Hive 2 block for Kathryn

Hope this works ok with your other blocks. Can’t wait to see your finished quilt. Joan

Blocks for Kathie Hive 2

I could not find my USB cord for the camera. . . so Kathie has already received these blocks:

I have a lot of "different" fabrics and had fun pulling from my stash to complete these.


I do hope that they play well with the rest of the blocks that are being sent her way.


Sherry V.

Hive 2 blocks for Kathryn

These were fun to make, I’m sending these blocks along with the extra hst.  

Lynn

Hive 2 April block for Kathie

I love how versatile this little block is.  And you could resize it if you had to make it smaller without losing any of the points.  I had to really search for a bit to find something without flowers.  I hope this is neutral enough for you.  Off in the post soon.   Paulette

Hive 5 April block tutorial for Rachel

Hi everybody, I've chosen Hidden Gems  designed by Diane at From Blank Pages, I just love her work! 

The pattern is a complete package & comes with:

• Really great detailed instructions 
• Cutting templates which are so helpful in making sure your pieces are big enough to sew, flip, and trim
• Coloring pages that help with fabric placement - I almost always take a few minutes when starting a new paper piecing pattern to at least a rough-in the colors so that I can double check the layout as I go.

Diane has paper piecing instructions on her site that are amazing if you're new to this style. Her FPP instructions are much better than I could do :) 

The colors you'll need include: 

• Three shades of blue (I'm hoping for  transparency effect in the points where they overlap) 
• a light blue for the inside diamond
• a medium blue for where the points overlap
• a dark blue for the outer, partial diamonds
• At least two teals in slightly differing shades so there's some contrast when they're assembled
• Random low volume white scraps (I love texty prints :)
• Random low volume black scraps

A note on fabric choices: I don't mind solids, but they're not my favorite, I really love a tone-on-tone like shown in my sample below; pretty much all of the fabrics chosen in my first round of blocks worked really well :) 

Here's my sample block: 

Here's a tile I did with that first block, just to see the effect of multiple blocks together: 

Yours will be added to the blocks I received from another bee I was with last year (love them all!). I'm aiming for enough for my queen size bed so I have several more to collect (don't mind the one in the lower-right corner, it just needs to be rotated :) 

The block went together really well, her patterns always do. I will say I was really glad to have basted the last seam (the long diagonal). I pulled it out and pinned some of the points - even though it's on a paper foundation, it was a little touchy. A pin or two, or some clips, will make it much more stable and the points should come together just fine. 

Let me know any questions!

Hive 1 - April Tutorial - Half way Home

Hello Hive 1!

I'm Liz from Virginia and I'm your Queen Bee for the month.  I'm an affordable housing Architect and mom to a busy 4 year old.

I just recently conquered 2 of my biggest sewing fears by participating in a New York Beauty minim-quilt swap.  Those fears: drafting my own paper piecing pattern and curved piecing!  Joining a swap and wanting to impress my swap partner was the push I needed to dive in.  My next sewing fear is making a quilt for my hubby and you all are going to help me do that.  So for our question of the month; What is your biggest sewing fear?  What would help you overcome it?

For this month, I'd like you to make an improv 1/4  log cabin block.  See this free pattern from Robert Kaufman for the idea and directions:
http://www.robertkaufman.com/quilting/quilts_patterns/half_way_home/

Size: Please make either a 12x12 or a 12x16 block.  Your choice!

Colors: I'd like you to use neutrals similar to the RK example for the stripes.  For the dark stripes, medium / dark grey, black, chocolate brown, and navy blue are all ok.  For the light stripes, white, cream and light grey are all good.  These can be tone-on-tone, solid, or a small / medium scale pattern that still reads as a neutral color from a distance.  Please use a fully saturated yellow or orange for the center "hearth" square.

Fabric: I'm looking for fabrics that say "men's clothing." If you have a great fabric in your stash that is not a quilting cotton, I'm giving you permission to use it here!  I'd recommend you stick with woven fabrics that are a typical clothing weight (as opposed to knits, upholstery, etc.)  I'm planning to use some lawn, chambray, linen and a cotton/linen blend.  Avoid fabrics that are not machine washable though.  If you use one of these, pick a traditional quilting cotton for your other 2 colors in your block to help with stability during sewing.  You'll need between a fat 1/8 and a fat 1/4 of each stripe color.  If you need to work in some scraps of other fabrics, it's ok as long at the colors still fit the bill.

A word on improv piecing:  I like to use the grid side of my cutting mat and a rotary cutter without a ruler for cutting.  I alight the fat quarter / eighth with the grid, pick a line to cut on and then go for it.  If things get a bit off - no big deal - it's improv!  If free-hand cutting is too far out of your comfort zone, use a ruler but don't necessarily cut all parallel lines.  I like this tutorial for improv piecing, but there are many others out there: http://www.lovepatchworkandquilting.com/quilt-tutorials/quilt-school-improv-piecing

Cutting: Stripes should be about 1" to 3 1/2" wide - depending on your fabric length, you'll probably need 3-5 strips of each color.  Your center yellow/orange piece should be about 3" to 6" on each side.

Here are my sample block photos:

Fabric is cut

First few rows of stripes added

Trim extra seam allowance AFTER sewing seam - if needed

Finished square block - measures about 12 1/2" x 13" before trimming

Finished rectangular block - measures about 13" wide by 16 1/2" tall before trimming

I decided this one needed a white pinstripe inside one of the lighter stripes - sewed a leftover strip from another block to the light grey and then trimmed it up to leave 1/4" exposed in the final block.  Can you see the pinstripe in the block below?

I will arrange all pieces with the yellow/orange in the bottom right corner, so keep that in mind as you piece.  If you make a 12" x 16" block, it should be 16" tall.  Please send untrimmed.  I'll do the final trimming after I see all of the pieces together.

Thank you so much and Happy Sewing!!!
Liz Chapman

Hive 2 April tutorial - Checker

The 12 inch block to be made for me in  April is one that I also chose when I was part of a different block swap.  With what I receive this month, I should have enough to make quite a nice quilt.
The instructions can be found at:

http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/2015/07/the-bee-hive-checker/

I have minimal fabric or color instructions.

• The half square triangles can be any color, and can be solid or print.  Pick interesting patterns or textures.  No flowery (girlish) fabric is my only no-no.  I'd like the quilt I make with the blocks to be suitable for either a girl or boy.
• Sashing can be black or dark gray, solid or print.
• Rectangles any neutral fabric.

Thanks for taking part and helping me.  Here are a few I already have with one possible layout choice.  

Kathie L in Allentown

Hive 3 April Scrappy Trip Blocks

I really struggled with my decision for my block request this year. I recently saw a block I loved that would be perfect for a bee block, but then I also saw an image of someone else’s Scrappy Trip and remembered how much I want to finish mine. This was my request three years ago (has it really been that long?!?)

Aren’t these blocks beautiful?  They’ve been languishing in my WIP drawer and I think it’s high time they get some more friends.  I’ve collected many more navy prints since, but sadly not a lot of the yellow/mustard.

In a effort to re-jumpstart my effort I pieced three more blocks. I had some fun choosing scrappy strips for the outsides ... and this is what I came up with (set with one of my original blocks):

I've had a little fun pulling out the blocks and playing a little, too =)

Check out the details at the link above and let me know if you have any questions.  I can’t wait to see what fun, scrappy fabrics you choose!
Thanks!
HeatherK

Sorry I cut this right down to the wire. It's been a crazy month... it was fun to make and I hope you like it. The lighter color looks a little more pink right next to the dark purple. But it is purple. I hope its ok...

March pinwheel block

March has been a trying month in our house!  My oldest had a stomach virus he just couldn't seem to shake, then my husband got a concussion playing soccer; between taking care of them, going in for a minor medical procedure myself, and a crazy busy month at work, sewing took a back seat.  I finally had a chance to sit down and get my block done for the month yesterday.  I hope this works well with the others!  The light purple looks more pink in this picture than it is.  In person it is definitely purple.

-Jennifer