Welcome to day 2 of our 4th Island Batik Week!! These fabrics are such a breath of fresh air in the middle of Winter! We absolutely adore working with this wonderful company and have so much respect for its designers. We’ll be featuring one designer every day this week and each post will offer a fabric + thread giveaway, so make sure to come back daily to learn more and to enter-to-win some gorgeous prizes!
To learn about Island Batik and the batik process, please visit their website. For a peek at the full range of Spring/Summer 2017 releases, in-stores now, click here or on the image below to browse the catalog.
ISLAND BATIK WEEK SCHEDULE
February 19 – Jackie Kunkel (Jackie’s post — Island Batik’s post)
February 20 – Nan Baker (Nan’s post — Island Batik’s post)
February 21 – Tammy Silvers (Tammy’s Blog – Island Batik’s post)
February 22 – Ebony Love (Ebony’s Blog – Island Batik’s post)
February 23 – Kari Nichols (Kari’s Website)
Northern Woods is such a gorgeous and richly hued collection. Designed by Kathy Engle for Nan Baker of Purrfect Spots, it is an earth-toned grouping of greens, browns, and deep orange offset by the perfect amount of neutral tones. The collection features mountains, trees, and forest brush, perfectly representative of the Northern Woods!
While Nan does not have a coordinating Aurifil Thread collection, she is a dedicated Aurifil user and worked with a variety of our threads on her Northern Woods projects. Her favorite coordinates are:
5024 – 2318 – 5023 – 2810 – 2335 – 2372
She favors both 50wt and 40wt threads, depending on the project.
THE INTERVIEW
How did you first connect with Island Batik?
I stopped by their booth at Quilt Market in 2013 and started talking with them and the rest as they say is history!
What do you love most about working with batik fabrics?
The crispness of the fabric makes Island Batik fabrics so easy and fun to use. Also the variety of colors and designs is limitless and add such rich tones to any quilt. Their collections also coordinate well together so you can use colors from several collections to create your design.
Can you tell us a bit more about this collection and what it means to you?
Well first of all, it was an honor to have my own Signature Collection, Northern Woods by Kathy Engle for Island Batik. And I was thrilled as I got to work with my favorite colors. I am a “Fall Person” and I love everything about it. And the name Northern Woods I loved as well as I love the northwest and all its beauty. This collection really spoke to me. However not in the way one would think. I had thought about what wonderful names I could use for my quilts regarding the outdoors, but it didn’t work out that way. The more I worked with the rich browns, bieges, blues, etc. I began to see chocolate, caramel, blueberries, etc. How does that relate to the Northwest?
As I am an animal person, I decided to bring bears into the mix. It is known that bears hibernate in the winter time, but not my bears!
They make “Sweet Treats” so you have Blueberry Cheesecake, Butterscotch Ripple, and Chocolate Caramel Swirl. But they can’t eat sweets all the time. They have to have their veggies so we have Fruit Salad plus Morels and More. So my Northern Woods collection turned into a Magical Northern Woods Collection with very talented Bear Chefs!
Do you have a favorite project or projects made with this collection?
I loved them all and it would really be hard to choose a favorite. There was something special about each one. I really can’t choose as it would be like asking which is your favorite pet when you have quite a few. They are all unique and wonderful in their quirky little way.
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about working with them?
I started using Aurifil Threads in 2012 (if memory serves me correctly). The colors blend beautifully with the fabrics and there is such a wide range of colors offered, I can get the “purrfect” combination. The threads work beautifully with my Bernina machines (domestic sewing machines) and that means a lot. I love the coverage when I do machine applique. And occasionally I use the Invisible Thread and it is the best! It never breaks! They are also great for hand applique!
Do you have any tips for using Aurifil 100% Cotton Threads with Island Batik Cotton fabrics?
I found when I quilted with Aurifil on my Northern Woods collection, I really liked how the threads and fabric complimented each other. The fabric just flows beautifully when sewn with Aurifil Threads so my tip is to relax and enjoy! The two make a great team!
What is coming up next for you, where can we find you this year?
I am so excited about this year! I am writing a book with a fellow Island Batik Designer, Margaret Willingham, Eye of the Beholder Quilt Design. (By the way, Margaret did a table runner and placemats with my Northern Woods collection called “Yorkshire Pudding”.) Of course we are using Island Batik Fabrics and Aurifil Threads for all our projects. We will introduce our book at Fall Market in Houston, so look for us there! And thank you for this opportunity to share my Northern Woods collection.
THE GIVEAWAY 
To enter-to-win one Fat Eighth Bundle of Nothern Woods fabrics from Island Batik and a set of 6 LG spools of coordinating Aurifil 50wt thread, 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 Friday, March 2! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Monday, March 5. Good luck!
ABOUT NAN
Blog — Facebook — Instagram
Nan Baker has been stitching all of her life and created her company, PURRFECT SPOTS, to combine her love for needlework with her love for animals. Her designs have appeared in many publications including The Quilt Pattern Magazine, Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, American Patchwork and Quilting, Fons & Porter Love of Quilting and on QNNtv.com. She is the Marketing Director for The Quilt Pattern Magazine and spearheaded the TQPM Kennel Quilt Team initiative which helps shelter pets in disasters.
Nan was a member of the Disaster Animal Response Team for The Humane Society of the United States. As a result of her disaster work, she created The CASEY Plan (Caring for Animals Safely in Emergencies during the Year) which is a nationwide program. A portion of her sales is donated to helping animals in disasters.
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.
** Images courtesy of Island Batik and Nan Baker**
Nan, you have a heart of gold along with so much creativity!!!
Lovely projects! And lovely colors in the fabric collection. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
The colours are so beautiful. I love the browns, blues and greens.
I am inspired by the colors and textures of this collection.
Love the colors especially that blue with that brown.
I love how your imagination ran with the “sweet treats” – It was an honor to work with your collection from Island Batik and design Mint Chocolate Chip – thanks for including me!
This collection reminds me of our childhood vacations to Patrick Creek Lodge in Northern California. This might be the perfect collection with which to create a quilt for my brother!
PS – thank you sew much for listing the Aurfil thread colors, I’m “growing” my collection – I have a project planned with the Northern Woods fabric so now I know the perfect thread colors that match!
What beautiful quilts and all. I love the mushroom quilt! Super cute! Everything about this fabric and thread collection is inspiring. I think the colors are the most inspiring to me. Have a fun evening! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom
Love the colors and all of the quilts.
I love the colors of these batiks as they certainly do remind me of a walk in my local woods. These tones are very good for making art quilts with so much depth in the colors.
This collection is beautiful
Beautiful fabrics always make me want to drop everything and run to the studio…especially when I am cooking!!
I, too, am a fall person. These are stunning. My home is decorated in fall colors. So I would probably make table runners or a wall hanging. I love working with batiks and with Aurifil thread. Thanks for this great giveaway.
Such pretty, earthy tones, thanks for the great giveaway
I love the beautiful prints and rich colors.
I love the earthy tones! This would go great in an art quilt I’ve been wanting to make!
I love the nature inspiration in this collection. In the middle of winter, it’s so nice to think about the outdoors!
I love nature, and these are gorgeous!
I love nature and autumn. These Northern Woods fabrics answer to those two loves and fill me with inspiration. Thank you for offering this giveaway. I have my fingers crossed!
The contrast of the blues with the browns ts just beautiful! So inspiring!
I love the colors, and that they are batiks!
The depths of color, nature-inspired!! Thank you!
I love the colors!! Thanks for the chance to win 😊.
these are totally my colors, browns and aquas!
I am also a lover of fall colors, so these really speak to me.
Anything that has green or turquoise in it somewhere is definitely something I need!
What a beautiful collection! Fall is my favorite season, and I don’t think you can ever have too many northwest-style fabrics. Your work with animal rescue is so inspiring. They need all our care and support.
What inspires you about the Northern Woods collection? Everything, the colors, the designs… Beautiful fabrics.
Nan, your quilts are wonderful, Prisms is one of my favorites! This collection has all the color combinations that are my favorites – turquoises, creams & brown with the added green – perfect! Thank you for sharing, Susan
This collection inspires me to get together with my relatives than live out in the country. The smell of fresh air and cows mooing seems to be calling me now.
The collection of fall colored fabrics is just scrumptious. I can see a purse or table runner to warm up the house. I love the way the turquoise thread just sparkles and can see how some complimentary fabrics would add some zing to a project.
I love the colors and patterns of the Northern Woods Island Batik Collection. The fall colors…blues, greens, browns all combine so beautifully!!
Have always loved the fall / harvest colors. Just beautiful!
Reminds me of Fall! My favorite Season… These colors are Beautiful!! Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way too! 🙂
These fabrics remind me of childhood camping trips. Hours spent under the trees and in the lakes made for fun times all around!
This collection inspires me to create a mans quilt.
I like the rich browns with the soft earthy colors. Batiks are just gorgeous!
Just like Nan, I love fall. Her North Woods Collection is lovely, and the quilts are awesome. The Aurifil thread colors are yummy, the browns so rich. I love them.
Love mountains, nature and this is beautiful!
I am always drawn to anything to do with fall….my favorite season! I love fall colors and actually, I am a “fall.” Remember when we all got “our colors done.?” Love this collection and would make a gorgeous quilt for myself with them. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m inspired by the colors and textures. This fabric line is very peaceful and grounding to me.
It’s the colors and fabric design of this collection that inspires me most! All of it is so warm and cozy feeling.
This collection looks like it will go with a lot of batiks I have in my stash. Plus I like the foresty designs.
The colors of this collection are just wonderful and inspire me to make a quilt for my living room. The colors match a piece of artwork on my wall!
These are my colors! I am born in the fall and have always been attracted to these colors.
Love all the earth tones in this collection with a dash of blue
I’m inspired by the rich colors of this collection.
Lovely earth tones in this collection! Great projects shown.
Wonderful earthy tones with the turquoise coming through like a vein of semi precious stone in a rock.
A beautiful collection of gorgeous fabrics so fitting for fall – I look forward to using them in a quilt treat that looks good enough to eat!
I love Nan’s pattern names. So creative and fun. I’m just inspired by everything, and the brown and teal are such a fun combination.
The teal and brown go together so perfectly I would say they are inspiration alone. I live in the South and see a variety of mushrooms and I am surrounded by trees. You have captured a lot of them.
The colors are beautiful, and seeing things made using it makes me want to start sewing it also.
Such beautiful colors for my favorite time of the year!
inspirational colours!
Love the colors and Nan’s patterns are both so inspirational.
I’m inspired by the nature of it, literally….the outdoor feel, the pops of Baja
(like turquoise gems)…it’s all so beautiful. THank you for the preview…Prism is my favorite.
The greens and blues give life to the earthtones and also spark infinite inspiration for me to create something beautiful with these yummy fabrics.
I love her Mint Chocolate Chip quilt. The colors remind me of the forest around my house. thanks for the giveaway. grinnie1961 at gmail dot com
I love the range of beautiful colors
This is a wonderful collection of colors and patterns. Thanks for your creativity.
Love Fall and the warm woodsy colors of the fabrics.
I love the earthiness of the colors.
I’m not always a fan of browns and greens – but the blends of blues and teal thrown in gives these quilts a whole different look – Beautiful! Thanks for sharing and the chance to win 🙂
How to enter giveaway when I do not do Facebook or Instagram? I love these fabrics. Can the threads be used in a machine?
Island Batik and Aurifil…all the inspiration I need!
These fabrics are so rich and inviting.
I find the complementary colors of browns and aquas so inspiring. Love the richness of the fabric.
The rich earth colors inspire me. The warm rich browns, colorful aqua, bright rust and the others.
Prisms quilt really inspires me.
These colors and fabrics inspires me to make a log cabin quilt with them.
I love the brown and earth tones in the fabrics. Thanks!
I love the brown and beige tones.
I’ve always loved fall colours and when summer turns to fall, that is when you need to get out the quilts!
Fall colors along a lake is what these fabrics remind me of! Great for a man’s quilt.
Lovely colours!
What beautiful colors from nature! I love the quilts!
Those colors radiant warmth.
The rich browns inspire me. They are so beautiful.
These inspire me because I think of the beautiful colors of nature.
It never hurts to have some tones from nature in one’s collection (aka “stash”), right?
This collection has to be my fav…earthy colours. The richness of these inspire me
I love nature prints and this collection has such a great variety. Makes me want to make a beautiful nature inspired quilt.
I don’t use a lot of neutral fabrics in my projects, but the mushroom quilt shown in the post has inspired me to give it a try.
The browns and teals are wonderful together, such subtle changes in the colors!
I love the nature designs in this line–beautiful!
barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)
Wonderful colours for a nature quilt.
Love the textures – great nature colors.
I think the warm and rich colors!
I love the woodsy, earth tones in this beautiful collection!
Great earthy colors my husband would love. Thanks!
I love the nature patterns and colors, my favorites.