Seside Summer Blog Hop - NO DATE

Welcome to my day on the Island Batik Seaside Summer blog hop!  I’m happy to share the Sea Canyon collection with you today. The color palette is inspired by the vibrant colors of a desert sunset in the Grand Canyon.  Just look at these great fabrics! I’m excited to get started.

 

Lets Get Started with Editing the Pattern!

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The project I’m sharing with you today began as a downloaded block from a popular quilt site: Quilters Cache, called Blue Chains.  I liked this pattern and wanted to use it with the Sea Canyon fabrics, but there was something about it that I wanted to change.  I really wanted to edit the pattern to highlight the dark, medium, and light values in the Sea Canyon collection.  So, I printed the pattern and started doodling!

SeaCanyon-Mod

The first change I made was to flip the 4″ half squares over, so the dark fabrics create a light diagonal section through each block. You see that, don’t you?  You’ll see in a minute what I had in mind.  I also wanted to add a little “Pizazz” to each corner.  I wanted to create some interest and excitement in those corners, so I replaced one of the squares in the four patch with a half square triangle on the outside of each corner.

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This is what I had in mind, (except for that bottom right corner), which I did sew correctly when I finished the block.  I liked the way it was coming together so far, and I kept going.

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The pattern I was re-creating was coming together on my wall, just as I envisioned it.  The colors were really starting to pop on the new quilt, and I like the diagonal pattern.  When I’m working on a project, I go all in!  My sewing room gets a messy when I’m on a roll!

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I laid my finished blocks out on the floor, rearranged them into a pleasing arrangement and put the top together row-by-row.  I added two borders (Color #811602495 and #811605472). Do you see in the corner of each block, where I changed the square to a half square triangle?  That one small revision created a diamond, secondary pattern.  Also, turning the larger half squares around gave the design a clear diagonal line of small squares.  I’m quite pleased with the two small revisions, and color value placement in this revised design.  Don’t be afraid to make small tweaks in a pattern you like! The changes can result in a dramatic difference. Like most things in life, I tend to say just “Go for it!”.

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Take a look at the finished quilt, it needs quilting, but that’s for another day!   The Island Batik Sea Canyon fabrics used in this quilt are shown below.  There are two local quilt shops near me that sell these, if you’re in the Charlotte area, check out We’re Sew Creative, and if you’re in my home town of Mooresville, be sure to stop at The Quilters Loft Company.

The Sea Canyon Collection

This quilt is made with the Island Batik  Sea Canyon collection.  These are gorgeous fabrics and are scheduled for delivery to quilt shops everywhere in November 2016!

The tiles below are only a few of the gorgeous fabrics in this collection. There are other fabrics, the golds, in particular are used in the quilt, but not show below. Go check the website for more!

SeaCanyonPalette

The neutral background fabrics in the quilt are also by Island Batik from the Neutral Palette:  Buttermilk, Egg White, Whipped Cream, and Milkshake.   Now if those color names won’t make you hungry, maybe the recipe below will. 

IBNeutrals

Speaking of Whipped Cream, Buttermilk, and Milk Shakes…

(Keep reading – and don’t miss the give away at the end of this post! )

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One of our favorite recipes for summer picnicking is Mac-n-Cheese!

My favorite recipe is by Paula Deen.  Paula’s recipe uses cooked elbow macaroni with Cheddar Cheese, Monterrey Jack Cheese blend, milk, and two eggs , and of course, butter.  The secret ingredient is the sour cream.  YUM!  This is perfect with BBQ chicken.

Get the full recipe from Paula Deen on Food Network.

 

~ GIVE AWAY ALERT ~

Wait!  Before you go, there is one more thing.

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I’m giving away a bundle of Island Batik beauties!  This bundle is 20 5″ strips of fabrics and 5″ Stamps from their beautiful Equinox collection is up for grabs. These fabrics can be used to make a number of awesome projects this holiday season.  Leave a comment on Lemon Tree Snippets facebook page or on this post to be entered to win!

One winner will be randomly selected on Sept 2nd, the last day of the #seasidesummerhop

Seaside Summer Blog Hop Schedule 

Follow the Island Batik Ambassadors as we hop through the other amazing collections coming out this fall.