Hive #9 - April Block Tutorial

Hive 9 - April Block Tutorial Hello!  Here is my Hive 9 post for April. This is the first time I have done this so hoping everyone can understand the instructions. If not just email and I’ll try to explain myself better.   What is your name? Jo-Anne (Jo) Griffiths   Where do you live? Wanganui, New Zealand   Tell us about your family (Spouse, kids, grandkids, pets, etc.)  I'm a solo Mum. I have 5 children but only one at home. They are 35,33,29,17 and 12. Only the 12 year old lives in Wanganui with me. I also have 6 grandchildren- two who are older than my youngest. I also have 2 dogs- Toby and Samson and 2 budgies Fern and Bluebell.   Tell us about how you got interested in quilting.  When I was pregnant and finished work with my 12 year old, my Mum asked me to go to some patchwork/quilting classes with her as she didn’t want to go alone. So I went and got hooked! As Sophie has high medical needs and frequent hospitalisations, quilting has been my life safer/stress reliever. And I still can’t sew clothes!!   How do you organize your fabric stash? Big pieces and mu,lticolours folded and o0n bookcase. FQ’s and larger by colour in bins. Scraps by colour in drawers and one box of multicolor   Who is/are your favorite fabric designers?  Laurel Birch, Riley Blake Designs, Jinny Beyer   What is one thing you have learned that you wish you knew when you first started quilting?  Use 100% good quality cotton. Nobody can see the imperfections we see when we have our nose 2” from the quilt. Stand back and look at the imperfections from the distance other people would look at the quilt and then see if the unpicking is worthwhile.   What is your favorite sewing/quilting tool and why should we all go out and buy it?  Applique pressing sheet- stops getting sticky on the iron and the ironing board   Who is your favorite fictional character and why? (Could be from a book, movie, TV show, etc.)  I really loved the movie “the first wives club”. I like any movie where people stand up for themselves and don’t let life beat them down. These quilt instructions are modified from instructions at http://whynotsew.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/benartex-blog-hop.html    FABRIC Three colours please A) 1 (one) neutral- preferably cream but any other light neutral will do B) 1 (one) fabric for bees appliqué and 9 patches C) 1 (one)  fabric in contrast 9 patches. See above 2 rows down, third column- red and blue 3 rows down, 2ndcolumn- orange and green 3 rows down, 3rdcolumn- purple and green For each block you need 4 squares of fabric B: 2.5” x 2.5" for 9 patch 5 squares of fabric C: 2.5” x 2.5” 9 patch 12 Bee pieces of fabric B- template at end of pattern 2 rectangles of Fabric A: 3.5” x 12.5” for top and bottom 2 rectangles of Fabric A: 3.5 x 6.5" for the sides NINE PATCHES Take your 4 fabric B (red) and 5 fabric C (green) 2.5” squares, arrange them as below and sew 3 columns Now sew the three columns together Here is the 9 patch block all sewn BORDERS Sew shorter rectangles (3.5 x 6.5) to each side of nine patch sew longer rectangles (3.5 x 12.5 ) to top and bottom of nine patch APPLIQUE BEES Print template below. Trace 12 times onto fusible web. Iron marked web onto back of a piece of Fabric B Cut out each ‘bee’ and place 3 ‘bees’ as shown in photo onto each corner of block, and iron them in place. They should be about ¼” from inside corner and angle3 out at 45 degrees or thereabouts Applique by your method of choice. I have used a small buttonhole (blanket stitch). I would prefer matching thread if possible. You now have a Honey Bee block. Thanks everyone for participating. I’m looking forward to see all the colour combinations. Don’t forget I have changed address from the original list. It is Jo Griffiths 98 Koromiko Rd Gonville Wanganui 4501 New Zealand