the box, complete with Australian drawl and photobombing chameleon, here is the video for you.
The box content for Us with Ants in our Pants
I’m not usually a big non-fiction video watcher. I prefer to speed read to locate the information I want, and then to dwell the bits that are important to me at my own pace. So for those who are like minded, here are the contents of my latest Ambassador box in my usual still format, with more of the technical details and links so you can follow up anything that whets your appetite. Kind of like having video cake and eating it too! 😀
Meet the Stars and Support Acts of “The Great Unboxing”: the Pre-Cut Fabrics and their coordinating Foundations
All the glorious fabric! There are two packages of pre-cuts in this box. The first is the glorious set of fabrics featured at the top of this post.
They are Graphic Gems 10″ pre-cut squares. This collection is designed by Kathy Engel and is part of the Island Batik Spring 2019 collection. It was packaged up with 2 yards each of a light and a dark coordinating fabric.
And matched with eight half yards of Foundation Basic and Blender yardages.
The light yardage in the ribbon is called “Ogee Spikes”. The dark yardage is “Dot – Dark Lagoon”. In my neck of the woods, lagoons are brown and muddy, with a threat of bunyips. This second fabric definitely puts me more in mind of pristine alpine lakes. But a rose by any other name is still as sweet, and “Dot – Dark Lagoon” is glorious!
Here they are, all unpacked for a better look. You can get your local quilt store to order Blenders and Basics anytime. Graphic Gems is in store September 2019.
Then, almost as the antidote to the addictingly serene and adult colours of Graphic Gems, there is a package of Little Sir Little Miss strips. 2.5″ – twin rainbows of pure fabric joy!
Little Sir Little Miss is a fabric line from the Island Batik Summer 2019 collection. You can get a sneak peek at the prints here. My pre-cut strips came bundled with 2 yards each of
And paired with eight more Foundations Basics and Blenders, including the increasingly famous and aptly named “Chameleon” Basic sitting on top of the stack.
More unpacking for your viewing pleasure…..
More New Release Fabric
The third collection of fabric represented in my Ambassador box is another beauty from the 2019 Spring catalogue by Kathy Engel: Blueberry Patch. Look at this stack of 1/4 yard cuts!
The prints in this monochrome collection range from really pale to really dark. I am going to have so much fun designing with these. At the moment I have them earmarked for my August challenge, which is to make a star-themed project. I have even pre-washed and pressed them since these photos were taken! Keen as!
Industry Partner Samples and Island Batik Staples
Look at all these Extras!
Above and beyond the New Collections and coordinating In-Stock fabrics, Island Batik have also included generous cuts of yardage from their Foundations Neutrals range and their three current Foundations Solids (black, white and grey). The neutral sent me this time is called Almond. I love it.
Here’s a heads-up not in the video…. a little something for readers who have put in the effort to get this far….. Island Batik are extending their line of Foundations Solids to colours! Oh, yes they are, and I am so excited!!! Boing, boing, boing! You can get a look at the first colours in their new upcoming range on their website here. All the versatility of solids, all the amazingness of batik! Can’t wait!
The other products you can see are:
- From HOBBS Batting: one throw-size 100% wool batting, one throw-size cotton/wool blend batting and one Queen-size Natural Cotton Batting on a scrim. Three very lovely and very high quality products I look forward to featuring again.
- From accuquilt: one Huge Block-on-Board cutting die for the amazing accuquilt Ready. Set. GO! Ultimate Fabric Cutting System we received at the beginning of the year.
- And two rolls of Aurifil 100% cotton. The green thread pictured is 1300m 50wt Medium Mint (colour #2835). The pink-purple thread is 1000m 40wt Light Lilac (colour #2510). Both very strong, very lustrous, very pretty. 😀
More words about that accuquilt Block-on-Board die
The accuquilt die included in my box is breathtaking. Apart from being enormous, it’s beautiful! Block-on-board (BOB) means that all the shapes you need for a block are on the one die. In this case, you simply place two layers of fabric (one right side up, the other down) over the die and put it through the GO! cutter to get the entire block cut in one GO! And BOB’s your uncle! *snigger*. Sorry(ish). 😀
The design on my new BOB die is called Cleopatra’s Fan and I have so so so many ideas for it! It’s proving a bit tricky marrying those ideas with the challenge this block is meant for though, which is September’s “Child’s Play – a juvenile-inspired quilt”.
One of my ideas doesn’t meet the size requirements and one I don’t have the right fabrics for. Another brilliant idea that I have for Child’s Play meets both of those requirements and would be a stonker in the Little Sir Little Miss fabrics, but I can’t work out how to work in a Cleopatra’s Fan without degrading the design. I guess I’ll eventually work something out that is entirely different…. in the meantime I have pattern ideas piling up for later! Not such a bad thing.
While I work that one out, you can check out our Tuesday features from last week.
Here are some of last week’s graphic gems from you guys
It’s been a loooong post, so I’ll keep the usual Tuesday natterings brief this week, for my own sanity as much as yours.
Birds of a feather flock together….. and on Friday I unveiled my Wonder Wader flamingo appliqué pattern (the latest release in my Love with a Twist series). So we simply have to have a look at the flamingos mini by @quilted_collie on Instagram that goes with my bird. Flamingos are always fun, but it was an extra smile to have flamingo echoes show up in my inbox.
And of course, it is Christmas in July season in Quiltland. So far, Frédérique’s Christmas project is one of my favourites this year. You can find Fred’s version of Santa in the Woods here at Quilting Patchwork Appliqué .
I hope Santa doesn’t think he is alone out there….. the chame-eleves are keeping an eye on him. No slacking off Santa, there are only 155 sleeps until Christmas!
Well, that’s my latest colours totally exposed. Let’s see yours!
Tell us – what are you working on, or have recently finished in your sewing room? We want to know so we can visit and be inspired. Link up a blog post, an IG post or simply a photo from your computer. See if you can get the Chameleon to turn quilted with happiness. We’d love to see your quilting colours!
- Link up your latest or recent quilt/sewing excitement. All quilt construction stages welcome – finished quilts, quilt blocks – even fabric pulls! Or inspiration sources!
- You have 50 characters in the link description…. tell us who you are and what your fantastic project is.
- URL links are not necessary to link up…. non-bloggers 100% welcome! If you don’t have a URL, you can link up with just a photo.
- Take a moment to visit some friends who came to the party – leave a little love and make their day. And a link back to Clever Chameleon is always appreciated.
- Do it now……. before you forget!
The Chameleon turns rainbow with pleasure when he hears from you. I am more reserved, so I will respond in gratitude by email instead. Now that it’s your turn…. Scroll right to the end, leave me a comment and tell me, what do you think? Thanks for connecting!
Would you like to keep in touch with Clever Chameleon and the fun quilty ideas I design as well as find all over the internet? You can follow directly for email updates, or through Bloglovin’, Pinterest, IG or FB. All your follow options can be found here. Don’t forget to link up all your current quilting projects on Tuesdays at our Colour & Inspiration Linky parties!
I also absolutely love the colors in Graphic Gems and can’t wait to look for them in the local shops. Also can’t wait to see what you create with them.
Gorgeous fabrics! It’ll be fun to see what you create.
Thanks for the shout out! Total coincidence on the flamingos, but totally fun! Love your fabrics in your Ambassador box. Can’t wait to see what you make with them.
Lovely fabrics, such beautiful colors! 😍
Thank you for featuring Santa 😉, and I guess he will see a lot of chameleons everywhere 😁
absolutely wonderful that you got to have a surprise package. many beautiful things in there for sure.
I will be anxiously awaiting your creations.
Those goodies, a video and stills, and a story along the way. I can see some new designs coming up very soon. Love the accent,
may I suggest you use Cleopatra’s fans as the basis for flowers like a child might draw.
Such pretty fabrics to play with – have fun!
Love your video! So much fun to hear the voice of Dione! Of course, now I must go look up what bunyips are – never heard of them! I can’t wait to see what you do with Cleopatra…I was trying to think of things for that challenge…and its well a challenge! I know it will be utterly creative!
Oh goodness, Dione!! I’m DROOLING over these luscious fabrics. I love that almond neutral. I used it in my most recent quilt (post to come a little later!) for our guild fundraiser for next year! Oh, you’re going to have sooo much fun!!
ooh very exciting!! You’re going to have lots of fun with them 🙂 And well done with the video!! Now you can teach me how! xx
Wow! what a box! The fabrics, batting, etc. that you get from being an ambassador is pretty amazing – however, you all work so hard for it! It’s really great to see what you make.