Blog – Studio Bill Locke

STITCHER’S TRIO – Templates

So, we have made it though a fun week of 5 Facebook Live Tutorials for the STITCHER’S TRIO projects – and we have all had such a fun time…..

I just wanted to take a moment to be sure that you had the templates that I promised you yesterday – the Applique Templates for the SPOOL/THREAD/NEEDLE as well as the Circle Template that I used to make my Pin Cushion.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend – thank you for such a fun stitching week!!!!

Bill

QUILT CANDY VIRTUAL TRUNK SHOW – Day 3 – Friday, April 03rd

And the fun and sharing continues – with another group of designers on today’s list…be sure to check them out from 12noon – 8 p.m. EST today….

12pm Darcy Hunter www.facebook.com/darcydoodlequilts
1pm Teresa Weaver www.facebook.com/yoursewingfriend
2pm Annette Ornelas https://www.facebook.com/southwind.designs/
3pm Jo Westfoot – The Crafty Nomad www.facebook.com/thecraftynomad
4pm Lynn Kane https://facebook.com/puppygirllynn
5pm Geeky Bobbin https://facebook.com/geekybobbin
6pm – No Trunk Show
7pm Laura Strickland https://m.facebook.com/orangeblossomquilt/
8pm Jen Frost https://www.facebook.com/FaithAndFabric/

MAKE IT MODERN WITH HOBBS!!!!!

Well, another month is almost over…..and it’s time to get the new project posted for the ISLAND BATIK AMBASSADORS program!!!! YEAH…I actually have 4 more days so I’m ahead of the game.. not an easy feat considering that this last couple of weeks have been so hectic…and that I am just getting back from the International Quilt Market in Kansas City. But…. I have been stitching quite a bit since I returned from Market…and one of the project was this May project for the Ambassador program.

The Theme this morning is MAKE IT MODERN WITH HOBBS….and the project requested was a crib size or larger quilt using Hobbs batting.

The first thing that I wanted to confirm was what would be the standard size for a crib quilt…well….that wasn’t going to be an answer that one would find quickly or ever. Every website that I checked had a different size for a crib quilt; so I opted to kind of average it out and make the size that best fit the idea that I had in my head.

My project for May is entitled “MODERN SAFARI”, 35″ x 45″

The quilt top is complete; although not yet quilted; with just getting back from the quilt market – and catching up on all of the deadlines, I felt that I’d get the top completed and then send this one off to my long arm quilter so she can work her magic on it over the next couple of weeks. My Quilter,Shelly Wicks of HALFYARD QUILTING STUDIO is the cat’s meow and will put another spin on this one with her quilting……then I’;ll be back with an update once the quilting is done and the the quilt has it’s binding.

Now, those of you who know me will know that there are really not a lot of modern bones in my creative mind or body…..if there is one, I’ve yet to find it. 🙂 But, with this challenge set forth in our Ambassador guidelines, I was very much looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone to create my version of what I feel modern would be for this project.

The one thing that I new I wanted to do was to use something that was fun like these animal print fabric…..and I had the perfect ones in my Island Batik stash in lovely 5″ strips.

Island Batik assorted animal print fabrics

I knew that a modern quilt needed to have one of the characteristics defined by the modern quilt quilt…. I thought that perhaps I covered the bold prints (kind of)…although I aimed for print style rather than bright colors. But, I saw a snippet of that blue shade coming though in one of the animal prints and decided that a vertical strip of that blue would make a splach of color in the quilt; and well, adding the red appliqued heart kind of gave it a double splash. Since it is a child’s quilt, I thought that the heart was appropriate.

Graphic area of solid color was another option – I used a lot of solid black – I am hoping that that will count towards this feature.

Minimalism is another modern feature. Perhaps with the very few pieces uses and the way that I’ve pieced this one, that may fit into the minimalism category.

This one will be quilted using the HOBBS 80/20 BLACK BATTING; the perfect batting for a quilt with a lot of black in the quit top/backing.

This easy and fun designs allows you to make an adorable quilt in a couple of hours….. all of the prints used in this quilt are 5″ wide x 31-1/2″ long.

Except for the top and black strips which are cut 3-3/4″ x 31-1/2″, the balance black strips are cut 4-1/2″ x 31-1/2″ long.

You’re simply sewing all of the strips together; then cutting 9-1/4″ from the right side of the quilt once the quilt top is complete.

The vertical stripe is a 2-1/2″ blue strip, with 1-1/5″ of black added to each side, then the quilt top pieces are stitched to this vertical strip. Once that is complete, the only other step was to applique the heart.

Now, how easy can making a child’s quilt be……VERY SIMPLY WITH LOTS OF IMPACT….you gotta love that. 🙂

Be sure to check out ISLAND BATIK on Facebook and see lots of other fun designs that are being presenting this month by all of the ISLAND BATIK AMBASSADORS. https://www.facebook.com/islandbatik/

I would like to also invite you to come over and visit me on Facebook and Instagram:

https://www.facebook.com/bill.locke.96

https://www.instagram.com/billlockedesigns/

I would like to take ISLAND BATIK For the beautiful fabrics that were supplied to make this fun quilt top and to HOBBS BATTING for so generously supplying the batting to complete the project.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Bill

Now’s that’s a good thing………

It seems that today our days are just so full of “stuff”… there’s this and that and everything else and we are wishing that the days were longer, etc……

Well, every now and then I will come across an article that just makes me smile – and this is one of those articles….and I just had to share the link with you. https://www.boredpanda.com/good-news-beds-for-animals-amarildo-silva/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic s

What a wonderful way to recycle, add a little sewing – and make a difference….this guy is rocking his part of the world…. it certainly is a good thing!!!!!!!

FIFTY 2019 Island Ambassadors to visit today!!!!!!!

Good Morning,,,
Here’s a little something for you to do while you are enjoying a cuppa today…. click on the link below to visit ISLAND BATIK and check out the 2019 ISLAND BATIK AMBASSADORS,,,, check out their links, follow their blogs, lots of great creativity in our 2019 group of 50 Ambassadors.

And….while you are there – discover the wonderful world of Island Batik. 🙂

Happy Stitching everyone!!!!!!!

https://www.islandbatik.com/news/index.php/2019-island-batik-ambassadors/?fbclid=IwAR3x2Yiz53OI_0bRo32WMykJ1gvavyeo8PTbyA1BZjIJqmvcbQ_xIyTFI1Q

And the 2019 Island Batik Ambassadorship has begun……

Each year, Island Batik chooses a number of designer to join their Ambassador program for the year. I am very excited to have been chosen to be one of those members for 2019.

Twice this year, we will receive goodie boxes of beautiful ISLAND BATIK Fabrics as well as products from their partners – and we’ll design and create fun projects each month so showcase the products and to share creative ideas with you. For the Studio, I’ll be posting on my blog regularly, as well, Live video feeds will be uploaded to my Facebook page both BILL LOCKE https://www.facebook.com/bill.locke.96 and BILL LOCKE DESGIGNS https://www.facebook.com/Bill-Locke-Designs-117513704974214/ .

All Videos will also be uploaded to my YOUTUBE Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTs89QP861pvw_HWuwzguFw?view_as=subscriber .

Please my Facebook pages to friend/like the pages in order to follow along with all that is happening at the Studio. Also, please be sure to check out my YOUTUBE Channel and subscribe to my page to receive updates of all that is happening there. There will be videos showing tons of fun precuts, demos, and even some fun giveaway…so you don’t want to miss out on those.

Yesterday I uploaded a Studio video to share the opening of the first 2 boxes that have arrived for the new Ambassadorship program….be sure to check it out!!!!

Be sure to also visit and like the ISLAND BATIK Facebook page where you’ll learn more about their fabrics and also get to see the fun things happening in the Ambassadorship program….be sure to visit all of this year’s Ambassadors’ link to see even more stitchy fun. https://www.facebook.com/islandbatik/ .

I would like to thank ISLAND BATIK once again for the opportunity – and all of the wonderful, fun goodies that will be enjoyed through this first half of this year (Another shipment will arrive in June), as well as their partners

ACCUQUILT, AURIFIL and HOBBS BATTING

Together, these are going to be an absolute blast to work with.

There’s a lot more to come…..but I just wanted to get you in on the Island Batik Ambassador loop so you can follow along!

I hope you’ll enjoy the video, and seeing so many beautiful things that arrived from the 4 sponsors of the program,

Happy Stitching everyone!!!!

Bill

STUDIO BILL LOCKE “On The Road”

Good Morning…

It’s Tuesday…. and it’s already the 1st of May…can you believe that? WOW….those first 4 months of 2018 just literally flew..but, here’s on to a brand new day and to have fun in the process 🙂 I am loving the changes here at the Studio and am enjoying my new space enormously….it definitely is the cat’s meow!!!! I still have a bit more of organization to take care off; orders to place and new ideas to introduce but it’s all coming together and we are definitely going to have even more fun going forward. 🙂

I just wanted to remind everyone that as a part of the new Studio move, time will be allotted to participate in local and not-so-local quilt shows and events. :-). I am already have several invitations for 2019 and am currently starting to organize a calendar of events.

If you would like STUDIO BILL LOCKE to be a vendor at your event; or if you’re looking for fun workshops, trunk shows or demo events, please write me via email: bill@studiobilllocke.com and in the subject line, please put “EVENT”. Remember, you can now book a STUDIO POP UP SHOP for any guild meeting/event……get to see new products, demos and shop in the comfort of your guild meeting.

For Vending, I am entertaining invitations from Quebec and Eastern Ontario at the Moment but I am open to other options.

For classes, workshops, trunk shows, demo events…. this creative passion will travel!! 🙂

Meanwhile, just a little reminder that I’ll be at the International Quilt Market in Portland, OR in 2 weeks so if there’s something that you want me to be on the lookout for you there, just holler. I’ll be away from May 15-21 so there will be no order picking/shipping during that time; but I will be posting new and exciting products that I find from Market during those days…I’ll be tempting you from afar. 🙂

I have received some special orders recently for some of you that I’ll catch up on this week…new shipments of goodies will be arriving over the next few days so I’ll be busy before Market, making sure I get everything caught up on before I go. For those of you who have ordered the Quilting Hoops, those are expected to arrive at the Studio on Friday or Monday so will be in touch at that time.

Happy Stitching everyone!!!

Quilty Hugs Across the Miles!!!!!

The Studio has moved!!!!

Yes, the studio has moved and I’ll be sharing an update of the developments with you soon..I PROMISE!!!

It is taking longer than anticipated to draft the message – but it will be posted here on my Blog within the next little while….. 🙂

Thanks to everyone for your support and patience!!!!!