Monday, July 1, 2019

Quilt Market: Island Batik

I felt very privileged and awed touring the Island Batik booth at Quilt Market. I had the pleasure of meeting Caleb Willis, President and CEO of Island Batik. I was impressed with the conscientiousness of such a high-ranked company executive. Caleb was receptive to the ideas of young industry professionals and wholehearted welcomed me to tour their warehouse if I found myself in San Diego. Wouldn't that be thrilling? The enthusiasm and passion shown by the Island Batik crew at Market coincided with the fount of creativity I see monthly from the Island Batik Brand Ambassadors. I had a wonderful opportunity to visit with Island Batik Ambassador Sherry Shish of Powered by Quilting, who designed the Barn Quilt BOM using the Kaleidoscope collection. She's a brilliant mind in the industry and a genuine batik enthusiast. 


While Sherry's quilt is a favorite, there was much to see in Island Batik's expansive booth. Secondary patterns stand out in Celestial Borealis at Twilight by The Quilt Rambler featuring Black Pearl.


Checked Out by Cindi McCracken Designs features Soil & Seeds by Kathy Engle.


Follow the Stars by Marlous Designs (featuring Clockworks) would be a great pattern for playing with free-motion in the negative space.


Adventure Quilt showed off Batik Foundations, which include Basics, Blenders and Neutrals.


Islander by Kathy Engle has such a beachy fun feel.


Stars A Foot by The Tuffet Source in Steam Engine by Deb Tucker is a furniture focal point. Have you sewn a tuffet?  You can tell there's a sewist around if you find a tuffet and a jelly roll rug in your midst.


Electric Desert by Jackie Kunkel is very much my vibe here in dehydrated New Mexico. I'm going to say the blues and purples are the colors of the cloudless sky and sun-drenched clays, since there's very little water to speak of.


Whimsical Dance by Quilting Affection Designs on the left and Rock the Boat by Curlique Creations highlight Graphic Gems by Kathy Engle, coming Spring 2019.


What's your favorite line, and were you familiar with the Island Batik Brand Ambassador Program?

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3 comments:

  1. Yes I am familiar with the Ambassador program-I'm one of them!!! I am thrilled to be a part with all these fantastic people. I was so lucky to get to tour the warehouse last January and meet Caleb. Since I didn't get to Market I soak it all in seeing your photos!

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  2. Great tour of the Island Batiks booth. I also live in a semi-desert, and we say that the purples are the colors of the mountains at sunset, and yes, blues in the sky (but ours have way more fog and smog and clouds for that to be convincing).

    I liked seeing all their quilts--thanks for a great write-up!

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  3. Beautiful quilts (and tuffet). I guess I am not familiar with their program, but I do enjoy their batiks. I hope you make it out to San Diego one day for the tour.

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