Hive 1 October Bats for Jai

 

I bought a fat quarter of this batik about a year ago for another project. I didn't realize it was bats until I got home! I wasn't able to use it in my other quilt, now I feel it has found its true batty home 🦇 Will be flying to you on Halloween! -Julia

Hive 1 - October Bats for Jai

 

I am not a Halloween person (my birthday is the day after and I have had more than my fair share of themed birthdays for the holiday). But, this was super cute and I was really surprised at how easy it came together. I don't have any holiday fabric but I got to tap into my related colored stash. 

I will get it out in the mail in the next few days. Thanks for letting me push my comfort zone!

Tasha

Crashing hive 6 - Funky chicken for Elise

 You had me at chicken. I can't resist a good chicken block! This is going on the mail tomorrow. Have fun! 🖤🖤

Nicole

Hive 1 Bat Block for Jai

 

I'm so excited I get to use the Halloween fabric I've been hoarding! Today is a post office holiday, so I'll pop it in the mail tomorrow :D 

--Caitlin 

Hive 1 Bat blocks for Jai

 This block was particularly magical for me because I have an unnaturally large Halloween fabric stash. I LOVE having the opportunity to dig into it and turn it into a festive quilt. 

The first bat went a little crazy and took a few liberties with the color palette. They can be feisty little creatures. 

We had a little chat, and even though it's EXTRA BATTY, it promises to behave.

So of course we had to make a second bat, because everyone knows the second child is better behaved. This little friend will do its very best to keep big brother in line. 

Your helper is the best. Tell them PSPSPS from me. 🖤

I hope they play well with your other bar friends! 

Happy spooky season,

Nicole

Hive 1 Friendship Star for Caitlin

 Here are my (late) stars! Thank you Caitlin for being so understanding with the delay--I'm happy to have my machine back from the repair shop. 😊 -Julia

Hive 1 October Bat Block for Jai

 

Hi Jai,

No Halloween Fabric to be found in my stash. Hope these have the vibe, though. they were fun to make and are already on their way to you.

Have a lovely, colourful autumn time.

Happy quilting,

Rita

Hive 1 Bat Block for Jai

 

Bat Block

I have very little Halloween fabric so I tried one without holiday specific fabric and one with.  I also really liked the idea of a lighter background.  I hope they will work with your final quilt!

Happy quilting!

Beth

Bat Block for Jai

Hello Jai,

I went as "Halloween" as I could, without any Halloween fabric!

I appreciate the challenge of getting the wings to mirror each other😉

Thanks for this fun tutorial and the lovely cat pictures!

Marie

Crashing Hive 5, "Curved Legs" for Cathy

Dear All,

Crashing the party from Hive 1! 

I just couldn't resist preparing a block for my South Florida Modern Quilt Guild friend Cathy!

I did my best with those curves😏

Marie

HIVE 3 October Stars Tutorial

 Hi all,

I am Annemieke and I’m October’s Queen bee. This is my first year being part of the hive and every month I have enjoyed everyone’s blocks. Everyone’s talent is amazing.

This month I am asking everyone to make a star block of their choice. My favorite color is purple and I’m asking for a 12” finished/12 1/2” unfinished star block using purples with white or white on white backgrounds.

One of my favorite star blocks is the Lemoyne Star.

To make this block you need to cut 8 4 1/8” blocks of both the background and main fabric.

1. Place a background and main fabric right sides together. Mark a diagonal and stitch on each side of the diagonals 1/4”.

2. Cut along the marked diagonal.

3. Press the seam toward the dark fabric.

4. Square each block to 3 1/2”.

Place each hst according to the picture and chain stitch each row.

Press each rows seams alternating left and right so the row seams will nest when you sew them together.

Press each rows seam open and voila, you have a beautiful Lemoyne star block.

Maple Star Quilt Block

Other possible choices for star blocks can be found at the following links

https://www.scrapish.com/easy-star-quilt-blocks.html 

http://www.delawarequilts.com/index.html

You can also design your own block.

I think I might make this block again using only two colors of purple so the inner star stands out.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone makes.

Annemieke

Hive 5 October Tutorial -- Curved Legs

CURVED LEGS

• Only 5 seams!
• No perfection required.
• Never tried a curved seam? This is the ideal low-risk opportunity, and directions are written for the novice. If you're experienced with curves, you'll be done faster than you can read the directions.
• There will be waste on the curved square. Toss the offcuts into your scrap bin.

I apologize in advance. I found a photo of this quilt but did not save its origin, and Google AI couldn't find it. I worked up a paper template of my own and wrote a pattern from there.

Fabrics

Pick 2 fat quarters: solid or reads solid, high contrast, saturated. No pinks or whites.

Cutting

Fabric A: 

• Cut 10-inch square 
• Cut 2 rectangles 3.5X2.5 inches

Fabric B: 

• Cut 8.5-inch square
• Cut 10.5X3.5-inch rectangle
• Cut 7.5X3.5-inch rectangle

All dimensions include a .25-inch seam allowance.

Cutting the curved block

If you have experience sewing curves, that's great! But no experience is required. Freehand and wonky blocks are welcome. Attached photos show curves sew unpredictably. You haven't made a mistake. Don't worry. This is all about having fun and sewing fabric you're about to get rid of. So here we go. There are many options.

If you have a totally optional Classic Curves ruler, sew a 7.5-inch curve with the square pieces. 

Paper template method: Draw a 9.5-inch square on paper and make your own template. Using your square paper, trace a quarter circle using a large plate or just eyeball it and draw a freehand curve in the lower left corner about 2 inches away from the upper left and lower right edge. Cut the paper quarter circle, leaving the first inch on each edge straight and at a 90-degree angle to the edge. Place the paper on the 8.5-inch Fabric B square right side up. Leave a .25-inch fabric allowance showing on the left, bottom and curve of your fabric-paper stack. Cut the curve plus fabric allowance into your 8.5-inch fabric square. Place the quarter circle fabric on the 10-inch square with both fabrics right side up. Pull the 8.5-inch square diagonally to the lower left about a half inch for the eventual seam allowance. Cut the identical curve into the larger 10-inch Fabric A square as the template photo shows, remembering to leave the first inch straight on left and at bottom.

Fabric-only method: Stack the 8.5-inch Fabric B square on the 10-inch Fabric A square with edges matching in the lower left corner. Pull the 8.5-inch square diagonally to the lower left about a half inch for the eventual seam allowance. With the fabrics stacked right side up, draw your curve with chalk or a hera marker on the the 8.5-inch Fabric B square. Leave the first inch on each end straight at a 90-degree angle to the edge. Cut your curve into the fabrics. You will end up with this:

Here are additional cutting tips. This curve is gradual, and the smaller rotary cutter is not necessary.

Sewing the curved square

I can never keep concave and convex straight, so for this project Fabric B is the pizza slice (Cindy Grisdela's preferred term), and Fabric A is the surrounding pizza box.  

This is such a gradual curve that you shouldn't need pins or end with puckering. Place right sides together Fabric A, the box, over B, the slice. Line the upper left edges up perfectly. This looks funny, but it really is the starting point.

For pinners, pin the curved edge together, but this step is not required. The first inch should show a straight line based on your cutting. Sew the first inch with a quarter-inch seam allowance and stop to adjust fabric. 

Adjust Fabric A to align with Fabric B. Sew as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. (For small tight curves, I sew 2-3 stitches before readjusting.) Keep adjusting as you go. By the end, your fabrics may come together evenly, but expect to see a tail on one fabric or the other. This is absolutely normal. Press the inner pizza seam allowance outward with starch onto the box piece. Pressing with starch works miracles to hide the oopsies on curves. Note the uneven edge on the upper right, and the purple is not straight. You should expect to see  variations like this.

Press the right side as well. Try to push out the full sewn seam, and it should lie flat. This shouldn't happen, but if there's a terrible pucker, use your seam ripper to open the section that's the shortest to the edge and re-sew. Your square may not look very square, but do not trim now. 

Additional guidance for video learners plus more.

Sewing the rectangles

Sew Fabric A 3.5X2.5-inch rectangle to Fabric B 10.5X3.5-inch rectangle.

Sew Fabric A 3.5X2.5-inch rectangle to Fabric B 7.5X3.5-inch rectangle.

Sewing the block

You should have three pieces ready to sew: curved square and two rectangles. Note the placement of Fabric A, yellow in this case.

When the curved square is done, place your curved block on a cutting mat or eyeball it to see your ideal square, which may leave the square at a slight angle. Trim the right side of the curved square. 

Sew the shorter A-B rectangle to the right side of the curved square with Fabric As together at the upper right. Trim top into a rectangle. 

Sew the longer A-B rectangle with Fabric A on the left to the top of the previous rectangle, aligning at the upper right. You can expect to see overage on the left side. This is standard. You are safe.

The right side should be straight or close to it. Measuring from the upper right corner, square up the block to 12.5 inches. Smaller is OK. I don't mind if the quarter circle looks tilted, wonky or out of whack. That's improv! You're done. Hope you enjoyed it!

The magic of this block appears when it's laid out with others. The curves can form a quarter, half or full circle. No two layouts will be alike. As you can see, these are my untrimmed blocks. Feel free to reach out if you run into any problems: @cw1ls0ncot on Instagram and Catherine Wilson, one of many, on Facebook.

Cathy Wilson

Hive 2: October tutorial - Moroccan tile block

I am a big fan of disappearing blocks and I'm sure you've all heard of the disappearing nine patch. Brita Nelson, the Questioning Quilter is the expert on disappearing blocks, she makes so many disappear, it is hard to say which one is my favorite! 

But I made the choice and for this month, I'd like to request you make a disappearing hourglass block. When you make the hourglass disappear, a very easy Moroccan Tile block appears when you put it all together. You can see a tutorial here. Brita's tutorial is very easy to follow, and if you are interested, she does a lot of different disappearing blocks. 

I am also a very scrappy quilter, so that will hopefully work in your favor :-) 

Start by finding 4 very colorful 5" squares. I love batiks, bold colors and prints, and the more random you can put them together, the better it will look. I'd prefer 4 different colors, but if you have a light one and a dark one of the same color, that works too (like in my example block). Contrast is key though, so yellow won't work very well, go for bright & happy. (I love reds, blues, teals, turquoise, pinks and oranges, and I'm learning to love greens & purples now haha)

Please, do not use neon colors, seasonal prints (Christmas, halloween etc), or kids fabrics, or fabrics that have a lot of white in them.

To give you some ideas, here are three pictures of perfectly great options!

You will need 4 colored 5" squares and 4 white 5" squares. When I say white, I mean the whitest white you have; no cream, no tan etc. White on white would be great too! 

1. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the white squares. 
2. Pair the colored squares with the white squares and sew a scant 1/4 inch from the diagonal line on both sides. 
3. Cut the square on the diagonal line and you now have two identical half square triangles. (if necessary, square them up to 4.5 inch HST. 
4. Sew 4 different HST together in an hourglass block. Note the placement of the darker triangles:
   
   
   
   
   
5. You can either discard the other 4 HST, or you can sew them together in an hourglass as well. (I'm not sure if I can ask you to make two blocks, so I leave it up to you. If you prefer, you can also send me the HST you have leftover ;-) ) 
6. You now are going to make the hourglass disappear, by making 4 cuts 1.5" from the centre line: 
   
   
   
   
   
   Note that you now have different size columns' and rows, and that is how it's meant to be :-) (The centre row/column measures 3" and the other two rows/columns measure 2.75")
7. Then rotate the four corner square 180 degrees and you'll get this: 
   
   
   
   
   
8. Sew the nine squares back together and you are done. Your block should now measure 7.5 inches (it will be a finished 7" block). 

If you do choose to sew two blocks for me, I'd appreciate it, if you made the second block the opposite way of the first block, so you'd get these blocks: 

 

When I put all the blocks together, the quilt will look something like below, and as you can see, the more contrast you can find, the better it will be. 

I hope you'll have fun making this block and I'm looking forward to receiving them :-)

Thank you! 

Hive 4 October Tutorial - Blue/Teal Twirling at the Disco for Amy

Happy October! Fall is making it's way here to Minnesota. The leaves are starting to turn into a beautiful, colorful show, and will soon be flying off the trees. Just a little about me. My name is Amy. I am a lifelong Minnesotan. I am a dog mom to a beautiful and sweet 12 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Charity. We live in the country near Duluth, MN. I learned to quilt from my Nana when I was really young. As soon as I was able to tie a good knot, I was helping at the kitchen table and church basement tying quilts with yarn. I made my first quilt in college from my Toys R Us employee vests and am now at a count of 70 plus completed quilts to date. I often laugh to myself at how my Nana would not recognize quilting today from my learning with cardboard squares for templates, scissors, safety pins, needles, and a sewing machine to my current quilting tool supply.

This is my 4th year doing Stash Bee. It's been a hard decision each year to pick a block. I really love the idea of using up our scraps and using as many different fabrics as possible. Scrappy makes me happy! This year, I've actually picked the same block as last year, but last year I asked for a rainbow of colors and this year I want to try a more monochromatic look. I had Twirling at the Disco on my Pinterest board for several years and last year someone from another hive chose this block, so I decided to go for it too. I really love how it came out (well the top...I've not finished it yet...ooops!!).

I decided not to reinvent the wheel since there was already a stellar tutorial available, so I've linked it here along with some other great resources including the original pattern. I hope you have a great time!

Here are links to the 2024 Hive 2 tutorial with excellent instructions: http://stashbee.blogspot.com/2024/04/hive-2-april-tutorial-for-kim.html

Here’s a link to the original pattern: https://www.sameliasmum.com/2020/02/twirling-at-disco-quilt-free-pattern.html?m=1

This is a super easy block to assemble. There are a lot of pieces, but it goes together quickly and is a great use of those small scraps you’ve got laying around.

I used this advanced chain piecing also known as web piecing (and probably other things as well) for the 16 patches. Assemble them however you prefer, but I thought I would share for anyone who is interested and hasn’t tried this method. https://youtu.be/qE7KKaS5p-8?si=ADB0Qz5b-0JStY7n

You will need the following fabric:

Forty (40) 2-1/2” squares in a nice mix of blue and teal (more blue than green, preferably) prints. Just about anything goes. Batiks are cool. Licensed fabric are fine. Holiday is acceptable (preferably not majority holiday). I can only ask for 10 different fabrics, but if you want to use a bigger variety and have it in your stash, go wild! Have fun!

Two (2) 4-1/2”  squares from solid white or white or white on white prints.

Two (2) 4-1/2 “ by 8-1/2” rectangles  from solid white or white or white on white prints.

Here’s my pull of prints:

I played and moved things around and tried out a bunch of layouts and even did a few (unnecessary, but really fun) fussy cuts to show of some of my favorite scraps

I sewed each of the 4 patches to a white square and then assembled the block in two rows and the two rows into a block:

Have so much fun! I can't wait to see what everyone makes!

HIVE 1 October Tutorial - Bat Block for Jai

 

 

Fall is here, and with it come cooler nights, candy overload, and all sorts of spooky crawlers. Why not add a handmade bat to the mix?

This month we are stitching up the Bat Block from the Mystery Bats & Boos Quilt Along by the Fat Quarter Shop. Instead of a variety of blocks, we are focusing on one block, using multiple fabrics to bring out its personality. Picture it standing on point, with the bat flying up toward the moon.

These blocks are designed to capture fall’s fun and fright: candy, crawlers, goblins, and ghouls. Whether you are calm and cozy with solid fall shades or a bit mischievous with bold seasonal prints (Halloween monsters, candy bars, bonfires, leaves, or sunsets), this block works either way

 

Pattern and Video

·         Original Pattern: Week One – Bat Block

·         Video Tutorial: Mystery Halloween Quilt – The Bat Block

 

Fabric Choices

I challenged myself with thrifted Halloween fabric scraps that came in a mystery bundle. You can do the same with scraps or dip into your stash. 

 

·         Colors: Stick to fall shades, with clear differences in tone. (Skip religious or unrelated holiday fabrics.)

·         Moon (cornerstone): Think of any color that has ever been associated with the moon. This could be visual events like a glowing golden moon, a shining silver moon, or a dramatic red blood moon. It could be calendar events like a rare blue moon. Or it could be story-time moons like the old tale of the moon being made of green cheese. Any of these work, as long as your moon fabric contrasts with the background and does not blend into it.

·         Background: Candy corn vibes with orange, yellow, and white as the main color. Prints are fine as long as they read in those shades.

·         Bat body and wings: Darker than the moon or background. Body and wings should be distinct shades from each other, but which is darker is your choice.

 

Bat Tip! Scrappy is fine. If you mix fabrics, just make sure your bat does not vanish into the night sky.

 

Helpful Rulers (optional) 

·         2.5", 3.5", 4.5" squares

·         10.5"+ square

·         12" straight edge

 

Notes Before You Cut 

·         The original pattern is for four blocks. We are making one.

·         Measurements are very exact. Add at least ¼" to all sides and trim down later for sanity’s sake.

·         If you notice my pictures do not quite line up at the end… yes, I messed up and did not realize until the second to last step. Learn from my chaos.

Spooky Shortcut! If your cuts feel cursed, oversize and trim later. It keeps the crooked spirits away.

 

Cutting Guide

Fabric	ID	Qty	Size (add ¼" if you like)
Background	A	2	3.5" × 4.5" rectangles
	B	2	3.5" squares
	C	1	3" square
	D	1	2.5" square
	E	4	1.5" squares
Moon (cornerstone)	F	1	3.5" square
Bat Wing	G	2	3.5" × 4.5" rectangles
	H	2	3.5" squares
	I	1	3" square
Bat Body	J	1	3.5" square
	K	1	2.5" square

 

Assembly Steps

Step 1: Make Half-Square Triangles

·         Fabric: C and I

·         Press to: I

·         Trim to: 2.5" × 2.5"

·         Result: Two half-square triangles (HSTs)

·         Instructions: Draw a diagonal line on the back of fabric C. With right sides facing, stitch ¼" from each side of the drawn line. Cut along the line, press open, and trim to size.

Bat Tip! Think of this as the bat’s ears forming—sharp and spooky.

Step 2: Partial Bat Head 

·         Fabric: D, K, and both HSTs from Step 1

·         Press to: Top row toward D, bottom row toward HSTs, then press to the bottom row

·         Trim to: 4.5" × 4.5"

·         Result: Partial bat head

·         Instructions: Sew D to one HST. Sew the second HST to K. Join the two rows together.

Spooky Shortcut! If your seams do not nest perfectly, that is just your bat showing a mischievous grin.

 

Step 3: Relocate Cat 

·         Result: An empty cutting surface

·         Instructions: Remove the cat from your fabric. Bribery with treats may be necessary.

Step 4: Bat Head Unit 

·         Fabric: A, F, and the partial bat head from Step 2

·         Press to: Top row toward F, bottom row toward A, then press to the top row

·         Trim to: 7.5" × 7.5"

·         Result: Bat head unit

·         Instructions: Sew F to A, then A to the partial bat head. Join rows together.

Bat Tip! This is the bat finally getting its spooky noggin—witch-stitched and goblin-approved.

Step 5: Prep Diagonals 

·         Fabric: Both B squares and all four E squares

·         Result: Marked corner pieces

·         Instructions: Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of fabrics B and E.

Step 6: Partial Right Wing 

·         Fabric: G (1), B (1), E (2)

·         Press to: Corner pieces

·         Trim to: 3.5" × 4.5"

·         Result: Partial right wing

·         Instructions: Place G face up with shorter sides on top and bottom. Position B in the top right, sew along diagonal, trim ¼" away from seam, and press. Repeat with E in the bottom right corner.

Step 7: Corner Square Unit 

·         Fabric: H (1), E (1)

·         Press to: Corner piece

·         Trim to: 3.5" × 3.5"

·         Result: Corner square unit

·         Instructions: Place E on the bottom right of H, sew along diagonal, trim ¼" away from seam, and press.

 

Step 8: Right Wing Unit 

·         Fabric: Partial right wing (Step 6) and corner square (Step 7)

·         Press to: Corner square unit

·         Trim to: 3.5" × 7.5"

·         Result: Right wing unit

·         Instructions: Sew the corner square to the partial right wing.

Bat Tip! Your bat is starting to stretch one wing. Watch out for a midnight takeoff.

Step 9: Left Wing Unit 

·         Fabric: G (1), B (1), E (2), H (1), E (1)

·         Press to: Corner pieces

·         Trim to: 3.5" × 7.5"

·         Result: Left wing unit

·         Instructions: Repeat Steps 6 through 8, but place G face up with the long sides on top and bottom.

Step 10: Final Assembly 

·         Fabric: Bat head unit, right wing unit, left wing unit, J

·         Press to: Top row toward right wing, bottom row toward left wing, then press to bottom row

·         Trim to: 10.5" × 10.5"

·         Result: Completed bat block

·         Instructions: Sew the right wing to the bat head. Sew the left wing to square J. Join rows together.

Spooky Shortcut! If your bat looks like it is flying sideways, do not worry. Even goblins cannot fly in a straight line after too much candy. 

Final Thoughts

 I stitched up three samples to show how fabric shade can change the mood. Seasonal, scrappy, or even non-seasonal all work. Whatever you choose, your bat will have its own personality.

 

Happy sewing, and may your bats fly straight to the moon.

Jai