Tool Craze Blog Hop and Giveaway featuring Brilliant Bijou

Hello and welcome to my day on the Island Batik Ambassador and Deb Tucker Studio 180 Tool Craze Blog Hop!  This is my quilt, Brilliant Bijou. 

Disclaimer: The products used to make this project were given to me by Island Batik and industry partners. 

For the Tool Craze Blog Hop, we were challenged to use our "surprise" fabric collection we received in our January Ambassador boxes.  Do you remember that?  We were to pair it with the Studio 180 ruler we received as well.  Additionally we were required to make a project that included at least 30 units made with the ruler, in two different sizes and as many of the fabrics from the new fabric collection as possible.  That's a lot! I'm always up for a good challenge. 

The fabric collection I received is Sorbet by Claudia Pfeil.  It was paired with the Diamond Rects ruler.  The Sorbet fabric should be hitting quilt shops now.  If you live in my area, you can get Sorbet at Bernina World of Sewing in Raleigh, NC.

There are too many shops to list them all, but here are a few others that will have Sorbet:

El Friede's Fine Fabric in Boulder, CO

Keep Me In Stitches in Tampa, FL

Colchester Mill Fabrics in Colchester, CT

Heartfelt Quilt Shop in Spearfish, SD

Quilter's Quarters in Cottonwood, AZ

To find a shop that sells Island Batik fabrics near you, try the Store Locator.

I haven't made a lot of quilts with diamond shapes in the past.  I'm a little intimidated by the angles.  The Diamond Rects tool was easy to use.  Look at how nicely the diamonds cut out.  The tool comes with detailed instructions.  Additionally you can access videos at Deb Tucker's website.

The tool also easily cuts out the side triangles for the unit.  I used Island Batik's Merlot fabric for many of the side triangles.

After you cut and sew each unit, you use the ruler to trim the Diamond Rects unit down to the size you need. Easy peasy!

I made 32 Diamond Rects units for the blocks for the center part of my quilt.  Look closely.  Can you tell that they are a Storm at Sea variation?  

The blocks came out great!  But I still had to make Diamond Rects units in another size to fulfill the challenge requirements.  I decided to make a sparkling diamond border for my quilt.  I made 80 more Diamond Rects units for the border.

I snapped this fun pic with them all up on my design wall.  They look kind of like a stained glass window to me.  I used a variety of fabrics from the Sorbet collection for the diamonds and mixed them up randomly.

Here's a few more pics of Brilliant Bijou from the photo session.  It was a little windy on picture day, so it's not hanging perfectly flat, but almost!

I used Aurifil thread color 2520 for the piecing, and Aurifil thread color 1243 for the quilting.

I used my favorite, Schmetz needles for this project.

The batting is Hobbs Poly Down which is nice and light for a summer project.  It has a beautiful loft for quilting.

Look at that gorgeous fabric!  I really love this collection.  Some fabrics just make my heart happy.  

Brilliant Bijou relaxing on the front porch.

Quilting close up.  I did my standard loopy meander.

I used Island Batik's solid black for the backing.

I usually match my binding fabric to my outer border, but I had one fabric left that was unused in my quilt, so it became the binding fabric.  I really love the way it looks!  What do you think?

Brilliant Bijou quilt.

Brilliant Bijou

Quilt Stats:

Quilt Size:  50" x 50"

Block Size:  9" x 9"

Fabric:  Sorbet by Claudia Pfeil for Island Batik

Thread:  Aurifil 2520, 1243

Batting:  Poly Down by Hobbs

Ruler:  Diamond Rects by Studio 180

Needles:  Schmetz

Designed in EQ8

I'm giving away a 5" charm pack of 17 of the fabrics from the Sorbet collection. To enter, scroll all the way to the end of this post and leave a comment.  To make it fun, let me know what your favorite flavor of Sorbet is!  I love raspberry myself.  I will draw a winner randomly at the end of the blog hop.  Open to US residents only, due to postage costs.  Please be sure I have a way to contact you, should you be the lucky winner.

 

Island Batik is giving away a prize bundle of Sorbet and Sea Cookies on their blog this week in conjunction with the hop.  Click here to visit the Island Batik blog and enter their giveaway.

Have you been enjoying the Tool Craze blog hop?  Be sure to visit all of the Island Batik Ambassadors to see the new fabric collections and what everyone made with their Studio 180 rulers.  Here's the list:

May 1

Susan Deshensky, Lady Blue Quilts

Randi Jones, Randi’s Roost

May 2

Elita Sharpe, Busy Needle Quilting

Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts

May 3

Brittany Fisher, Bobbin with Brittany

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts

May 4

Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese

May 5

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

May 8

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts

Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels

May 9

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail

Lana Russel, Lana Quilts

May 10

Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood

Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia

Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum

May 11

Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs

Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

May 12

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

May 15

Victoria Johnson, Forever Quilting for You

Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine

May 16

Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting

Sarah Pitcher, Pitcher’s Boutique

May 17

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt

Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts

Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

***********************************************************

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today.

Jennifer Thomas

Curlicue Creations

For Curlicue Creations Quilt Patterns, Island Batik fabric, and more, click here to visit the Curlicue Creations shop.

Connect with me:

Subscribe to the Curlicue Creations Newsletter

* indicates required

Email Address *

Note:  This is an affiliate link.  Clicking this link will not affect the purchase price.  However, if you do make a purchase, I may receive a commission.  Thank you.