Hive 5 - March Block Tutorial

What is your name?Where do you live?Tell us about your family (Spouse, kids, grandkids, pets, etc.)

Hello wonderful people! My name is Rebeckah, and yes that IS how it is spelled! I get different variations all the time. Last night I got Rebeca, and I have also gotten Rebecca, Rebekah and others as well.... Well enough about my name! 

I live in "Beautiful Downtown" Riverside, Ca. USA. 

That is a little north of San Diego and south of LA. My Hubby Ronnie and I have been married coming up on 2.5 years now. 

http://handmadebyrebeckah.blogspot.com/2012/09/our-1st-anniversary-september-18th.html

We also have 1 cat, her name is "Baby", She likes to help me quilt.

And we just bought our first home right before Christmas!

http://handmadebyrebeckah.blogspot.com/2013/11/we-bought-house.html

Tell us about how you got interested in quilting.

I have always been interested in "sewing" in general. To me quilting falls under sewing. When I was young I would trace out squares using a home made template and cut them out with scissors to get the blocks, and them sew them together. They were always variations of 9-patch. I knew nothing else. In 2011 I married my Hubby and became friends with his friend's wife. We became besties and have been ever since. She "taught" me the basics of quilting (and blogging) and I have been learning ever since. <3 

How do you organize your fabric stash? (Picture appreciated)

I have organized my stash in many a different ways over the years. From mismatched boxes under the bed that I shared with my sisters to Matching box totes waiting to be organised in my new sewing room! Yes, our new house has a room off the garage which I have claimed as my sewing room from here on until forever! A nice 17'x15' space :)

Who is/are your favorite fabric designers?

Well, first off, I am not very familiar with designers as is, but the ones I know and like are: Anna Maria Horner, Julianna Horner, Robert Kaufman fabrics, and Denyse Schmidt.

What is one thing you have learned that you wish you knew when you first started quilting?

Honestly, Not much... Maybe that is is OK not to pin when sewing and to take short cuts.

What is your favorite sewing/quilting tool and why should we all go out and buy it?

I really like my Omni-Grid 2.5"x12.5" and 6"x12" rulers. They are my standard cutting (guide) tools. They are the two I use the most and you can use them for almost every cut.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? (Could be from a book, movie, TV show, etc.)

Oh gosh! I don't know! Maybe Christy from the book Christy, She was a young women who went into the Appellation Mnts. to become a teacher to the poor, fell in love, and all that good stuff (I really recommend reading this book! I t is a wholesome loves story! Great for young teen girls to read).... Though now I think of it I think that book was based on the authors mother/grandmother or something... Oh well

Tutorial:

Since this is my birthday month I was going to have you all make me some special block for a quilt for myself. But then I realized I am going to be even more selfish and have you all make the blocks for a quilt I had promised my Aunt I would make her 2 years ago that I keep putting off. 

My aunt is a sassy lady, crafty with a million cats! She also has a lot of health issues. This quilt will mean that much more to her knowing all of you helped make it.

Catch her kitties on TV!




This block will be a cat block. It is a fairly easy block, I hope I am not offending anyone with how easy this block is!! Here is the link to the site I got the block from. And here is my tutorial!

I would like you to use rich colors for the cat: purple, burgundy, royal blue, and lavender. and it can be a little scrappy, but 1 color per cat please :) The back ground I would really like to be some kind of black, it can be solid or print as long as it is 80% black. Maybe low volume blacks?


This block finishes at 10.5". I want to make her a queen size quilt, only one block is required but if you feel so inclined to make more they would be very welcome!

Here are your cutting instructions:

Cat fabric:

 4: 1.5" squares

1: 1.5"x9.5" rectangle

1: 6.5"x5.5" rectangle

1: 3.5"x4.5" rectangle

Background Fabric (black):

 1: 1.5"x10.5" rectangle

2: 1.5"x9.5" rectangle

2:1.5"x4.5" rectangle

6: 1.5" squares

1: 3.5"x4.5" rectangle

(Hint/shortcut: I like to layer and cut for multiple block at one time)

Assembly:

I like to lay out my pieces where they will be going.

1. Mark diagonal on wrong side of 1.5" squares of background; attach to 1.5"x9.5" rectangle of calico as shown;

Trim corners corner; press seam toward corner.

(Shortcut: chain stitching)

2. Attach 1.5"x9.5" rectangle of background to unit from step#1 as shown; press seam toward background. 

3. Mark diagonal on wrong side of 2 1.5" squares of calico; attach to 1.5"x4.5" rectangle of background as shown; trim corner; press seam toward corner. 

4. Mark diagonal on wrong side of 1 1.52" square of calico; attach to 1.5"x4.5" rectangle of background as shown; trim corner; press seam toward corner. 

5. Attach last 1.5" square of calico to unit from step#4; press seam toward calico square.

Layout

6. Mark diagonal on wrong side of 2 1.5" squares of background; attach to 6.5"x5.5" rectangle of calico as shown; trim corner; press seam toward corner.

7. Attach unit from step#5 to unit from step#6; press seam toward unit from step#6.

8. Mark diagonal on wrong side of 2 1.5" squares of background; attach to 3.5"x4.5" rectangle of calico as shown; trim corner; press seam toward corner.

9. Attach unit from step#3 to unit from step#8; press seam toward unit from step#8.

10. Attach 3.5"x4.5" rectangle of background to left side of unit from step#9; press seam toward background.

11. Attach unit from step#10 to top of unit from step#7; press toward either unit.

12. Attach 1.5"x9.5" rectangle of background to right side of unit from step#11; press toward background.

13. Attach unit from step#2 to left side of unit from step#12; press toward either unit.

14. Attach 1.5"x10.5" rectangle of background to top of unit from step#13; press toward background.

Your blocks are done!