The Batik Fish Quilt

I started to make this quilt back in March 2024.  As you can see, it had quite a few pauses during its evolution.

In 2024 Angie Padilla had a Block of the Month featuring bright fish that I had started making.  I thought it would be fun to make another using more muted colours for Mick.  Spotty had fat quarter bundles of batiks so I bought a couple on special.  

I had fun playing with the patterns within the fabrics to make the fish appliques. To add more interest to the quilt I decided to self draft some fish blocks.  Using some pictures from the interweb as a starting point, I worked out a few.

Mick took this photo of me in the lead up to Scrub Stitchin’ that year as I was selecting the thread colours to take with me to stitch the applique on my first blocks.

Another batch.

At this stage it seems to have had a pause, as other shiny things took precedence.

It doesn’t seem to have come out again until July 2024, when I made some more blocks.

Oops, I made a boo boo on prepping one of these.  They were both supposed to be facing the left, but I accidentally made one face right.  Some judicious tweaking of the head made it look OK and is now one of my favourite blocks.  And, of course, there always has to be one going against the flow.

A progress shot at that stage.

Then another pause.

I finally completed the bright fish quilts in March 2026, so it would be time to get back to the Batik Fish.

Stitching down appliqué is the perfect project for Scrub Stitchin’, so I prepped the final blocks to take with me in April 2026.  

I love the way they come to life once the eye is added.

Mick had insisted that there be an angler fish included, so I had some fun devising a block that wasn’t too gruesome, but also not too cutesy.  I think I reached the happy balance.  I must say those teeth were the devil to stitch down.

Anyway, here I am stitching the last section of the last fish block at Scrub Stitchin’ earlier this year.  It was a relief to get them all done.

 In August this year I finally made a push to get it finished.  Making it my Main Monthly Goal helped.

The Design Curtain was used to work out a layout and then I stitched the blocks together.  I was considering that to be done for the top.

Mick, however, had other ideas.  He insisted that it would look a lot better with borders.  OK.  It is his quilt, so off I went to see what suitable fabric I could find.  Fortunately, our local quilt store has quite a selection of batik fabrics and two that worked were selected.  I must admit, Mick was right.  Just don’t tell him I said so.  LOL

Next, to select a backing.  I went out to Spotty to see what suitable wide backs they had, but none worked.  To my surprise, there was a batik that would work.  Not only that, it was one of the designs included in the fat quarter bundles I had purchased……and was on special.  It was meant to be.

Then it was time to get it loaded on Elly May and quilt it with the water design that I had used on the bright fish quilts.

It was completed in time to take to Baradine for An August Escape.

The size ended up larger than I had expected, so it will be added to the rotation on our bed.

I’m really happy with how it turned out, and more importantly, Mick loves it.  

This also means that I have completed twelve UFOs this year, which was my goal.  Any more will be a bonus.  Fingers crossed that will be the case.

QUILT INFORMATION

Measurements -78" high x 65" wide

Pattern - Fishy Business by Angie Padilla.  I added some self drafted fish.

Fabrics - Batik fat quarters from Spotlight plus extra fabrics that suited it from stash.  

Quilting Design - Waterflow by Leah Day for QCT6

Batting - Bamboo/Cotton

Backing - Batik from Spotlight

Thread - Glide - Cool Mint