Welcome, friends!
I have a lot to share with you today (even some pictures for a change!), so let’s not waste any time! I’ll begin with A Fishy Story...... hehehe. My dear friend Preeti. who is also an Island Batik Ambassador, has a great new pattern that she is calling A Fishy Story. She tells the tale on her blog, which you can visit HERE if you haven’t already seen it.
Preeti asked me to be a pattern tester for her, and I excitedly agreed. Why? Because I saw the pattern and knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to learn how to make HRTs, or half-rectangle triangles. Well, also because I love Preeti to the moon and back, but that’s another story..... Anyway, it was a super quick timing window, so I only had the opportunity to make a wall hanging. But rest assured that these fishy beauties are going to be a super Rainbow Scrap Challenge block for me in 2024! I need more of my fishy friends in my life (said the Pisces girl!)
Without further ado, let’s first view the “class picture” of this school of fish, shall we? I’ve got to add a disclaimer here. The last several days have been cloudy, dark and blustery. So I apologize for the (lack of) photo quality. Outdoors was not an option, and indoors was gloomy. Except for this lively school of fish!
Look - I cropped the nose off the lead fish with the camera. But let me tell you, there is NO chance of that happening when you are sewing them and following Preeti’s stellar pattern. Her directions for making the HRTs are so clear and concise - I felt as though she was there in person, guiding me along step by step.
I made two of these batik buddy fish (individual class photos, LOL).
This one’s body is a different batik, because..... variety is the spice of life. And after all, they aren’t twins! But look at their nice fins!!
Speaking of twins, I did make two of these aquamarine fish. Preeti’s pattern has you make them in pairs to save fabric and time. It’s a slick technique!
The quilting, some serpentine lines done with my walking foot, were supposed to be random widths apart, but I don’t think I made them random enough. Live and learn. Next time I’ll just use a regular straight stitch and sew the wavy lines more organically/naturally.
You can find the A Fishy Story patten in
Preeti’s Etsy shop. In addition to the adorable pattern, the directions for making precise HRTs alone are totally worth it! And for the next week, the pattern will be on sale for 20% off, so don’t wait.
So, here are my silly fish, clowning around on the design board. First they decided to swim one direction....
And then they decided to swim a different direction.... They must be in middle school, LOL!!
I told the class that they were going to have to make up their minds so that I could sew on a hanging sleeve. They finally calmed down enough to decide to swim west.....
And that’s where they’ll play for awhile on the living room wall.
Now it’s time for the giveaway announcement! Preeti is giving away a free copy of her pattern to one lucky person who leaves a comment on this blog post. All you have to do is tell me what your favorite type of fish is - whether that favorite type of fish is to eat (don’t say it too loud, we don’t want the class to hear! Wink!) or just to look at. I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner and will announce the winner next week here on the blog. You have until Thursday, April 27 at midnight (Mountain Daylight Time) to get your comments in. Also, please leave your email address in your comment if you’re a No-Reply Blogger.
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Oh, and of course I didn’t forget my
Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks this week! Here are the 37 - 6” (finished size) purple string blocks I sewed. Two sets of 15 will go to Quilts for Kids to be used in quilt kits. The other 7 will go into the ever-growing pile of assorted blocks and scraps that will eventually become a Purple Creature quilt.
Next week: Giveaway winner announcement and the long-awaited Elephant Trunk Show! That is, if I don’t spend too much time in the garden hauling fresh new soil into the flower beds. We’ll see which way Mother Nature and her April Showers vote!
34 comments:
OMGosh! I was supposed to be sewing purple string blocks this month! You put me to shame! I’ll fix that this week! ps: yours are wonderful! I was debating about another pattern and learning HRTs, but you have won me over. I’m off to visit Preeti! Isn’t she just the best! I would love to meet you both in person! I think you(fellow Pisces girl) and I could be friends. And I’m sure Preeti would fit right in!
Batiks are absolutely perfect for the fishies! So cute.
I loved the blue strings when you made those, but now I'm finding myself to be very fickle and I'm loving on the purples. Just don't tell the blues, ok?
Your take on the fish quilt is very pretty. I love the batiks you chose. Favorite fish? Hmmm….I don’t know much about fish, but for a few ears when my kids were preteens they had Beta Fish as pets. They had pretty colors that could be well represented in batiks!
That's a fun fishy wall-hanging and great to hear your experience of making Preeti's fish blocks, too! I'm not sure I've ever made an HRT, but I do know that Preeti is a good pattern writer. Snow on the ground here this morning, so no gardening, but it's such good moisture we can't complain!
Too cute! And Preeti always gives such good directions. I'd love to win that pattern.
Very adorable fish!!! Thank you so much for test driving my pattern. I feel loved :-) Yes, to the moon and back. Big Squishy Hugs to you!!!
Love those batiks! We used to take the kids out fishing (catch and release) a couple of times a month in the summer, My oldest daughter once caught a 3lb bass with a cheeto because she ran out of worms and her brother would not give her one of his! The best "Fishing is snorkeling in Hawaii, where there is every color and size of fish to watch. My favorite fish is one named by the children of Hawaii schools the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa , which means trigger fish with a nose like a pig's snout.
Preeti’s pattern for the fish is great. I can see why you were excited to try it out and you made a great job. Love all the purple string blocks, you make these so quickly, I’m impressed. You are very generous with your kit-making.
What a charming pattern and so beautifully executed.
I just bought the HRT ruler. This would be a great pattern to try it on. Hope I win. Darlene dhoctor@sbcglobal.net
You can't go wrong with colorful string blocks! I just had to buy Preeti's fish pattern this morning, and began imagining how I might use it.
I would like to learn to make HRTs myself. My favorite fish to eat is grilled mahi mahi.
Had to chuckle about the middle school fish! Glad they figured out which way to swim. They look great and I've never heard of HRT's but I think they are something I need to look into! Have a great week, and I hope Mother Nature lets you do a bit of both activities.
Preeti’s fish are wonderful especially in those luscious batiks. My favorite fish is salmon. (It’s tonight’s dinner) String blocks are a favorite of mine, love the purple.
Quel bel ouvrage ! Mon poisson préféré est led scalaire. J'espère que mon commentaire sera pris dans le filet ! Amicalement, Fabie
My favorite fish is trout. I love that pattern; it would be adorable for a baby to explore. Sue reads4446 at yahoo
I got so busy gushing about the purple strings and learning to make HRT, I forgot to tell you my favorite fish! Koi are fun to watch, but rainbow trout are pretty too and tasty the way a favorite Aunt prepared them!
More fabulous fish! I've just finished reading Preeti's fishy prose, and your story was next in line. Like Char, my favourite fish to eat is salmon, if it's on the menu when we eat out, that's what I order.
What beautiful blocks! So vibrant in purples! Happy Stitching from me!
I saw Preeti's fish on Instagram (Her posts come after yours on my Feedly list, so I haven't read the blog post yet). My favorite fish is rainbow trout, of course, and I'm a Pisces, too. That's a lot of purple string blocks.
Pat
My favorite fish is koi. They come in different colors and look so graceful when they swim!
Carol
Sandyzoo45@comcast.net
the fishy's are neat and I have some of those batiks in my stash or recently used as I recognize quite a few of them.
Love your colorful fish! They remind me very much of my favorite fish tank resident, Angel Fish!
Love these fishy blocks, My favorite fish is Angel fish. but to it is Grouper!
I love the whimsiness of the fish. Thay are so cute. Thanks!!
Batiks are wonderful for this pattern! Favorite fish? I'd have to saw it would be Rainbow Trout. They are very hardy souls, tenacious and beautiful. And they live in my neck of the woods! Can't wait to see your Elephant Trunk Show :) (mountainquiltworks at gmail)
Super cute fish, Cathy, and I absolutely LOVE those PURPLE strings!!!
I was fond of keeping guppies as a child. I was inspired to do so by reading Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
I'm a salmon gal. I like trying to catch them. Sometimes, they can be quite illusive!!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
You passed the pattern test, Cathy. And a giveaway? Count me in the pool (or the fish pond). I'll say Atlantic bluefish. Takes me back to New England summertime.
Cool Pattern. I worked in a pet store for a little and there was a really cool fish called the black ghost knife. Such a neat fish.
Great pattern. Who doesn't love seeing the Salmon swim upstream?
I remember feeding guppies as a kid, and long unsuccessful fishing trips...now I prefer fishy quilts,although those fish fins look tricky!!
The batik fabrics work so perfectly for this pattern! My favourite fish is freshly caught rainbow trout - the little ones found in.mountain streams. (lisaf232@gmail.com)
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