Welcome to day three of Island Batik week! We’re having a blast with these gorgeous collections this week. Of course we love seeing how the fabrics and threads are used and get a little giddy seeing our threads involved in such beautiful works of art, but really, we love learning about the designers. It’s fascinating to hear their back stories and to learn about what inspired the collections.
We’ll be featuring one Island Batik designer each day this week to showcase new fabric & coordinating Aurifil collections. 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
1/10 – Coastal Mist by Tammy Silvers
1/11 – Glowing Embers by Cheri Good Designs
1/12 – Dotalicious by Claudia Pfeil (YOU ARE HERE!)
1/13 – Surf and Sand by Fourth and Sixth Designs
1/14 – Fresh Catch by Jackie Kunkel
To learn about Island Batik and the batik process, please visit their website. For a peek at the full range of Fall/Winter 2016 releases, in-stores now, click here or on the image below to browse the catalog. To check in on Island Batik’s news, please visit their blog.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Claudia Pfeil‘s latest collection with Island Batik is a absolute masterpiece! Designed by Kathy Engle and masterfully brought to life through Claudia’s expert quilting, Dotalicious features 60 different SKUs in 3 distinct color ways. Earth, Wind & Fire showcase a stunning display of rich batiks in a rainbow of colors. The coordinating thread collection is truly a thing of beauty. 48 large spools of 50wt thread in one fabulous carrying case. These threads not only coordinate with the many hues of Dotalicious, they also provide an amazing stash of thread for beginners and experienced quilters alike. This is a piece to be coveted!
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Dotalicious
48 Large Spools – 50wt (1422yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
1130 – 1135 – 1147 – 1154 – 1243 – 1246 – 2120 – 2145 – 2150 – 2155 – 2210 2230 – 2260 – 2265 – 2310 – 2311 – 2314 – 2324 – 2340 – 2360 – 2372 – 2430 2450 – 2460 –2468 – 2562 – 2582 – 2588 – 2610 – 2725 – 2745 – 2846 – 2860
2885 – 2888 – 2892 –2900 – 2910 – 4093 – 4140 – 4173 – 4182 – 4644 – 5005
5008 – 5017 – 5018 – 5022
To view this info on our website, click the images above. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
How did you first get involved with this wonderful world of textiles?
Growing up in Hemer, a small town in the woods with 30,000 inhabitants, in a family of bankers (Mother, Father AND Brother), I was NOT involved or educated in handcrafts at all! My teachers were a bit desperate about my future after school as I was not really a genius in mathematics, physics or latin language (normal classes in our German school system.) Handcrafting and arts were not on the teaching schedule, but I loved to draw and paint, and tried everything like pottery, silk painting, watercolour painting, and knotted carpets outside of school.
After school, I moved to Dortmund and started my apprenticeship as a display designer in a warehouse and discovered “Patchwork” in 1985 at a Creativa-Show.
Do you remember the first quilt that you ever made and how you felt once it was complete?
The quilt ‘Number One’ in 1985 came into being without the now common rotary cutter and rulers as such tools were unknown in Germany at the time. My basic sewing machine only had the use of securing the layers for hand quilting. There was much “trial and error” as I taught myself the tricks of making templates and seams to complete Number One.
That first quilt would hold it’s place as my only large sewing project. My move from Dortmund to Krefeld where I began studies at the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein and my work as a textile designer drew my interests into different directions – I had the quilting fever – I just hadn’t fully discovered the wide world of quilting.
Who has been the most inspiring person within your creative career?
I am not able to name one special person as an inspiration, it was more an collective absorbing. Ideas out of American magazines and books, learning the techniques – again trial and error, sharing ideas and thoughts with other German and European quilters.
How did you first get involved with Island Batik?
Roughly 3 years ago I published a picture of “Shadowplay”, a quilt I made for Quilt & Co, on Facebook/Social media. Quilters love to share and so do I! I received a message from Elizabeth at Island Batik asking whether I would be interested to publish this pattern. I received the fabrics and so everything started. Island Batik is a great company to work with and their fabrics are fabolous! 🙂
Meanwhile I designed about 10 original quilts for Island Batik and I am always eager and anxiously waiting to hold the new fabric lines in my hands to start the design and sewing process. I need to see and touch the fabrics/colors to get ideas for the new quilts/projects – I am not planning a quilt in advance.
What do you love most about Batik fabrics?
The points are:
- Haptic: feels good – it feels „crispy“
- Designs: Blending designs and colors, tons of variations
- Usage: nice and easy to sew and quilt, no fraying, solid-colored ( no left or right side
- Colors: brilliant, matching, soft transitions
- Handcraft : Individual and unique
How did you first discover Aurifil threads?
Aurifil is a European company (Italy), so for us Europeans it was logical to use their threads for sewing from the beginning. Also, Aurifil is very supportive and always developping new threads for the market. When I met Alex Veronelli the first time at Carrefour du Patchwork, a big and wonderful Quiltshow in France, he asked me to try a new thread on the Longarm.
What is your process for selecting the colors for the coordinating Aurifil thread collection?
That is a dream and a nightmare at the same time! Combining and playing with the thread spools and fabrics on the one side… deciding between hundreds of color options on the other side! The size of the box (number of spools) is the limit. But finally, you have to reduce it to the required number – that is the hard thing! I am always asking myself: What will I use? If I am happy with that – that is my final decision!
THE GIVEAWAY
This giveaway will have three lucky winners! Prizes are 1 FQ bundle of Dotalicious in the Earth colorway + coordinating Aurifil threads, 1 FQ bundle of Dotalicious in the Wind colorway + coordinating Aurifil threads, and 1 FQ bundle of Dotalicious in the Fire colorway + coordinating Aurifil threads. To enter-to-win, 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 Tuesday January 17! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Wednesday, January 18. Good luck!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winners, Karen Hootman, Judi Duncan, and Nancy A!
ABOUT CLAUDIA PFEIL
Website — Facebook
Claudia Pfeil has been sewing and piecing since she was a teen. She made her first quilt in 1985 but didn’t discover her absolute obsession with quilting until 1992. It was at that time that she began teaching and eventually opened a small shop in her home. By 1997, it was time to move the shop into a proper business space and Quilt and Co. was born. Claudia became the first European APQS dealer in 2005 and runs the entire European APQS showroom in Krefeld, Germany. In addition, she makes at least one show quilt a year, and recently took home first place prizes in two categories in addition to Best of Show and Best Long Arm Quilted at the International Quilt Show in Dubai.
ABOUT ISLAND BATIK
Website — Blog — Facebook — Pinterest — Twitter — Instagram
Island Batik is a manufacturer, importer, and distributor of cotton batik, rayon batik and hand-printed cotton from Indonesia. Originally established in 1997, Island Batik’s mission is to share the ancient cultural art of batik and hand-dyed fabric with our many valued customers around the world.
I love the colors and patterns of batiks.
I could do a lot with that fabric and thread!
I love the colors in batiks!
I love the colors, while still having a soft look that batiks have.
The vibrant colours.
I love the saturated colors and painterly quality.
Beautiful. I love that I can use either side of a batik and still get the same vibrant colours and design.
I love the vibrant colors, being able to mix and match easily, the fabric is so wonderfully easy to use.
I love this interview. The quilt “woven construction” is so cool. I really like the video on how batiks are made. so cool
Vibrant colours.
I love the patterns, I love those beautiful fabrics mixed with plain colors
I love the colors and who most are not directional.
I love batiks! The colors are so vibrant and the patterning is usually non directional. And the fabrics in my quilts hold up to washing better. I find it requires better points on my needles, so change needles more often when hand quilting. But you will love working with batiks. As always, I love my Aurifil threads. I am totally committed.
I love the richness of the colors.
The colors are great. I like that either side can be used with batiks.
I love the crisp feel of batiks and the wonderful colors.
Love the color saturation and textural impact of batiks.
Love, love, love the colors! So beautiful!
I love that batik fabrics blend so well with others.
I love the quality of the fabric in batiks (high thread count). I also love the way you can use both sides of the fabric in different ways.
Love Batiks. and Aurifil threads. A great combo. and Claudia’s work is beautiful.
I love the color combinations.
I love the cool feeling of batiks.
I love the variations in colour
I love the feel of the fabrics and all the rich colors and designs that batiks have. It is so much fun to look at all the fabrics on the wall at my LQS!
I like all the colors incorporated in batiks. But especially like yellows and purple together.
My favorite thing about batiks is that I can literally use them in any project I am doing and they will work. I love using them in my paper piecing projects especially. I just made a quilt with beautiful feathers I created myself and then paper pieced them and I used batiks and its gorgeous. I have made handbags and pillows and all sorts of goodies. I looove batiks.
I love the brightness of these fabrics, would be keen to learn some EPP using these fabrics. And start leaning hand quilting.
I love the variety of colors and the movement in many of the prints.
QuiltShopGal
http://www.quiltshopgal.com
Batiks are a wonderful accent–love all the colorways in this grouping….
Beautiful quilts and
I like that the Batik
fabric is so pretty
on both sides.
Carla from Utah
Batiks always catch my eye I love the saturation of colors
I love the different colors/shades in one piece of fabric and the wonderful stamped designs. Beautiful quilts and bags.
I love batis they are so vibrant on both sides of the fabric.
What I love best is that there are so many different designs in every piece of fabric. It works for just about every quilt or bag I make! 🙂
I love the rich colors & intricate designs.
I love the “watercolor” effect the way the colors all blend together. Beautiful colors!!
I love the beautiful colors and the designs that work so well as blenders. Also love that batiks are tightly woven and I don’t have to worry about right side and wrong side.
I love those saturated colors and their versatility!
One of the things I love most about these fabrics is that their color stay true and they work well with just about everything – fabrics and patterns.
I love the variety of colours in batik fabrics! 😃
It’s so fun looking at batiks and seeing all the bright colors!
I love the way the colours blend into each other in Batik fabrics.
Batiks work best for paper piecing! They are my go-to fabric for this type of piecing!
I love the smooth feel, no fraying, no right or wrong side, the depth of the colors and how well they all work together. I love Aurifil too, the only thread I use. Thanks for the great giveaway.
I love how colors can swirl together in batik fabrics. So many possibilities!
I love the color and texture of batiks. The patterns are texture and give depth to projects.
I love the colors and the versatility of the patterns.
I love the vibrant colors and the soft feel of it.
I love the intensity, and range, of beautiful colors in batik fabrics!
I love the way colors have different tones, light, to dark, and the hand it lovely to work with.
I love the color movement of batiks. They are so versatile and each piece has many ways to be used.
This line is super cute! Also great for mixing with non-batiks
Batiks are my favourite fabrics because of their rich colours, beautiful texture, and gorgeous print designs!!
I love the botanical nature of batiks and the way the shades of dye blend.
I love the color vibrancy and the texture!
Thank you.
The colors are beautiful.
The mix of color is such a nice blend
I love how incredibly cheerful they make me feel and how crisp they feel. I enjoy cutting and working with them.
I love the way the colors blend in a quilt! And they press so crisply!
A rainbow with neutrals! These are wonderful! And they way they blend and work with each other is amazing.
I’ve always been inspired by your use of color, and these new colors are wonderful!
Such beautiful colors!
I like how batiks all play well together!
What I enjoy the most about batik fabric is the variety in the print, even in the same color grouping.
I love the variety of color and tone with each piece of batik fabric. I enjoyed Claudia’s story!
I love the way they are tightly woven and iron up so crisp making them easy to work with!
I love these new lines, so nice. thanks for the chance to win
I love the vibrant colors and that the designs work to create more depth in the fabric!
I love the wide range of colors and patterns available in batiks. There is always something that fits just right in every project!
I see those batiks and I think rainbows.
I love how the colors merge into each other!
I love the crisp feel and deep rich colors that go right through to the other side. And I Love Dots!!
I love that the right and wrong sides are more or less interchangeable. And of course the gorgeous colors!
I love everything about batiks — I think you can never have too many batiks! I finally had to realize that I can’t have them all….
I love the rich depth of color in batik fabrics!!
(and that wonderful crisp “hand” and reversibility of batiks!)
And perhaps best of all,… I love that each piece of batik is a *unique work of art*!!
Thank you!…
…these batiks and *fantastic* threads are *Deliciously Inspirational!!!*
Pat T.
Loooove the colors, prints & quality!! Batiks are Gorgeous!!
Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way!! 😀
I love the depth of colour in batiks. And these colours are amazing!!!
I love the vivid colors, textures and the gorgeous designs.
The colors are so brilliant and the high thread count makes the fabric very stable without a lot of ravelling. It is just beautiful to work with batiks….quality batiks.
The ease of working with beautiful quality fabrics and the colors are so aesthetic! A win, win!
Gorgeous! I especially love Island Batik’s fabrics because they don’t fray, they feel great, the colors are so rich and wonderful, and you can find new fabric to coordinate with the older collections. So if you bought 5″ square packs, but didn’t get border yardage, you can find something that works, even a few years later. The designs are also lots of fun. There’s always something new.
I love that batiks are double sided — much less likelihood that I’ll need the seam ripper 😉
I love the beautiful colors, and the versatility.
I love the deep saturated colors of batiks. I also love how flat my piecing lays with batiks. The tight weave of the fabric makes piecing quilt blocks and getting them to lay flat easy. Thanks for the opportunity to win. Love those bundles!
I love the feel of Batiks. Always feels so smooth and soft. Thanks for the most generous giveaway.
I love the vibrant colors of batiks. You can get so many color combinations with batiks. They are wonderful to sew.
Love the rich colors and the look of hand made/painted textures! Thank you, Susan
I love that both sides are beautiful and saturated with color!
Gorgeous! I am in love with these colors, do need them!
Color and little fraying
I have to agree with you on loving the crispness and then add the amazing color combinations!
I love the smoothness of batik fabrics and the fact that you can use both sides (sometimes without knowing it) – the vivid colors and designs really appeal to me!!!
i love the visual texture that batiks create … you can have lights, mediums and darks all within one fabric … so they create light and shadow with drama when used it appliqué on my quilts
I love the colours and how they make great go to basics, there is a batik to go with everything. x
i love everything about batiks, color, designs, and the hand are all great.
the play of colour is what i love most
Love the colors in batiks!
I love the vibrant colors
I like the hand of the fabric – you never have to starch and the fact that batiks don’t fray is an absolute plus.
I love working with Baticks and these threads and fabrics are delicious
I love the colors and the movement in each piece. I also love the hand or feel of the fabric. They are easy to use.
Batiks are so versatile!
I love the brightness of the saturated colors of Batiks. Thanks!
I love the colours and that they are reversible for those days when you use the wrong side.
I love all the gorgeous colors!
They’re all gorgeous!
I love the colors and the feel of the fabric.
The colors !!!
I like the colors and that the fabric does not fray.
I love the beautiful variations of color that can be in one piece of fabric.
I just love the process and tradition rather than mass manufacturing. I wish batiks came in a heavier weight because I have a harder time sewing on them than with quilting cottons, but love the designs and flexibility that I keep trying!
I love the colours, the patterns and the feel of batik fabrics.
I love the dynamic and subtle colour variation in batik fabrics.
I love the vibrancy of the colors.
Batiks are just beautiful, regardless of how the fabric is placed, pieced or fabric paired with.
Plus I just love the color variety , value in each print. Thank you Claudia and Island Batiks for the colorful preview. It sure has brightened my dreary winter landscape.
These colors are absolutely luscious! I love Aurifil….and Island Batiks…and that they go so well together.
The colors of batiks are rich. By the way, the dots! Ohmygosh! I adores dots and these are awesome!
The beautiful colors and simplicity of the dots!
I love dots. When combined with batiks wow!
I love their richness of colors and the blending in of the patterns. Just wonderful to mix and match with other fabrics too!
I love the colors, and some of the designs! LOL!
I love the movement and texture (and that the “wrong” side can be used it I mess up cutting–lol!0.
The subtle textures of batiks are wonderful to work with. Dotty looks great!
I love the color and the patterns! Makes me so happy.
I love the deep, pure tones batiks have.
I love the variety of colors and patterns batiks are available in.
I love the deep colors and the natural tight weave of batiks.
I love the hand of the fabric, but most of all I love the rich saturated colors and the texture that blends with about anything I want to make.
WOVEN CONNECTION IS AWESOME
I love the vibrant colors of batik fabrics.
What gorgeous colours! Beautiful quilts.
THE BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF COLOR+DESIGN! THANK YOU!
The high thread count makes the fabric easy to work with.
I live batik’s rich colors
The bright colors and how you can blend them with prints as well.
I love the wonderful variation in colors and how they can be mixed and matched easily.
I love the vibrant colors, and they way they can be paired with anything and still sing! (lynnstck[at]yahoo.com)
I like the clear, rich colors of batiks.
I love the colors and the built-in “movement” in batiks.
The colors are what I love about batiks. Also, they have body and are easy to cut. The pieces keep their shape.
i love the rich, beautiful colors and patterns. I’m just finishing my first topper using Island Batiks and curved piecing, and the batiks are easy to work with for curves! I love batiks!
reillyr2(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love the rich, vibrant colors of these threads. I adore bright, cheerful quilts and these palettes are perfect for what I love.
I love the way the colors create play and movement against each other.
What’s not to love about batiks. The color variance is part of what I love just like when I hand dye fabric.
I like that they look like watercolors
I love the painterly quality and sturdiness of batiks
I love all the beautiful colors that they come in.
I love that they blend so well – they go with almost everything.
I love the vibrant colors.
Thanks,
Peggy
Peggy_verdongibbs@att.net
I love the variation of color.
The colors are so bright and vibrant. They always make me happy. A real plus for me (and a secret) is there is no right or wrong side. Which ever way I sew it, it is right! Love it. Thanks
What’s not to like? #1 is color.
The colors remind me of the ocean in Maine. My very favorite spot! Love the collection!
Thank you so much….this was an awesome giveaway. I can’t wait to receive my prize…..I am a lucky girl!