The Execution

It's been about 10 days since I shared my Now What? plea, right after I put all my Bee Sewcial Mid-Century Modern blocks up on the design wall. After a few helpful considerations from others, I plunged in, beginning with a very basic concept: I made a frame of blue painter's tape on the design wall.

I first heard about this suggestion in a class with Katie/Sew Katie Did. Basically my bee blocks were overwhelming me with all their varied sizes and shapes (exactly what I'd asked for by the way!), and by making this 18"x22" frame, I was able to fill the space and piece the blocks together in a more organized fashion, at least in a way that wasn't quite so random. Here's where I started with the first block.

Then I filled in with solids, echoing that micro line going through the block of diamonds. I was pretty thrilled how that worked out, though all the blocks didn't lend itself to that. But you will find filler solids trimmed with a contrasting 1/8" throughout the quilt.

So I went on to do 8 more blocks this size, each comprised of 2 or more smaller blocks. I would have been happy with that BUT. I still had a handful of blocks from my bee-mates left! I briefly considered making a 2-sided quilt, but went with option B, which was making 3 more block sections, each of these 9"x22". I didn't want the layout to be any more structured that it already would be, so I added the narrower blocks in thusly:

Can you see it?

So the finished top is 62"x66" and I've started quilting! I came up with a crazy free-motion stitch when I took a class with Christina Cameli a few months ago, and I knew instantly I wanted to use it on this quilt. It felt like something I could manage yet was a bit unique, so I'm going for it. Now....what shall I call it?

Anyway, I've really just begun, and wouldn't you know it, but my machine began acting up, so quilting is on hold for a while. But this crazy thing is put together and I know where I'm headed, and I'm more than happy with that!

Now What?

Pretty cool stuff! Yesterday the first completed Bee Sewcial quilt was posted, courtesy of Stephanie/Spontaneous Threads. Seriously, check it out! The blocks were a delight all by themselves, but with Stephanie's amazing quilting . . . well just wow.

Later in the day, Diane/Random Thoughts...do or "di" posted her finished Bee Sewcial quilt top - oh the color! And all those curves!

Confession: I'm a little jealous that these two gals are as far along as they are! I love the mid-century modern-inspired blocks I've received from my bee-mates, but boy, putting them all together is a unique kind of puzzle! So I figured a status photo was in order, as they are now all up on my design wall so I can mull them over. I keep hoping a plan will come to me soon!

Just as a note, my original inspiration blocks were the 2 bottom center - diamond with light background

and squarish one with the teal background, with backgrounds added just last night.

 

Linking up with the Improv Challenge at ants to sugar.



Bee Sewcial Goes Mid-Century

Simply put, Bee Sewcial is always a challenge. In a good way, but still. Even thinking up a plan for these amazing women is a bit intimidating. But I've decided. For June, we're going mid-century modern.

"Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior, product and graphic design that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965. The term, employed as a style descriptor as early as the mid-1950s, was reaffirmed in 1983 by Cara Greenberg in the title of her book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s (Random House), celebrating the style that is now recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement." 
-  from Wikipedia

I made the group a Pinterest inspiration board, which includes the color palette. I tried to get permission to share this pin, but that didn't happen, so basically, think Kona curry, yarrow, medium gray, titanium, jade, black, palm, laurel, siena, windsor, navy, chocolate, coffee, spice, cinnamon, rust. Remember, this is an all-solids bee.

Unlike other bees I've been in, block size doesn't usually matter. Derived inspiration does. So no specific block sizes or shapes are required for my month. I'm asking for them to just stick with the standard equivalent of (2) 12.5" blocks.

So I made a couple of sample blocks. Honestly, some bee members like inspiration blocks, other do not. So either way, all I'm really asking is that they borrow elements from typical mid-century modern graphics. My blocks are relatively structured, I admit, so it'll be interesting to see where my bee-mates go. I plan to make more, but I think I'd prefer to make them along the way. I fully expect that the work of my bee mates will inspire me too.