Island Batik April 2019 {AccuQuilt Ready. Set. GO!}

The products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik, Hobbs, AccuQuilt, and Aurifil.

April brought the first Island Batik industry partner spotlight challenge! This year, AccuQuilt generously provided all the Island Batik Ambassadors with the amazing Ready. Set. GO! Ultimate Fabric Cutting System. This starter set includes:

• GO! Fabric Cutter
• GO! Qube 8" Mix & Match Block
• GO! Strip Cutter-2 1/2" (2" Finished)
• GO! Cutting Mats: 6" x 6" and 10" x 24"
• GO! Qube Book by Eleanor Burns
• Die Pick
• Over 70 free patterns!

For those that follow me on Instagram, you know that I love my AccuQuilt! This system allows me to quickly and accurately cut my fabric so I can spend more time designing and sewing. I enjoy creating with the AccuQuilt Qubes because I can randomly cut and sew my pieces, and I know they're going to work together. (Seriously...quilt math is not my forte!) For the April project, Ambassadors were asked to use AccuQuilt dies to make a baby quilt that is 40" to 48" square. 

AccuQuilt has a free download of 72 block patterns you can make with the Qubes. I couldn't decide on a block, so I looked through some of my Pinterest pins for ideas. (In addition to using my fabric stash, I'm also trying to make some of the many ideas I have pinned over the years.) I was drawn to a HST Block of the Month from February 2012 by Jeni Baker of In Color Order. I decided to use that block for my quilt but make flying geese instead of half-square triangles. I used die 3 (GO! Half Square Triangle-4" Finished Square) for the main part of the flying geese and die 5 (GO! Quarter Square Triangle-4" Finished Square) for the corners. I used a stash builder (roll of 5" strips) of bright fabrics in greens, purples and aquas and added in some Check It Out Hot Pink.

By cutting up to 6 layers at a time, the AccuQuilt really decreases the amount of time spent cutting. Having all the pieces cut and ready to go makes for some quick chain piecing. 

Before you know it, you're on your way to having a completed quilt top! I cut and pieced my quilt in my new studio, Happy Little Stitches. I've never really had room for a design wall at home, so it is wonderful having space to layout (and leave!) projects.

I quilted this on my APQS Lucey with the Papyrus pantograph from Urban Elementz. I just bought a 30-yard roll of Hobbs 80/20 Cotton/Poly batting, and I love how it quilts up. (There's going to be some amazing crinkle texture after this is washed!) I finished the binding with some hand stitching using 3 strands of Aurifil cotton floss (1148 Light Jade).

The completed quilt! Even though I used the 8-inch Qube, my blocks ended up about 11 inches because I used the half-square triangle die on point. The completed quilt is approximately 42 inches square. 

Thanks for stopping by!