Welcome back to Island Batik Week!! We’re so excited to partner with this wonderful company to present a variety of new fabric lines along with the coordinating Aurifil thread collections. We’ll be featuring one designer every day and each post will offer a fabric + thread giveaway so make sure to come back daily to learn more about our talented designers to enter-to-win some gorgeous prizes!
ISLAND BATIK WEEK SCHEDULE
7/18 – Introduction to Island Batik
7/19 – Seashore by Tammy Silvers (Today)
7/20 – Equinox by 4th & 6th Designs
7/21 – Surf Squirt by Claudia Pfeil
7/22 – Tide Pools & Sand Dune by Kathy Engle
To learn more about Island Batik and the batik process, please visit their website. For a peek at the full range of Spring/Summer releases, click here or on the image below to browse the catalog.
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You can just feel the sun, sand and surf in the Seashore collection by Kathy Engle forTammy Silvers of Tamarinis. The warm creams, greens and purples will bring delight to your sea-salted senses! The accompanying Aurifil thread collection offers a large box of bright hues in 40wt and a small box of 10 luscious spools of our embroidery floss. There is a colorful surprise awaiting everyone in the Seashore collection!
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Seashore
100% Aurifil Cotton
Large – 40wt, 1094yds each, 12 colors, Large Spools
1114 – 2132 – 2150 – 2420 – 2479 – 2520 – 2560 -2780 – 2805 – 2810 – 4020 – 4093
Small – Aurifloss, 18yds each, 10 colors, Small Spools
1147 – 1148 – 2120 – 2150 – 2582 – 2740 – 4020 – 4093 – 5002 – 5018
To view this info on our website, click the images above. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
What first inspired you to start sewing?
Inspired to sew? That’s tough – because I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t sew! I grew up with makers (like many of us!), and it just seemed to be a natural part of expression to sew what I wanted, and what I needed. Of course, now I’ve gone from aesthetically appealing utility sewing to more artistic form of expression sewing, but it is all a natural part of my history.
Do you remember the first project that you made and how you felt after it was complete?
My first quilt (and is it still a quilt if it was never layered and quilted?) was not the most attractive thing I’ve ever created (it was butt ugly, actually!), but something in that first quilting class inspired me, and I continued on. The next quilt I made, a sampler, was, in hindsight, not the greatest either, but I felt such a sense of accomplishment and an excitement to go further and explore other methods of piecing. And I haven’t stopped since!
Who has been the most inspiring person within your creative career?
Ohhh. Just one? I’ve got a few.
I started teaching quilting a few years in, and I taught loads of projects from Eleanor Burns’ books and Pat Sloan’s books (two very different approaches and aesthetics), and their methods and styles heavily influenced me (I still tell people I want to be Pat Sloan when I grow up!).
And years and years ago, in the beginning of my quilting journey, I became friends with Jodie Davis. Her encouraging, friendly demeanor and her “let’s try this” approach to traditional methods spurred me to do the same – try anything!
What is your go-to sewing technique?
I like almost anything, but when I get really “creative” with my blocks and angles, I find paper piecing is my best friend. It lets me get those odd angles and perfect points every time. I’m experimenting now with an approach to improvisational piecing that will help those quilters that need just a bit more control feel comfortable with the process.
How did you first get involved with Island Batik?
Oh, another tough one. I don’t remember the first initial contact, but I’ve been creating projects for Island Batik for years and years and (cough) years. It has always been a wonderful experience, whether creating projects for publications, or for my own pattern line. I mean, who wouldn’t love working with all those luscious fabrics? Any project looks awesome in their batiks!
What do you love most about Batik fabrics?
I love so many things about batiks – the saturation of color, even in the soft pastels (yes, I do use pastels – sometimes!). I love the high thread count of batiks, which means your piecing is true because the fabric isn’t stretching out of shape. I love that there usually isn’t a wrong or a right side – which makes cutting and piecing so much easier. I love the range of colors and motifs. I guess you can tell – I love batiks in general, and they truly are my “go to” fabrics of choice.
Do you have a favorite project that you’ve made using the fabrics and threads of Seashore?
Again with the favorites! How can a mother pick a favorite – and yes, the quilts are very much like my children! But ok – hmmmm. It’s a toss up – Melon Bloom is a remake of a traditional quilt and I love how the bright side of the line really shows off the blooms. But then Sea Salt is awesome in a different way – it pulls in some of the softer colors, and really showcases my less traditional approach with blocks that spill out into the borders.
How did you first discover Aurifil threads?
At Quilt Market (I don’t remember which one – but it’s been a while!) – the full range of colors and threads was immediately eye catching. And then once I sewed with it, that was it. I was hooked! I use Aurifil for all my stitching – from piecing with 50wt gray or beige, to quilting with 40wt, and then of course, embellishment with the wool thread (awesome on wool applique!) or the 12wt, which is what I’m using with my upcoming Island Batik/Aurifil projects for Fall Market.
What is your process for selecting the colors for the coordinating Aurifil thread collection?
Selection is the hardest part. Aurifil has such a wonderful range of colors, it is truly difficult to narrow the selection down. But I do try to choose colors that represent the current fabric line, coordinate with it, and yet will show against the range of fabric colors.
Do you have a favorite color or weight?
Well, as I mentioned, I use Aurifil for everything, so I can’t imagine doing any stitching without it. My 50wt gray is my go to for all piecing. For embellishment, it’s a toss up between the wool thread (I LOVE that you can use it in the machine for top stitching) and the 12wt. They have such a wonderful look against the smoothness of the fabrics. As for color – well, all the colors in the Seashore collection are wonderful. But…..can we just take a minute to admire that awesome teal (#4093)…….yes!
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win 1 Large Seashore Thread Collection and one Fat Quarter Bundle of Seashore fabrics from Island Batik, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Monday, July 25! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Tuesday, July 26. Good luck!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Tammy Corcoran!!
ABOUT TAMMY
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Tammy is a Georgia native and currently lives in Acworth with her husband, children (when they come to visit!), dog, and her favorite fat cats.
Under the label Tamarinis, her designs are regularly published in a variety of quilt magazines, including Quilt, McCall’s Quilting, American Patchwork and Quilting, Stitch, Fons and Porter’s Love of Quilting, Quilty, Quilt It…Today, Sew It…Today, Stitch and Create and Decorate. She also works with some of the major fabric manufacturers designing projects to showcase and promote their fabric lines, including Island Batik (of course!), Northcott Fabrics, Blend, Camelot and Fabri-Quilt.
ABOUT ISLAND BATIK
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