March Block for Genevieve - Hive 5

Kelly here. This has been a crazy month and I'm just now finishing this up. I'm blaming it on all the snow and cold we just kept getting all March in Chicago.

So this block was a total comedy of errors for me. I had the whole thing finished but it just didn't line up right. The white fabric was from an old stash and I just think it wasn't good quality either so it stretched. Then I didn't really like the colors I'd picked for the center blocks so I ended up taking the thing apart and remaking it.  The only original pieces are the red and blue strips at the top and bottom.  Plus after going to the International Quilt Show in Chicago last weekend I felt more inspired, picked up some new fabric bits, and started over. Much better now!

For Genevieve's question, if she came to Chicago I would suggest visiting he National Museum of Mexican Art. Deep dish pizza is mandatory for any visitor. I'd suggest Lou Malnatti's. It is the best. Then I'd suggest stopping by Alliance Bakery for some fresh baked French Macarons. Lastly, you can always take a walk along the beaches of Lake Michigan. (It is a strip of beach that runs right next to a highway and skyscrapers. It is sort of surreal.)

Hive #5 - March Block for Genevieve

Here is my March block for Genevieve - finished just in time!

I struggled a little bit picking fabrics for this block.  I have almost no black in my stash because it just isn't a color I've ever been drawn to work with.  And for whatever reason, my lime green is pretty minimal too.  It took some digging but I like how it ultimately turned out and I hope Genevieve agrees!

Genevieve asked us what non-touristy place we would take her if she came to visit.  Atlanta has plenty of more touristy things to do but to escape that, the north Georgia mountains are just beautiful and there are small towns with cute "downtown" areas full of mom-and-pop type shops.  Or if we're staying in the city, I always love going to shows at the Fox Theater.  Oh - and there are tons of awesome restaurants!

Hive 1-Race to the Finish!

I'm Jennifer, last minute sewer this month.  I won't bore you with the details, but these blocks have been quite a challenge!  Like four sewing machines, a missing power cord, and a snowstorm type challenge.

I also had quite a time finding white on white fabric.  There was none in my stash and seemed to be nonexistent at a couple of stores locally.  The first block, the one fabric block, I liked the layout but not the fabrics.  The second block, I like the fabrics far more but couldn't find a layout that I liked.  I hope they are acceptable for you, Robin.

Both are winging their way to you!

hive 3 march block

well there's nothing like waiting til the last minute! here is my block for Carolyn. it was a bit of a doozy to make, and all my seams definitely aren't laying flat on the back, but hopefully you find it acceptable! here's a pic:

I hope you like it Carolyn!

as for the question, my favorite block has got to be the friendship star. something about it just keeps me coming back for more!

thanks for the tutorial, Carolyn, and I think you will have a gorgeous quilt here soon!

see you all in April :)

Erin

Hive 9 March Block

Hi all! Tiffany here with Maureen's blocks. Just call me Last Minute Louise. I got up this morning and made them. My three year old put them in the mailbox for me a few minutes ago. (He likes putting up the flag.) I enjoyed making these blocks. I think this is the first time ever I've made a bee block entirely from my scrap bin. It probably helps that I had my girls sort them by color.

Maureen asked what event in history we would like to witness. I can think of  any big event I'd like to attend. But there are a few family members I'd like to spend some time with. My mom's dad died when I was two. My dad's parent were killed in a car accident when he was 11, 17 years before I was born. So I'd sure love to be able to sit down with the three of them and chat. My mom's dad fought in WWII and the Korean War. My grandma was one of 11 kids, and her family traveled by covered wagon at one point. My dad's father was from a much smaller family. But he was a successful business man and quite the character from the stories I've heard.

Kitty photo bomb. :)

April hive 8 tutorial for me, Melodee

Hi ladies! I'm so excited to share my block idea with you all!
I've decided that I'd like to make a cabin block quilt.

I am also planning this quilt for my mom. She recently purchased a summer home. Here in Michigan we call them "up north cabins". She's in the process of furnishing and decorating it and this is my planned contribution.

So, lets talk color and fabric. I am a scrappy gal. I just love the look of a throw it all in quilt. Don't hate me but I'm looking for what ever fits your fancy! Seriously! If a zebra print feels like a groovy roof, go for it!! This is an anything (cotton of course) goes block. I know many of us hate such open ended requests and hope for a specific color plan. Well, this ain't that time!

Here's my initial write up plan. I've sewn two blocks using these cuts and bingo it works!! So, if your the kind of sewer who can look at this and get it then go for it.

Otherwise here's a few pictures that will help explain what's up.
Here are the two blocks I've sewn up. Oh, and I do intend for the bright yellow to be between the blocks sashing.
Cut pieces are:
Sky: (2) 2.5x5.5 and (2) 3.5x3.5
Chimney: (1) 2.5x2.5
Roof: (1) 3.5x3.5 and (1) 3.5x6.5
Cabin: (1) 3.5x6.5 and (1) 2.5x12.5 and (2) 2.5x5.5 and (2) 2.5x3.5 and (1) 2.5x6.5
Door: (1) 2.5x5.5
Window: (1) 2.5x3.5
Sewn together into a 12.5 x 12.5 block or as close as you can get 😉

  here's everything you'll need to cut to make a block.

here are a few pictures that show how I put this all together.

 Let's say IKEA has inspired me. Sorry about the photo explosion. 

Row two goes like this. Please note that the direction of the drawn/sewn lines matter.

                                         

And now we are done. I hope this wasn't painful. I did make this block with simple lines and cuts in mind. I didn't want any 5/8 or 7/8 cuts to worry about.

Also lets talk finished size. I get that we all use a scant 1/4 inch seam and that we all stress out about getting that perfect seam allowance. But seriously I'm cool with close enough. 

If you cut the blocks to the sizes I said and use a scant 1/4 inch seam  and press to your liking (one side or open) I'll be happy with all your hard work! If things end up a bit off I'll make it up with the sashing. Please have fun and don't sweat it!  😀

My question this month. What is your favorite way to quilt your quilts. 

With this in mind, I plan to use hand quilting and pearl cotton on this quilt. Most likely, I will stitch an outline of the blocks and their parts. 

Happy sewing!! Can't wait to see what you sew up!! Any questions, please ask!!

Melodee

Hive 6 March block

Hi, as always late to the party.

I loved the spring theme for this block this month.
It is getting cooler and Autumn has arrived in Australia so it was nice to hang on a bit longer to spring

I was rapt with the colour choices this month, and have plenty of all the colours mentioned.

I stuck with the Spring theme and put a bunch of flowers in the centre!

My answer to which decade I'd like to be in..... I guess the 50's,  the clothes, the slowness of life and the contentment that came before the crazy rush that comes with technology!

Hive 5 March Block

Happy March and SPRING BREAK!!   Here is my block for Genevieve!   I love her idea of adding borders this way!  

Broken Dishes Border Block - Spring

Genevieve asked us where we would take her if she came for a visit!! Even though I live in Florida, I'm not really a beach girl, and I'd probably skip the attractions as well.  Instead, we'd probably head out by kayak to explore some of the wetland areas around Polk County and perhaps do some scrub hiking!  We'd end the day with a glass of wine and some live music lakeside downtown! ~ Emily

Hive 4 March Block

Here's Amanda's block.  I'm getting a lot more comfortable with paper piecing and this block was a lot of fun to make.  Like everyone else has said, this is a great block.  It will be on it's way later this morning.

In answer to Amanda's question I'd love to visit Iceland.    It's so beautiful and looks like the kind of place I'd enjoy exploring.  My husband and I would like to visit Portugal and Scotland together.  He's been to Portugal and I've been to Scotland.  We both loved our time in those places and would love to share it with each other.

A little while back when the American Made fabric tour was going on my kids decided we ought to visit Arkansas and visit Crater of Diamonds State Park.  So that's not as exotic, but somewhere we want to go.

March HST block for Robin

This block for Robin was so fast and easy and I am loving how everyone has made different blocks!

Here's my block. For some reason, I used to have scads and scads of aqua and I don't know where it all went, so hopefully these colors will work!

My block is the inverse of Katie's block! She noticed that when I posted my block on Instagram yesterday.

Hive 9 - March Block for Maureen

Hi all Shauna here.  I've had these blocks done for a couple of weeks, but life got a little crazy and I only made it to the post office yesterday.  The first block I did turned out a little small, I don't know what I did wrong.  I threw it into the package just in case she could use it for something. Then I made another and it turned out fine, so I made another just for the fun of it.

Now Maureen asked what event we would like to go back into time to witness. Boy this was hard for me, because I thought of several, I would love to have seen JFK speak, or see the Wright Brothers fly the first plane, but I think since I'm just a hippie at heart I would love to be able to attend Woodstock.

March blocks, Hive #1

Hello!  I'm late posting again :) Sorry!  This is Jackie from NW Patchwork.  I made Robin 2 blocks this month.  There are so many ways to layout HST's , it was hard to decide.  Plus I got to use my new Bloc- Loc ruler. I love that thing!!!  Best, Thing. Ever!  If you don't have one, go get it.  It's worth it :)

Hive 2 March Block

It's taken me a while, but here are my two economy blocks for Yanick (in the post first thing tomorrow).

As for this month's question, I don't really have favourite designers - I can't think of anyone whose stuff I like line after line, but I always like shot cottons and I love a nice stripe, whoever has designed it.

Wordy Cross for RobinSue

Here ya go RobinSue! I need more text prints in my life. Thanks for the opportunity to dig for one and use it in this cute block. It was good to know that scrappy squares didn't work for you so I didn't even try it. 

My least used color is, by far, orange. I have two or there oranges in my stash and all of them were gifted to me by friends. Maybe I should make an orange quilt soon to step outside my comfort zone. 

Maureen's block for hive #9

Hi all,  Rose here.  This block for Maureen was fun to do.  So I had to make more then one.
They went out in the mail yesterday.  I love the bright colors with the grey background.
Great block.  I will have to make something up with this one. Thanks Maureen for a great tutorial.

This question is a tough one.  What time in history??? Thinking about my history...
My husband and I have been together 40 years.. Going back to our young lives to see our little girls again..that would be nice.  I sometimes miss my little girls. Life never stays simple. Not that it is bad, it is good.  We just get older.

Hive 3 March Block

After finally finishing Carolyn's Migration Block, I'm not sure I like flying geese anymore.
While the points and seams all came out fine, the overall size of the block is off, which annoys me.
I guess I should have squared up all the geese, but I wasn't quite sure to what size so I winged it...well, that explains it, I guess ;)

Lessons learned: trim your geese to size before doing anything; Mary Ellen's Best Press rocks; pin, pin, pin, and last but not least, I, once again realized, that I do not like small scale piecing.

Anyhow, I hope Carolyn likes it nonetheless :)

Carolyn also asked us about our favorite block...I think I'll do a scrappy half-lone star next.

March Block Hive 3

Our March block is for Carolyn - she is a Flying Geese fan!  Me - not so much - love to look at them but such a job to make them.  So I was excited to try her method for making 4 at a time.  I am not sure what I did but I made them more complicated instead of easier.

Still, I think it's a pretty block!  I love the colors - clearly my thing since I had tons of scraps to pull from.  I am a little concerned about the size that it ended up being so I hope you can work with it.

What is my favorite block - I really agree that it's what ever I am working on at the time!  However, I am a HUGE paper pieced star fan - any compass block or star - love them.  I am also really wanting to make a Storm at Sea.  

Hive 4 March Block

Hi everyone! Amanda asked us to make this gorgeous Starry Night block for her. I have had my eye on this block for a while and was excited to make it for her. 

Amanda asked for teal and yellow for her blocks and I really liked her color combo.

Amanda's question was "if you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?" This is an easy answer for me- Santorini Greece. My husband and I went on a Mediterranean cruise for our honeymoon and that was one of the stops. It was so beautiful!

Hive 8 March Block for RobinSue

These are my blocks for Robin Sue for March, Hive 8. I hope the turquoise words work okay. Can't wait to see how this looks all together!

I'm not sure what color I'm most resistant to. Red scares me for the RUN factor. Yellow can over-whelm quite quickly.....gray is lovely but can blah things out if you are not careful. I'm not sure I'm resistant to any particular color.... I think they all have their place. (BTW, feel free to send that olive this way. I'll find a use for it!)

This block is SUPER EASY, if anyone is looking to try it out! Thanks RobinSue!

Hive 5 March Block for Genevieve

Hi Everyone.

Here is my broken dishes block for Genevieve.  It has already been mailed so she should be receiving it any day now.

Genevieve asked us where we would take her to visit in my area that's not necessarily in a guidebook.  Well of course I would have to take you to all my favorite local quilt shops and maybe an Abq Modern Quilt Guild meeting.  If you are looking for excursions I would say we would have to take the tram to the top of the Sandia Mountains.  It offers 360 degree views of Albuquerque and the surrounding area.  It is very pretty and there are some nice trails in the area.

Hope everyone had a great March. 

Tisha

Hive 1 March Block for Robin

I love turquoise and had a great time putting this block together for Robin. I decided on two HSTs from each fabric to give it a scrappy look. Thanks for looking! I look forward to seeing everyone's blocks put together. :-)

:-) Sarah

Hive 4 March block for Amanda

This is Laura and I love paper piecing!  The precision is so easy to achieve.  The down side is removing the paper, but I don't mind it.  The birds don't either as I sat outside and did not worry if bits and pieces were tossed about by the breeze today.  They retrieved the mess and are using it in their nests.  Win, win!

Travel?  I can be ready in 30 minutes, haha. (My husband was on a kidney transplant list for two years. It is like having that new baby bag packed and ready except we never knew when the call might come, but it did.). There are so many places in the states that I would like to see starting with New England and working around the perimeter with a side trip to Alaska.

Hive 4 march block

Hi - Kathy (iamacraftykat) here with Hive 4's March block. Amanda asked for teals and bright yellows for this fabulous paper pieced block.

Amanda asked us where we would love to travel to most. Having been to some amazing places in South East Asia and the Middle East - my next trip was always going to be South America, in particular Peru and Easter Island. But then kids came along so that is going on hold for a couple of years. At the moment my daughter loves the Eiffel tower so I may have promised taking her to France one day!
My Feb blocks are looking great by the way!!!