Magnificent Minis Challenge! (Friday Foto Fun #71)

The 2019 Island Batik Ambassador program officially kicked off earlier this month!  We got our boxes a little earlier this year and I had to tape my unboxing video rather than wait for a live reveal because I was just TOO excited to see what was in our boxes!  I posted the video to my Facebook page earlier this month, but in case you missed it, check it out below!  I had to do some creative editing, too... did you notice it?

All the fabric provided for my Island Batik Challenges are provided by Island Batik as a part of the ambassador program.  I will be using fabric that was left over from last year's ambassadorship and all the new goodies I just received!   A big thanks to Accuquilt and Aurifil for their sponsorship of the program this year as well.  I cannot wait to use my Ready Set Go! cutter.

The first challenge that we were tasked with was making a mini quilt!  Last year, I stuck with a Valentine's Day theme and did some fun heart quilts and a heart block tutorial.  This year, I decided to give you a sneak peek at part of a new pattern I have coming out later this year (May to be specific).  I've been teasing about my epic Barn Quilt for the last year and this block is the center of it!  This block is a Flying Swallows block!  However,  the traditional block is made with diamonds for the swallows.

My version has ZERO y-seams and just gives the look of diamonds without the complications.  I can't wait to share the pattern with you in May and I hope you'll join the quilt along this Fall for my epic Barn Quilt.

I used 3 different colors of Aurifil thread for quilting.  In the detail photo, you can see the background isn't quite black but rather a really dark navy.

I used the quilting to highlight the diamond structure of each of the flying swallows.  On the back of the quilt, I used one of the Island Batik neutrals, Sprinkles.  You can definitely see the quilting and I think the back of the quilt is almost as pretty as the front!

Are you excited yet for the upcoming Barn Quilt?  I'd love to have you sew along with me!

Be sure to follow the Island Batik Facebook page to see what the other ambassadors are making this month!

Your turn! What did you accomplish this week?  A block? A quilt top?  Link up below!

A few reminders:

• When you link up a post, please try to support the others folks in the linky party!  Let's spread the motivation and support to help everyone make progress in their own time.
• Your post does not need to be something quilty you accomplished, but definitely encouraged.  Sometimes life just gets in the way, but feel free to share something you are proud of this week.
• In your blog post, please include a link back to my blog or grab the Friday Foto Fun Button and put it on your sidebar.  This way others who visit your blog can also join in on the fun!