Island Batik Tis' the Season For Giving

As this time of year is a Season of Giving, it is only natural that Island Batik chose this theme for the December Island Batik Ambassador project.

We were asked to choose a charity of our choice and make a quilt or quilts for them. Well, I knew immediately what I was going to do. As most of you have guessed, I am definitely an animal person and anytime I can help animals I do. 

Therefore I made Kennel Quilts for the TQPM Kennel Quilt Team. This was a group started by The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) who partnered with the Petfinder Foundation after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. TQPM asked their readers to make Kennel Quilts to help the animals shelters that were affected by disasters. These are wonderful little quilts measuring 12" x 18" that fit most carriers and kennels in animal shelters.

These Kennel Quilts were made with Island Batik fabrics about a year ago and sent to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, CO.
  








Well there have been many disasters since Hurricane Sandy including more hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, explosions, hoarding cases, etc. so Kennel Quilts continue to be made. There are over 1000 team members (all volunteer) and almost 10,000 Kennel Quilts have been made and given to shelters all over the US and Canada. To find out more about this great program, click here or go to www.kennelquilts.com.

Strips are great for making Kennel Quilts. So I found some lovely 2" strips in my Goodie Box that Island Batik sent me and separated them into four piles to make four Kennel Quilts. (See the strips at the top of the picture.)








 
Kennel Quilts are a great project for beginning quilters as the animals don't care if the colors don't go together or if the points don't match. They just love to have a soft and warm spot to nap. Penny is certainly enjoying her Kennel Quilt. Don't the lovely Island Batik fabrics make her look so pretty?
I am happy to announce that she was adopted right after this picture was taken!

    

TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team had just put out a call for a shelter in Tennessee that was helping animals affected by the fires. Therefore my Kennel Quilts were sent to the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley in Knoxville, TN. They had taken in all the animals from another shelter that had to evacuate plus they were caring for lost and displaced pets as well.







Because the Kennel Quilts have been so successful and helped so many shelter pets, other quilting industry professionals have partnered with The Quilt Pattern Magazine to support "Piece for Shelter Pets" by making Kennel Quilts. 

I am happy to announce that Island Batik is a partner in  the "Piece for Shelter Pets" initiative. Two of their new fabric collections will be arriving at your local quilt shop in January - the "Fifi and Fido" Collection and the "Happy Hounds" Collection. These are lovely animal batiks. A portion of the fabric sales will go to the Petfinder Foundation to help shelter pets. Isn't that great?

Other exciting things are getting ready to happen as well in the "Piece for Shelter Pets" initiative in the coming months so be sure and stay tuned!

Isn't it wonderful that the season of giving to help shelter animals will continue all year long?

Thanks for stopping by. 

Happy New Year.

Until next time,
Nan

Island Batik Winter Wonderland

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were asked to do a Winter Wonderland project. We could do whatever we wanted using the lovely fabrics of Island Batik.  Well around the holiday season, I do love Christmas projects, but usually never have enough time!

Not so this year, I finally got to make some lovely fabric snowflakes that I had seen Jennifer Bosworth make on YouTube. I was not disappointed. I  made two, but plan on making more as they are so much fun. Actually they are just like cats - you can't have just one!

So here are a few of the steps and then the snowflakes! 

 I chose my fabrics and then followed the simple steps! See below!

Aren't they pretty? Thank you for stopping by and hope you have a Merry Christmas!

        

                                                                                         Until next time,

                                                                                                    Nan

Island Batik Pumpkin Fest

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors are having a Pumpkin Fest! First of all, who doesn't love pumpkins? Their size, their unique shapes, their colors are just too much fun!

I personally love pumpkins especially pumpkin lattes, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie (I think you get the idea). So I was delighted with this month's theme.








 


I used wonderful fabrics from Island Batik
that just scream pumpkin. Look at all these beautiful shades. 

I thought of a lot of different designs, but decided on this one! It is called
 "Gibbs in the Pumpkin Patch."

Here is a closer view.

And still another view. Don't you just love how all the pumpkins are not only unique in size, but in color as well?

There is one other thing that is unique about this picture and that is Gibbs, my cat. Do you see that his left ear is tipped?

This is Gibbs and he is a feral cat. His left ear has been tipped which told me that he had been fixed as  eartipping is an effective and universally accepted method to identify a spayed or neutered and vaccinated community cat. He just appeared in my neighborhood one day. I have been working with him for a year. 

It has been very trying at times because he has been very slow to trust me, but he is slowly coming around. 

I thought he would be a "Purrfect" addition to my Pumpkin Fest design as it would be just like him to be in the Pumpkin Patch at night under the full moon.

I haven't quilted this yet as I really like it and I want to make sure I quilt it the right way. Getting ready for International Quilt Market in Houston next week hasn't given me much time and I don't want to rush. So I will share when I do get it quilted later this year.

I hope you will share your favorite pumpkin treats and also tell me any stories about your kitties.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful fall!

Piece for Shelter Pets

October is national Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month and some quilt industry professionals are partnering with the Petfinder Foundation to create awareness of Shelter Dogs (and Cats) that need “ furrever” homes. It is an unusual combination but one that is working beautifully to help our furry friends.  

Armando from Missouri

These quilters are animal lovers and are helping shelter animals in ways that are new and unique.  

So join us in the October Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month and see how we are helping and how you can help. 

We invite you to
 “Piece for Shelter Pets”. 

It all began with The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) who partnered with the Petfinder Foundation to form the TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team after Hurricane Sandy. TQPM helped animal shelters in New York and New Jersey affected by disasters by sending Kennel Quilts for the displaced animals. Since then the program has continued to grow and over 8000 Kennel Quilts have been sent to shelters all over the US and Canada. There are over 900 members on the TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team.  Join our Team here!

 

Our little “SpokesKitty”  Pretty Girl is an HSPPR (The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region) adoptee photographed on her Kennel Quilt during the 2013 Colorado fires! Who could resist that sweet face?

There are so many stories about Kennel Quilts and I wish I could share them all but you would be reading forever. The Kennel Quilts bring joy not only to the furry friends, but to the shelter staff and the volunteers. They see warm comfy bright “spots” all around during traumatic times. It also lets the shelter staff know that they are not the forgotten victims as sometimes animals are. Making the Kennel Quilts brings joy to the quilters as they are joining a larger effort to help their animal friends in times of need by doing what they love. 

Toby from Colorado

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, so here are some that show Kennel Quilts and the happy recipients from shelters all over the United States. These are just a few of many.

Eunice from New York     

Onyx from Missouri

Socks from New York











Pug from Texas  

Ori and Ziggy from Louisiana

                           

 Puppy from Pennsylvania

  












 


To help with this endeavor, Aurifil Theads became the first partner and offered a Small Kennel Quilt Thread Kit with Pretty Girl on the cover. The threads are all pet colors which are neutrals. 






 They will be introducing two more Thread Collections at the International Quilt Market in Houston this month. A portion of sales goes to the Petfinder Foundation.

Holly from Canada

Gary from Italy

Bernina of America  was the next partner and created a special edition Best Friends sewing machine featuring paw prints on the face plate. They have donated $30,000 to the Petfinder Foundation from the sales of the machine.

Island Batik has joined  in the partnership and is introducing two new animal fabric lines at International Quilt Market. A portion of their sales will go to the Petfinder Foundation.

 Fifi and Fido Kennel Quilt

 

                 


        Happy Hounds Kennel Quilt
                                             






 


Quilty Box  is  making up special TQPM Kennel Quilt boxes and the Petfinder Foundation will be the recipient of a portion of their sales.

 






Benartex  has jumped onboard and will introduce new fabrics at International Quilt Market which will benefit the Petfinder Foundation. 


                                                         The Joey Collection






All these companies are sending the same message that Shelter Animals need our help and we can “Piece for Shelter Pets” to bring them some peace during a tough time in their life. 

There are so many shelter animals that want a home. This is a great time to check with your local shelter for your “furrever” friend or you can check out Petfinder.com. However if you can’t adopt at this time, there are numerous other ways to help as you can see by our blogs Please join us in this effort and Remember to Adopt –don’t shop!

We hope you will read all the stories from the different companies.

The schedule is below:

Blog Hop Schedule:

10/5 – The Quilt Pattern Magazine/Nan Baker of Purrfect Spots

10/7 – Aurifil 

10/12 – Island Batik

10/14 – Quilty Box (instagram)

10/19 – Benartex 

10/21 – Petfinder Foundation

We are offering some great giveways, so don’t miss a single one. Thank you for stopping by and please support "Piece for Shelter Pets"!

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