Around the Garden - Row Quilt (+ a giveaway)

Welcome to my stop on the Row by Row Quilt blog hop, hosted by Island Batik.  

Today, I'd like to introduce you to my Around the Garden - Row Quilt. This quilt was made with a beautiful Island Batik range called Lace & Grace, designed by Kathy Engle for Whirligig Designs. 


Why is it always crazy windy when you go out to try and get some nice quilt photos in a lovely location?

Now, before we go any further, I'll let you in on a little secret. We all know I've made a bazillion quilts, but this is the first time I've ever designed (or even made) a row by row quilt. I was a little hesitant to begin with and admittedly procrastinated before jumping in. 

When designing this quilt, I knew that I wanted my blocks/rows to have variation in size. I sat down with EQ8 and really enjoyed the process of putting this quilt together. The Lace & Grace range of fabric has such lovely warm tones that I knew I wanted my design to have a garden theme. 

From the sunny half Dresden blocks up top, to the twittering birds and the pretty tulips, making this quilt was an absolute joy. Also, I'm happy to say that I used some of every fabric from the Lace & Grace collection in this quilt.

My favourite fabric in this collection was definitely the Medallion Lace in Coral. I used this fabric to make my Dresden blocks (not including the central half circle). 



The fabric is so beautiful and colourful, that it looks like I used different fabrics to make the wedges, even though they were all cut from a single piece of fabric.

Thank you to the companies who supplied their product which helped me make this quilt. Island Batik who supplied the Lace & Grace yardage, along with the almond foundation fabric which I used for a lot of my background and border and the Camellia and Azalea yardage for the backing and binding.


Thanks to Hobbs Batting for providing the batting. In this quilt, I used Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 bleached cotton batting. This batting is 80% cotton and 20% polyester and was really lovely to quilt. 

Schmetz Needles have always been my go-to machine needle and I'm pleased that they're a program sponsor this year. 

Aurifil thread is the other program sponsor and (in my opinion) make the best thread for piecing and quilting.

Aurifil #5003 used for the binding

This week, Island Batik is giving away some beautiful fabric to celebrate these new releases (in stores February 2022). Click through the link to enter the giveaway.



61 comments

  1. For a first time row by row you did brilliantly.... I love it... well done you!
    Hugz

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    1. Thanks very much Fiona. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

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  2. I agree, it is a beautiful collection and I love what you did with it.

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  3. Beautiful quilt, I especially love the effectiveness of the dresdens.

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    1. Thank you! Dresden blocks are one of my favourites.

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  4. tranquility is my favorite island batik collection. Love the row by row quilt!

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    1. I haven't had the opportunity to work with Tranquility as yet. Maybe one day :)

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  5. love your Dresdens- beautiful - I was just looking at an older one of mine recently thinking it was tine to plan another!

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    1. Thank you. Oooh I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I don't know why I was so hesitant to start when it's so easy to design a row quilt with EQ8.

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  6. oh and I like the Lace and Grace fat quarters! beautiful colors

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  7. Lace and Grace is a cheerful batik collection, which I'd love to create with.

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  8. It's so hard to choose one collection as a favorite! Sea Glass is the one that really appealed to me today. I love what you've done with your row quilt. Just gorgeous!

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  9. I have a soft spot for Dresden Plates, and your quilt uses them so well! It's a beauty and my eye loves roaming all over it! As a purple lover, my favorite Island Batik collection is Playful Purple!

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    1. Thank you. I do love a Dresden plate block too :)

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  10. This is my favorite collection of the Batik fabrics. Your quilt looks so pretty done up in these. I love the Dresden Plates (one of my favorite patterns) and the birds. Thank you for sharing.

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  11. I love what you've done with this collection. I've never made a row quilt either, but I always like them. I've also never worked with Batik fabrics. Looking around I found I really liked the butterfly blooms collection.

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  12. I always love a Dresden block, it was the first block I tried when I began stitching.

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  13. Lace and Grace is so pretty but I also really like the autumn wings collection.

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  14. Great quilt. Each year I have a favorite collection, it's hard to choose just one, because each year has gorgeous fabrics.

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    1. Thank you and yes I completely agree! It's hard to choose just one collection.

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  15. You did a wonderful job. The quilt is lovely.

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  16. Good job on a Spring row by row.

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  17. Beautiful! I think your quilts enjoy the wind. They like to "breathe". I'm really attracted to the row of large blocks in the center. And that Aurifil thread you showed is my absolute favorite color of theirs. I'm using it on a project right now. Have a great day!

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    1. LOL - I like that. They must really like to breath around here.
      Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment :)

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  18. They are all so beautiful, how do I pick a fave? Tranquility?

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    1. LOL - yes choosing just one favourite is tricky!

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  19. Wonderful quilt! Isn't it fun designing your own...one of the challenges and thrills of being an Island Batik ambassador.

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    1. Thanks very much and yes, it's fun to have the opportunity to challenge myself with beautiful fabrics.

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  20. Beautiful quilt! I love those batiks!

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  21. wow your quilt is gorgeous. and those fabrics are beautiful. so fun to play with. you did a fabulous job. way to go girl. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  22. Mountain Gems...so pretty!

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  23. The quilt is very beautiful. The fabrics, the batiks, are so rich and clear. Both collections are beautiful as one is cool and the other warm. No clear winner in my book.

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    1. Thanks very much Linda and yes I agree, it's hard to choose :)

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  24. Row quilts are very interesting. I have never made a row quilt. Love all the fabric selections. I like the coral also.

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  25. Love the sampler quilt and the fabric selection is awesome.

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  26. You have used some beautiful fabrics for your first go at designing.

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    1. Thanks Lou - these fabrics are really lovely to work with and the colours are very rich and vibrant (which I love).

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  27. I love Lace and Grace! You've designed such a gorgeous quilt with it! Keep up the amazing work :)

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  28. You have done so well. Anorina.
    A beautiful quilt.
    Mountain Gems is a gorgeous collection of fabrics

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  29. That fabric you used for the Dresden's is gorgeous - love how it has so many colors in it.

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  30. beautiful! didn't want to take my email

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  31. Your quilt is beautiful . Though I have never made one, I love row by row quilts. I am drawn to the bird blocks in this quilt. Wonderful job. Have a great week and happy quilting.

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  32. This is my current favorite. Such pretty colors! Love your quilt.

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  33. I love this so much! I want to do a row by row some day!

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  34. Anorina, this line is gorgeous, as is your quilt!! I love all the rows, but the birds are definitely my fave, I think!! Great job!

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  35. Will I be able to buy the pattern somewhere I Love, Love, This quilt.

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  36. Your quilt is lovely Anorina. I love the birds. My favourite is the Lace and Grace collection. The colours are gorgeous.

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  37. Gorgeous.... love your design

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  38. SEW pretty, Anorina!! That bird row steals the show. The play coloration makes them appear to be flitting around happily!

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  39. I am thinking you Knocked this one out of the park!! its amazing!

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  40. Your design is lovely..great job!

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  41. Like you, I’ve never made a row quilt before. Your design is fabulous!

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  42. Such a lovely quilt that captures the beauty of this collection! Love it. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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