“Christmas in July”

This month’s challenge was to make a project using the new GO! Block on Board (BOB) die by AccuQuilt. All 73 of the pieces you need to make a Tree of Life block is included in this die generously supplied by AccuQuilt. I’ve always loved Tree of Life Quilts, but so many pieces! The die made the cutting painless.

Also, because it was a “Christmas in July” project we are to give what we create to a charity of our choice or someone who could use some joy in their life.

As I started my plan, my favorite charity in Tallahassee is Sleep in Heavenly Peace/No Child Without a Bed. It’s a great nonprofit that makes sure no child is sleeping on the floor, but what happens sometimes is that an older child is getting a bed and all the extras (mattress, sheets, quilt) that go with it, but a toddler in the same house doesn’t necessarily get anything. That’s where a baby quilt is helpful to make them feel special too.

So this was my original plan, to give the quilt to No Child Without a Bed, but as I was making the quilt, I thought of someone a little closer to my heart. A beautiful young lady passed away during childbirth recently, leaving a precious baby boy without his mother. I knew this quilt had to go to him. I will have to mail the quilt so sorry, no picture.

I used Island Batik’s Foundation fabrics, Bermuda, Apple, Large Netting Lemongrass, and an orange fabric I pulled from my stash builders. It was bright and cheerful. I also used, Eggshell, for the tree background and, Butter, for the outer background.

I had an idea what I wanted to do, but the quilt developed on my design wall.

I liked this (above), but it needed something more. I decided to use AccuQuilt Go!’s Owl #55333 to add a little more fun. There is an embroidery design that you could download to attach the owls, but I loved how I could manipulate the wings and the eyes for a little variety. Aren’t they cute? And that pressing mat by Prairie Spirit Alpaca is awsome! I absolutely love it.

I pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread and I used a Schmetz microtex needle for the piecing.

Disclosure: The products in this post were provided by Island Batik, Aurifil Thread, Schmetz Needles and Prairie Spirit Alpaca.

Be sure to go and see what the my fellow Island Batik Ambassadors made with their Tree of Life die. They are all so creative!

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Megan Best ~ Bestquilter
Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts
Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio
Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine
Anorina Morris – sameliasmum.com

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads
Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute And Quirky
Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt