May Tutorial Hive 2 2017

Hello, it’s Kate from Smiles from Kate. and I am so excited to be Hive 2 Queen Bee for May, especially as It’s My Birthday!!!!!!  No, not today, but this month so every time I get an envelope through the door it will be like getting lots of extra presents, Yipee!!

I thought long and hard about the block I wanted, I changed my mind over and over again, narrowed it down to two, then made my choice.  Guess what? Bethany from Hive 4 chose the same block the same month, Converging Corners, obviously we both have impeccable taste!

Converging Corners was designed by Ashley from Film in the Fridge and the pattern is available free on this post.  Although the tutorial is for a 12 inch finished block the block is adaptable to size, I would love my blocks to finish at 15 inches please, then it will make the most beautiful lap quilt at the perfect size for me.

Colours

I like red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue……… I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow toooooooooooo!  But readers of my blog know that smilesfromkate is a big fat LIAR, ‘cos I can’t sing a note!  I do like a giggle though.  But seriously, any colour would be fine in a range of shades, just stay clear of  brown and neutral shades, unless they are mixed with one of the colours that is.

I love modern fabrics, but I’m really not so keen on novelty and text prints, that sort of thing.  Fussy or what?

Background

I would love the background to be white, a solid or tone on tone, and the contrast will be beautiful.

To upscale use a centre block anywhere between 3 ½  and 6 inches.

 Then add white borders courthouse steps style to finish up between about 9  and 11 inches square, just use your own judgement at what looks good.    The great thing about this block is you don’t have to be accurate. 

Add three or four rings if you can, two if you can’t, cutting them between ¾  and 2 inches wide.   Don’t be afraid to mix up those fabrics, it’s a great way of using up any small and skinny strings you may have lurking around.   I make the final round cutting the fabric a ¼ inch or so wider, it is so much easier to trim it a little than add a tiny extra strip or end up redoing the last round, ask me how I know.  If it does end up a little bigger, just send it as is and I can trim it later.

The final result, 15 ½ inches to finish at 15 inches.  

Please excuse the quality of the pics, I've been having a bit of camera trouble and ended up taking these with my phone.

This will be my own very special birthday quilt, I will be watching for the postman with bated breath. Thank you so much, I am almost beside myself with excitement.

With smiles from,

Kate x