Hive #4 October blocks

Christy,

Here are your blocks, I made two, they're exactly the same.  This was the only pink fabric I had in my stash, hope you like them.  Sorry the light was poor when I took the photos. Enjoy your birthday, mine was a couple of days ago.  I will get them in the mail this week.  Lynn

Hive #4 October blocks for Christy

I wish I'd been able to take a more vibrant photo, but it snowed yesterday and I couldn't go outside where I normally take my photos. But you get the picture! These will go out in the mail Monday.

Cyndi

What is Modern Quilting and What is Modern Fabric?

While there are no true "experts" on modern quilting, the Modern Quilt Guild defines modern quilting as follows:

"Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. "Modern traditionalism" or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting."

Source
I wrote up a long, detailed explanation of what modern quilting is, but in the end, I couldn't say it as well as the MQG's old definition of modern quilting, which I found on Angela Pingel's blog, Cut to Pieces. Here is what she quoted:

"Modern quilting is a new twist on the traditional art of quilting. This may mean something as simple as using a traditional quilt block and updating it in a fresh, fun new way. That includes using modern fabrics, modifying the block arrangement or even the scale of the block. The piecing could be improvisational and wonky, or it could be very exact and measured, following a pattern or creating your [own]. The quilting could be traditional stippling, clean straight lines, or a very "free" have fun and quilt-as-you-go style. Fabrics could be upcycled vintage sheets, custom digital printed fabric, a yummy selection from one of the new modern fabric designers, or an old fabric from an ever growing stash.

Modern quilting is sometimes difficult to define because in many ways the definition is as individual as the quilter - changing from quilter to quilter. In addition to reflecting the individual personality and personal style of the quilter, it also reflects the current aesthetic of the day.

Modern quilting is also about the attitude and the approach that modern quilters take. It respects the amazing artistry and talent of the tradition of quilting, while allowing the quilter to challenge the "rules". In fact, if there were one rule in modern quilting, it would be that there are no rules.

The concept of modern quilting is not meant to divide or segregate. It is meant to welcome new quilters, of all ages, to the world of quilting in a style that they can relate to. In many ways, modern quilting takes us back to the basics of the early quilters, when women of the day used the colors and styles of their time to express themselves creatively"

Source
Modern quilting, at least this iteration of it, is largely influenced by the fabrics used in the creative process. Bright colors. Bold prints. Geometric. Solids. Basically anything other than batiks, dusty civil wars, and reproductions. Browns and brown-tinged fabrics are largely avoided, as are pastels and overtly floral designs. Of course there are always exceptions to this theory and I happen to know a few extremely talented quilters I would deem "modern" who constantly use traditional fabrics. It's a fine line to walk and ultimately, modern quilting is what you make of it.

Source
I recommend browsing the Modern Quilt Guild's online gallery, which can be found here, my Quilt - Inspiration Pinterest board and perhaps a few online shops that offer a wide array of modern fabrics. Some of my favorite shops are linked below:

Westwood Acres
Stash Modern Fabrics
Knotted Thread
Sew Fresh Fabrics
Fresh Modern Fabric
Fabricworm
Hawthorne Threads
Pink Castle Fabrics
The Intrepid Thread

These links should give you a good idea of what modern quilting is, what modern fabrics look like, and ultimately, what members of Stash Bee are going to be looking for from other hive mates. Your stash should include mostly modern fabrics that can be used in making the blocks for this bee. If your stash is not modern fabric heavy, you may want to reconsider joining Stash Bee since it is specifically geared toward the modern crowd.

Hive #4 September Block

Cyndi, here are my blocks for September.  They are going in the mail tomorrow.

Have a great day!
Candace

STASH #4 BLOCKS ...

.. on their way to Illinois ..

Hope she likes them xx

Diane x

Working on Catching Up

One down and two to go.

I must be in a Fall color mode, hope you like Heather.

I need to get it in the mail now.

Bee Quilt Finished!!

Just wanted to post a quick couple of pics of my finished quilt and to thank everyone from Hive #2 that helped make these blocks.  You all did so awesome -- I just love it :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks again ladies!! :)  I have decided to take a break from Bees so I will not be joining you for the next round.  I would like to finish up on some projects of my own.  Good luck with the next group--I will still be following :)

 

Thank you--Jackie

 

 

Hive 4 September

Hi Cyndi, I am sorry these are a little late. They went in the post yesterday.

Carolinex

Hive #4 September Blocks

Such a neat block!

October Queen Bee Hive #4

 

Hi!  I’m Christy and I am Queen Bee of Hive #4 for October!

 I am happily married to a cowboy, we have three wild boys  (only one left at home, he is 15). We received our first grandbaby daughter in February of 2012!

The hardest Quilting thing I have ever done? I’m not going to lie. . . . it has been this swap! Every month, I just couldn’t get it right the first time! Sometimes it took 3 and 4 tries! I started with a new sewing machine and the needle moves to different positions. (I used to line my fabric up on my old presser foot).  I could not get that ¼” seam allowance to save my life! I kept second guessing myself, changed this, changed that until this past August I happened to find a clear presser foot at Wal-Mart with a tiny black line that was ¼” mark. (Why couldn’t I have found this sooner?) It was the answer to my dreams at $7.98. Would I do it again? You bet I would!! I worked with colors and blocks that I never would have chosen!

My favorite dessert food is brownies!  I ate a cheesecake brownie thing once at a hotel restaurant that was delicious and have never been able to duplicate it.

The last time I laughed really hard was a couple of years ago when I was buzzing my youngest son’s hair. I had the ear guard on and was almost done and seen a stray hair in the back, forgetting that I had the ear guard on and took a big hunk out of the back of his hair. The moment it happened, he knew what I did, and went running to the bathroom. I found it funny because he has chosen to have a mow hawk, shave his head, and turn his hair green before, but he was crying in the bathroom because we had to go shorter than he wanted. Well when I was sweeping the hair up and throwing it away, I said “we could make a hair piece with this.” But I was laughing so hard and couldn’t get the words “hair piece” out for laughing, and he thought I said he had herpes and was in the bathroom bawling more loudly than before screaming “I do not have herpes!” So, then I was really laughing!

 We have a small horse farm and I give beginner riding lessons. My husband is retired. I am the head cook and housekeeper. We have 4 ducks (my mother’s day present this year ) 8 horses 8 chickens, a blue healer named Kit and a dachshund named Macy.

I learned to hand sew from my grandmother. I remember making a blue satin purse by hand. I later bought my sisters first sewing machine from her and tried to teach myself to sew. I remember crying a lot because it just wasn’t working until I started reading the instruction manual! Then it started happening, until I tried to read a pattern. Then I stopped trying to make clothes and started to make quilt blocks!! Road block =Quilt block!

 I am a very traditional person, therefore I only hand quilt my quilts.

My life Philosophy: Strong people do not put others down, they lift them up!

Now, on to my block!

I would like this 12 1/2” pinwheel/Star block! I am in love with it! I would like you to use soft pinks, soft browns and Kona bone please.  The center pinwheel block I would like to be soft pink and Kona bone.  The outer star area I would like to be soft browns and cream!

UPDATE: any cream color that you have in your stash is fine! It does not have to be Kona bone, or Kona anything!

First you need to cut 8-3 ½” x 3 1/2” Kona bone squares for the outside solid blocks.

Next You will cut 2- 5 1/2” x 5 ½” of soft pink squares.

Then cut 4- 5 1/2” x 5 ½” squares of soft brown.

Finally cut 6- 5 ½” x 5 ½” squares of Kona bone.

 

Now, lay your 5 ½” soft brown squares and your 5 ½”  soft pink squares on top of a 5 ½” Kona bone square.  Sew all the way around these two blocks like so.

 

Next, you will cut them diagonally one way and then the other.

 

 

Now you have 4 half square triangles.  Press the seams open or to the dark.  Whichever you prefer. . .

Like so

Then trim your dog ears off.

 

Macy says “The only Dog ears allowed in the sewing room are mine!”

Now lay your HST’s out in this order and sew your rows together from sides, then from top to bottom.

There you have it! I am super excited! My birthday is this month, so  it’s going to feel like I am receiving presents all month long! WHOOO HOOO!

Thank You ladies! I am soooooo excited!