Hive 1--June Intro & Mini-Tutorial

Hello ladies ...  I'm so excited for this month!  I've loved making blocks for everyone else and am stoked that its my turn.

1.    Name?    Heather

2.    Where do you live?    Springfield, Oregon

3.      Family status (married, single, kids, grand kids)?    Married for 21 years ... 3 kids

4.     Hardest quilt thing you have ever made?    Would you make it again?  I'm new to quilting, so everything seems hard until I actually try it.  FMQ is a challenge--I really want to get comfortable with small designs on my home machine.  I'm working on it, but very slowly.

 5.  Favorite dessert food?    The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford--a family recipe for one of those layered desserts (crust, cream cheese, chocolate pudding, whipped cream).  I've heard it called other things and seen many variations (peanut, lemon ...)--most of which I like, too.

6.   Last time you laughed REALLY hard (and what was so funny)? I laugh with my oldest daughter often over her misspoken words and phrases, but that's not what came immediately to mind.  Several months ago, my son invited a friend over after school and he ended up staying for dinner.  Not an uncommon occurrence in our home ... we were having homemade pizza and salad.  My oldest was having trouble getting the salad dressing open ... imagine a little teasing and ribbing ... when all of the sudden there is a very loud POP--it blew up everywhere; I'm talking ceiling  walls, people, everywhere.  The look on the friend's face was priceless, and we were all totally cracking up.  He must not have been too scarred--he's come back several times since :)

7.  What is your day job? Right now I work weekend swing shift as a front desk clerk at a local hotel.  However, I'm taking tests and collecting paperwork to renew my teaching licence so I can begin substitute teaching again in the fall. (I let it lapse after I had baby #2 13 years ago.)  I'm really excited!

8.   When did you learn to sew? Who taught you?  I think my mom taught me to sew, but my earliest memory of sewing was a state-sponsored after-school class in 3rd or 4th grade.  They used old-fashioned singers that I'd give my left arm to own now :)    As I got older, I sewed clothing with my mom.

9.   Do you remember the first thing you ever sewed?    I still have an angel Christmas tree ornament that I made from that class.  Don't know if that was the first, but it was close.

10.    Life philosophy?    I believe life is all about choices, so I try to make good ones :)

June block for Hive 1 Block is the Granny Block.  (I must be on the same wavelength as Sandra over in Hive 4).  I perused the same tutorials as she did, but I followed the one from Blue Elephant Stitches with a couple of adjustments.  I'd like you to choose all one color for the center of the block.  I don't care what color, but I'd like it to go from light in the center, then medium, then dark, the outside blocks are Kona black.  I chose to go all scrappy for this one, but you could do the medium and dark ones all the same if you wanted, too.

Cut (25) 2-1/2-inch squares as follows:
1 light square
4 medium squares
8 dark squares
12 Kona black squares

Lay out the squares in the order that they'll go together.  This helped me to keep things straight.

I found that working from the center-out was the easiest for me.  Join the blocks together in rows, note that two of the black ones will not be joined at this point.

Press the seams open on the rows.

Working from the center row outward, join rows, ending with the single black squares on the outside.

Press all seams away from the center row as you go.

You're done.  I'll do the trimming at my end.  Thanks!!  I'm only asking for one, but if you feel the urge, I'd love more.  It comes together quickly once I actually got going on it.  Can't wait to see what you all come up with :)  THANKS!