Cross River Gorilla ~ Island Batik and Aurifil Challenge

Meet the Cross River Gorilla, an Endangered Species challenge quilt made with Island Batik Fabric and Aurifil Thread.  

Note:  Items used to make this project were generously supplied by Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Hobbs Batting, and Schmetz Needles.

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were each assigned an endangered species to coordinate with the new Aurifil thread sets shown above.  I received the Cross River Gorilla with three beautiful shades of purple, a light, a medium, and a dark.  I did some research on the Cross River Gorilla and learned a few things about them.

1.  Sadly, they are critically endangered.  There are only 200-300 left in the wild.  They are mainly victims of poaching and habitat encroachment.

2.  They live in Cameroon in highland rain forests in family groups.

3.  They average 5 feet tall and weight between 220 and 440 pounds.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how to make this quilt.  I drew different sketches of gorillas.  I studied the colors in the photo (Aurifil thread's photo) above.  I pinned them up on my design wall and contemplated what to do.  I'm sure I spent more time thinking about it than actually making it.

I eventually used a fusible applique approach.  I used fabrics from Island Batik's Fancy Feathers by Kathy Engle collection, plus green and brown fabrics from basics and blenders.  

I fussy cut this piece for the ear.  I love how it really looks like an ear.  So cool.

I zigzag stitched around the edges of each patch using the three purple threads.  

Next, I stitched some details on the face, like the smile and lines between and under the eyes.

Then I dove in and thread painted the gorilla's fur, beginning with the light thread going around the face, and the detail line across the upper part of the head.

I continued thread painting "fur" using all three of the shades of purple Aurifil thread.  It was a lot of fun.  Once I began, I couldn't stop until the entire composition was complete.

I used a brown shade of Aurifil thread to quilt the tree.  I used Hobbs Fusible Batting and Schmetz needles.  It was fun to quilt the knots into the tree.

I used a green Aurifil thread to quilt a leafy pattern over the green part of the background.

Cross River Gorilla

Quilt Stats:

Finished Quilt Size:  22" x 21"

Fabric: Fancy Feathers by Kathy Engle, Basics, and Blenders, Island Batik

Batting:  Hobbs Fusible

Thread:  Cross River Gorilla Color Builders, by Aurifil

Have you seen the Endangered Species quilts made by the other Island Batik Ambassadors?  So much creativity!  Visit all the Ambassadors blogs here:

Megan Best ~

Bestquilter

Pamela Boatright ~

Pamelaquilts

Elizabeth DeCroos ~

Epida Studio

Jennifer Eubank ~ Archipelago Quilting

Jennifer Fulton ~

The Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts

Joanne Hart ~

Unicorn Harts

Mania Hatziioannidi ~

Mania for quilts

Jane Hauprich - Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting

Connie Kauffman

~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~

The Darling Dogwood

Denise Looney ~

For The Love Of Geese

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights

Sally Manke ~

Sally Manke, Fiber Artist

Maryellen McAuliffe ~

Mary Mack Made Mine

Claudia Porter ~

Create with Claudia

Gail Renna ~

Quilt Haven Threads

Brianna Roberts ~

Sew Cute And Quirky

Michelle Roberts ~

Creative Blonde

Gail Sheppard ~

Quilting Gail

Andi Stanfield ~

True Blue Quilts

Jennifer Thomas ~

CurliCue Creations

Suzy Webster

~ WebsterQuilt

Janet Yamamoto ~

Whispers of Yore

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today.

Jennifer Thomas

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