Bee Boasting

It's always a treat to see finished quilts made from bee blocks, and if you're like me, you search for your own contribution. Do you ever have to go back (like I often do) to be reminded what your block(s) looked like? Well I've got beautiful finishes to share today from every bee I'm in, which I find very cool indeed.

Melissa/Me1issa of FAITH Circle just finished her Shape Shifters quilt, with the most exquisite quilting. You can read all about it here and see the quilting close up, and if you're as smitten with Melissa's Shape Shifters block as we all were, you'll find the tutorial in her post here.

Also for FAITH Circle, Anita/RhubarbPatch asked for Wonky Log Cabin blocks, and made the sweet quilt below. I love that it has three borders, and the diamond grid quilting is unique and fun. Here's Anita's blog post about her quilt.

All quilts made by FAITH Circle are currently being donated to Restore Innocence, an organization devoted to helping young girls rescued from sex trafficking. I just know these 2 new contributions will be a comfort to their recipients.

On to the Always Bee Learning bee where Hettie/hettie k asked for Trip Around the World blocks. Here's the block tutorial we used. Isn't this pattern always a winner?

In That Stash Bee, Cathy/blueberry patch cathy had us make 16-Patch blocks using this tutorial and made this delightful picnic quilt! When I saw the photos in her blog post, I wanted to drop everything and run right over!

Mid-Century Modern Bee's Carla/Carlaf2 gave us choices! First she suggested arrow blocks using her own tutorial, or if we preferred, an Anna Maria Horner feather. As you can see, she got some of each, plus made a few other blocks herself to help create her own quilt design. Love it with the low-volume background, don't you? **Can you believe I got so excited to share this with you, I forgot it wasn't quilted yet! Please forgive and go read Carla's post about this flimsy. I know I'll be watching for the big reveal to come!**

Hope you enjoyed this little show and tell! You can see why it's certainly a pleasure to sew with my talented bee-mates!

That Stash Bee

This month I'm Bee Mama for the 4th time this calendar year! The hardest part about that is coming up with ideas for all the groups! I had several in mind for That Stash Bee for June, but they all went to the wayside when I saw Elizabeth/Don't Call Me Betsy's recent "Boxed In" quilt.

I loved the scrappy simplicity of it and thought it would be a good fit for a group named after That Stash. In Elizabeth's post, she mentioned she'd be offering a block pattern soon, so I inquired, and sure enough, she had it posted a few days later, perfect timing for our bee. {click here for the free Boxed In block pattern} Here's my sample 12 1/2" block.

As part of the very thorough block pattern, Elizabeth includes several quilt setting ideas, which I think is an awesome extra. Layout is something to mull over while I wait for the blocks to roll in.

I shared a photo of a pillow with my bee-mates as an example of the palette for this quilt - orange, gold, turquoise, purple, medium gray - subtle rather than bright.

Believe it or not, blocks are already showing up in our bee's photostream. I'm kind of excited!

2013 Finish-A-Long: Q3 List

Considering I've just received the last of my blocks in three bees, it's pretty obvious where to start my third quarter FAL list! Top priority is FAITH Circle's June quilt, where we used SewCraftyJess' "Starburst Cross" block tutorial. 

Next up, the Modern Maple blocks made by That Stash Bee.

In May, I sent Always Bee Learning Bee beemates 9 polaroid blocks collected during the *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Swap, along with several black and white prints, and asked them to frame the blocks. I just put all the blocks up on the design wall to take a photo for this post, so what you see isn't the final layout. I'm thinking that will be a tad tricky!

Not bee blocks, but I decided to go ahead and add the Slice and Insert blocks I made during Katie & Jacquie's class. I'm thinking maybe a wall hanging with these. I hope I can get back into the improv groove, as I'd like to make a few more blocks before putting them all together.

All of these projects are ones I'm really looking forward to, so hoping this can be a successful quarter!

Linking up with Leanne/shecanquilt and the Finish-A-Long Q3 linkup.

June Bee Blocks

I confess when I saw this month's 'assignment' for the Always Bee Learning bee, I was a little worried. I may have even involuntarily exclaimed, "Yikes!" But I shouldn't have worried, as the strip-pieced hexagons were as claimed, "super easy and quick". At least easy and quick enough to be fun and intriguing even. I was really surprised what variations the pieced triangles could be arranged into. Good to know!


For the Mid-Century Modern bee, we made Stacked Brick blocks per Flourishing Palm's adaption of a block by The Sometimes Crafter. It was an interesting twist to use white on one side of the "strawberry" and lime prints, and Kona Ash on the other. Our blocks will actually be used for a quilt border. *Revised to add: just posted a photo of Linda's quilt on facebook/AQuiltersTable.*


By some coincidence, I ended up being bee mama in two of my bees this month. It's always a bit of a dilemma for me when it comes to choosing a block when it's my turn to pick. But I'm really pleased with what I finally settled on.

For Faith Circle, I took inspiration from sewing over pins, who along with the Cheer Circle, made a delightful quilt using the starburst cross block tutorial by SewCraftyJess. I thought the cheery colors of these stars would be perfect for one of our do.Good recipients

Here's the sample block I made for the girls, suggesting warm colors - hot even. Definitely orange and hot pink, with yellow or red additions as they feel inspired. I've gotten a couple of blocks back already and am really excited to work on this one in the next few weeks.


Now for That Stash Bee. I must say, when I saw kelbysews' "Fall in Winter" a while back, I was smitten, and thought it would be a terrific bee quilt.

I was pleased to find the Modern Maples tutorial by Amanda Woodward-Jennings available online, and have asked my bee-mates to consider this small gallery for inspiration as they choose leaf colors. My sample block just made me grin.


I've never finished and posted bee blocks this early in the month, but having to prep as bee-mama put me a step ahead, so I figured I might as well finish them up and move on. Pretty fun.

May Bee Blocks

After cutting it close on timing with my bee blocks last month, I really hoped to get them taken care of in good time this month. So that's been this week's first order of business.

I figured I'd take care of what I perceived as the hardest first - the Anna Marie Horner feather requested by Susan/PatchworknPlay of Mid-Century Modern. I loved her choice of color - orange and turquoise  and I was able to find enough scraps in my basket to use each fabric just once. Good news: this wasn't hard at all! And it's big - finishing at 9 1/2"x17"!


Next up was FAITH Circle. Tackling Debbie/Blue.Ridge.Girl's scrappy triangles by Film in the Fridge meant another foray into the scrap basket, which was awesome - it is still SO full! These blocks finish at 6.5"x9", so we each are making 4.


Considering it's my month for the Always Bee Learning Bee - which is coming along quite nicely, thank you - all I had left was That Stash Bee. Blueberry Patch Cathy asked for depression blocks. I had made these blocks once before, but very colorful and scrappy, so it was quite a switch to make them with gray and black. (We were told to "think black and white tv!") So many of my favorite fabrics in this set.


So that's it for this month - yay! Cross those off the list.

February Bee Blocks

I pushed it a little tight getting my bee blocks done for the month, but they are ready to be mailed! {whew!}

First up - the Always Bee Learning bee, where we were asked to make scrappy Trip Around the World blocks. I can almost do these in my sleep now, especially since Hettie cut the strips 3" wide! I love these blocks big and Loulouthi! (We were asked to make two blocks, but most of us were able to help Hettie out on her king-sized goal and make a couple more - that's why you see four blocks here.)

Next up was Kelli's Road to Fortune blocks for That Stash Bee. I already mentioned that these blocks really challenged me. Still not sure why. Here's the template we used - this quilt is going to be so cool!

And I think my favorite of the bunch this month was Cindy's Winged Square block for the Mid-Century Modern bee. We used the tutorial here. This was a new block to me, and I'm really liking it. You really should peek at all the bee's blocks!

And of course it's my month for FAITH Circle. Here's the original post with our plan. And here's a mosaic with all the blocks I've gotten back so far.

1. 100_5541, 2. February - Do Good Stitches, 3. {Faith} Do. good stitches February Block #1, 4. Sample January FAITH Circle blocks, 5. 100_5543, 6. Faith Circle do. Good Stitches~February Blocks, 7. Faith Circle (February) #2, 8. Sample January FAITH Circle blocks, 9. Sample January FAITH Circle blocks, 10. {Faith} do. Good Stitches Block #2, 11. Faith Circle (February) #1, 12. Sample January FAITH Circle blocks

Of course I'll be mixing them all up once I have them all. I'm really excited to put this quilt together!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.

January Bee Blocks

My bee blocks were many and varied this month . . .

Always Bee Learning Bee - Toni asked for a Herringbone block using this tutorial from Holly at Bijou Lovely. I had never made this simple block, and it was straightforward and fun.

With our scraps, we were asked to make an improv block. Mine measures 7 1/2".

 

FAITH Circle of do.Good Stitches - I was really pleased when I saw that RhubarbPatch wanted us to make Sparkle blocks! I had made a quilt with the Sparkle QA last year, and I knew it was one of those blocks that looks innocent enough, but makes for a pretty striking quilt. To make the centers scrappy with solid hsts made them extra fun.

Mid-Century Modern Bee - This is a new bee starting this month, so I am enjoying meeting some new quilters. I admit that when I saw lollyquiltz's request, "Juicy Fruit" Churn Dash blocks, I thought, "wow!" Using Carla's own tutorial, I thoroughly enjoyed making this block, and love how four small blocks made up the one 12 1/2" block. Really can't wait to see this quilt come together.

 

New to me, this bee has decided to include 3 1/2' siggy blocks each month, using this tutorial. 

 

Modern Blocks Bee - Ellebee'squilts asked for "Piece of the Garden" blocks from Modern Blocks. I had never pieced hexagons like this, and was a bit apprehensive, but it went together pretty well. If we were comfortable doing so, we were asked to make different sized blocks, so I did mine at 75% of the template.

That Stash Bee - This is also a brand new bee and Mama Love Quilts started us off with her own tutorial for "Birds in the Air" blocks. Of course, I loved working with these Caribbean colors. Do check out Nicole's blog and see the variety of layouts available with this block.

 

And, this bee is asking for siggy blocks also, this time 5" ones. I used this tutorial.

Whew. As much as I enjoy these bees, it always feels good to get the month's blocks done.