Island Batik Great Outdoors Blog Hop - Formal Garden

Note, the fabrics for this project were given to me by Island Batik as part of their ambassador program.

Welcome to my stop on the Island Batik Great Outdoors blog hop! All through this hop the ambassadors are sharing the newest Island Batik fabric collections (which are hitting stores now!) and there are prizes galore to be given away 😊 You'll want to be sure to check in with everyone to see the amazing things they've been making.

I was assigned the beautiful Vintage Morris collection to work with for this hop. This was the surprise bundle in my first Island Batik box back in February and I just love the nature inspired prints and the range of colours from very light to very dark.

I think my favourite print might be this one, called Mini Sprigs, which is included in the collection in 6 different colours.

The inspiration for this quilt design came from the print on my shower curtain, of all things. Proof once again that quilt designs really are everywhere! I've been looking at it for years and thinking, "That needs to become a quilt design" and now it finally has.

I'm pleased to introduce you to Formal Garden. Shower Curtain Quilt just didn't have the same ring to it, lol, and the regular squares and rectangles of the block remind me of garden plots surrounded by pathways. 😊

 I just love quilt-on-the-beach pictures, don't you?

I had yardage of one light fabric and one dark from the bundle, so I chose the light as my background. That meant I couldn't use some of the other lights for the blocks because I was afraid they wouldn't have enough contrast and the block design would be lost. I'm looking forward to using them in upcoming projects now that I don't have to keep them secret anymore.

Two of the fabrics I did use almost blend in with the background. You can see what I mean in the pictures above, but here are close ups of them.

My blocks are actually straight, I swear, but they sure don't look it when draped over a rock for pictures!

 
These ones certainly didn't blend in! I love this deep green tone on tone.

 In certain lights, the copper toned background of this print seems to glow around the green.

 This light teal is so pretty, too.

 And I love the dragonflies!

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to get this one quilted in time for the hop, but I do know what design I want to use, so I'm a step in the right direction already.

I plan on releasing the pattern, just as soon as I can get it written and tested. If you're interested in testing it for me, please let me know in the comments. Formal Garden finishes at 59" x 73," is super quick to piece and it would be a great stash busting quilt.

I said there are giveaways during the blog hop, didn't I? Well there are - and lots of them! Island Batik is giving away fabric strip packs on their blog (where you can also find the full schedule of participants) and each ambassador is also hosting a giveaway on their blog.

For my giveaway, the winner will be able to choose 2 of my PDF patterns 😊 To enter to win, just leave me a comment telling me your favourite summer activity.

For more entries, follow me on IG (@devotedquilter) or FB (@devotedquilterdesigns) and leave a comment for each way you follow me.

And for one more entry, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, The Bulletin. If you do, I'll show up in your inbox on the 16th of each month with news from here on the blog, a family favourite recipe and a fun themed roundup of things to make. You'll also receive my free Wind Farm quilt pattern, which is only available to subscribers. If you subscribe, just leave another comment saying you did (or already do!).

So, that's 4 possible entries. And yes, I will check to be sure the winner is actually following me as stated 😉

The giveaway will remain open until after the end of the blog hop. I'll pick the winner the morning of September 8th and they will be notified by email (so make sure to leave me your email address if you are a no-reply blogger).

Edited September 8th - the winner is comment #28, Sharon Aurora 😊 Thanks, everyone, for entering!

Here's one last picture. I think this might be my favourite of all. I love this beach.

And here's the full schedule of participants 😊 Happy blog hopping! I'll try to keep up with updating this list with direct links to the blog hop posts as they're published.

Monday, August 6 - All A Flutter - Yellow Cat Quilt Designs, Creative Blonde
Tuesday, August 7 - Birds N’ Bees - Ark Angel Creations, Patterns By Jen
Wednesday, August 8 - Canterbury Manor - Sally Manke, Powered By Quilting
Thursday, August 9 - Eclectic Garden - Desert Bloom Quilting, Sew Karen-ly Created
Friday, August 10 - Vintage Morris - MooseStash Quilting, Devoted Quilter (that's me!)
Monday, August 13 - Safari - Sew Incredibly Crazy, SweetGrass Designs
Tuesday, August 14 - Spring Blossoms - Mary Mack Made Mine, If These Threads Could Talk
Wednesday, August 15 - Victoria and Albert - Bejeweled Quilts, Clever Chameleon
Thursday, August 16 - Wild Things - Freemotion By The River, Kauffman Designs
Friday, August 17 - Petting Zoo - Den Syende Himmel, Sarah Goer Quilts
Monday, August 20 - Ocean Odyssey - Gateway Quilts, The Quilt Rambler
Tuesday, August 21 - British Rose - Busy Hands Quilts, Mania for Quilts
Wednesday, August 22 - Dear William - The Inquiring Quilter, mmm! Quilts, Living Water Quilter
Thursday, August 23 - Dragonfly Dreams - Inchworm Fabrics, BeaQuilter
Friday, August 24 - Fur-ocious Friends - Quilting Affection Designs, Dizzy Quilter
Monday, August 27 - Globetrotter - Pamela Quilts, Curliecue Creations
Tuesday, August 28 - Jungle Cruise - Vicki's Crafts and Quilting, Little Bunny Quilts
Wednesday, August 29 - Lavendula - Carole Lyles Shaw, Masterpiece Quilting
Thursday, August 30 - London Calling - Quilt in a Not-Shell, Lizard Creek Quilting
Friday, August 31 - Spirit Rhythm - Steph Jacobson, Whispers of Yore
Monday, September 3 - Sweet Tweets - Kathleen McMusing, Adventurous Applique and Quilting
Tuesday, September 4 - Whatnot - heARTS Creations, Slice of Pi Quilts