Hive 3 - November Tutorial - Boxes for Cathleen

 Happy November Hive 3!

Another wonderful year of Stash Bee is coming to an end. I've enjoyed creating for each of you in 2026. Now I hope that you will enjoy this super easy block as we head into the holidays. 

Ever since I took Tara Faughnan's Bars Quilt workshop, I've been exploring color and geometric shapes. I also like the uniformity of working with blocks that are the same "exact" size. While sorting scraps for our guild's annual fabric sale, I found a set of solid block sets that led to this design. 

I would appreciate you helping this design grow into a larger quilt.

Fabric

I love solid color fabrics and would like to limit this piece to solids. Please choose two solid color fabrics with good contrast. One should read darker than the other. Any colors that you like together are welcome with one exception. Please do not use any white. All other colors are acceptable. I have been tipping towards deeper, more saturated colors, but light colors are also helpful.

(Contact me if you don't have any solids in your stash and we'll determine a suitable substitution.)

Your light color needs

one 4" x 14.25" rectangle

two 2" x 8.25" rectangles

Your dark color needs

one 4" x 8.25" rectangle

two 2" x 14.25" rectangles

If you'd like to use smaller scraps, please see the alternate method below . . . 

Construction

Lay your rectangles in this configuration. The lengths will match to create two blocks.

Sew the 2" strips to both sides of each of the wider rectangles. A scant quarter inch seam or your favorite ironing technique should help you achieve a unit that is 7" wide. If your unit is 6 7/8" wide, I will also be able to use those. 

Please press to the dark fabric.

The long unit with dark narrow strips on the outside should measure 7" x 14.25"

The shorter unit with the lighter narrow strips on the outside should measure 7" x 8.25"

And, with that, you are DONE! I will subcut the units once I receive all the blocks so that I will have some flexibility in the final design.

For those who have smaller scraps, here's an alternate method that creates individual blocks. This system requires more accuracy. Create two or more of these. Solid colors do not need to be the same in each block. 

Your light color needs

one 3.5" x 4" rectangle

four 2" x 2" squares

Your dark color needs

two 2" x 4" rectangles

two 2" x 3.5" rectangles

Lay out these pieces to match the picture above. These are easy to chain piece. Press to the dark and then send in separate rows or sew the rows together to create a block that is 6.5" tall by 7" wide.

Thank you very much for contributing to my quilt. Message me if you have any questions.

With much gratitude,

Cathleen

@KitchKouture

Hive 1 - October - Plus Sign for Trisha

 

Hive 1 Plus Sign Block for Trishia October 2026

 I loved sewing this block! I am mailing you some extra little squares that I had leftover from cutting. Thanks this great tutorial!

Hive 1 October - Plus Sign Blocks for Trishia

 Trishia, these were really fun to do. Thank you for giving me an excuse to dig up my grandma's browns, that for reasons of style some decades back were very prominent in her fabric stash!

Hive1: Plus Sign Block for Trishia - October, 2026

Here you go, Trishia!  This was fast and fun.

 

Hive 1 Plus Sign Block for Trishia October 2026

 Hi Trishia, I made the improv version of the plus sign block (the lighter color is more light turquoise in person)😄 it’s on its way! 

Hive 1 - Plus sigh block for Trishia - October 2026

 Trishia:

Thanks for offering so many variations.  Made the layout much easier to work thru.   Dropped in the mail yesterday.

Cindy

Hive1 October Plus Sign Block for Trishia

 

Hi Trishia,

Love your Colour Combo!

This block will start it's journey to you in the next couple of days.

Happy Quilting,

Rita

Hive 2- October Tutorial- Wonky square/rectangle in a square block for Marie

Dear Hive Mates,

Happy October! I am reaching out this month for a quick and easy block. This block is so easy that this tutorial may not even be necessary for most of you, as the assembly will come intuitively. I am hoping to have a variety of blocks that are not identical in the center size/placement. So, no stress, have fun! 

With your help, I’ll be able to quickly prepare a lap size quilt for a friend.

Block: 10”x10” square block, with a square or rectangular center.

Fabric: The colors I have in mind are nothing inspired by the new Fall season! Instead, I am looking for a palette composed of lavender/dusty purple, raspberry/pink, aqua/turquoise, sage green and coral/red. 

Inspired by this Kaffe Fassett fabric:

 And this palette created by Google Gemini:

Please, *no* yellow, *no* bright orange.

Select two fabrics out of this palette, either solids, read solid or small flower prints (I love flowers). Batiks are fine. We will call one fabric “accent”, and one will be called “main”. 

Cutting:  I don’t have specific cutting instructions. You may even know intuitively how to prepare the block. If you want to use a larger center and make it fit in a 10”x10” block, go ahead! I am not looking for identical blocks, a little variety is nice, so you really cannot go wrong in making this block!

Should you need more precise directives, you may look at the Hive 1-April 2026 tutorial, available here

or you can follow along “a-b-c-d-e-f”:

a) One 3”-4” square or rectangular center using the accent fabric,

b) One 10.5” strip of the main fabric, as wide as what you selected in a),

c) Two 10.5” x 4” strips of the main fabric,

d) Cut the strip prepared in b) in two,

e) Sew each two sections prepared in d) on each side of the square/rectangular center prepared in a), and

f) Sew each strip prepared in c) along the strip assembled in e).

Press however you prefer.  The square/rectangular center does not need to be centered! No need to trim down to a perfect 10”x10”. 

Thank you all for your generous contribution to my project!

Hive 3 - October Tutorial - Haphazard block for Laurie

I’m so excited for another year with Stash Bee and I'm asking to add to my blocks from last year as I fell in love with each and every one!  

BUT this year You can choose any color you want for the strips.

The Haphazard block is bright, it's scrappy, it's creative, it's versatile!!

I'm using My Poppy Makes for inspiration. You can find the quilt  here:  MY POPPET MAKES

I changed up the dimensions so we will end up with a 15” block.

Fabric:  

Let’s keep this Bright!  

Center Square: Black and white, typeset, tone on tone, white on white

Strips: Pick one favorite color from your stash, then select four different fabrics to use.  If you like Pink, feel free to use that again! 

Instructions: 

Cut (1) 8.5” square from your center fabric.

Pick out your 4 different fabrics in your color line and cut strips.  

(1) 4" by 8.5"

(2) 4" by 12.5"

(1) 4" by 16.5"

Sew the strips around the center square using a 1/4” seam and trim each strip after you sew it.  The measurements I gave for the strips are oversized so you will need to trim down a bit after sewing. This is expected.

    

Your block should now measure around 15.5” but don't worry if it doesn't. This block isn't one that has to be exact and a little wonkiness is fine with me.  Press seams as you like.

 Now comes the fun part!  Cut the block in half twice 

(7 3/4” for those who want measurements)

Then turn each piece so that the center square is in each corner. It makes a plus sign pattern in the middle of the block.  (it's ok for one strip fabric to end up in a row/column but if you want to move blocks around go right ahead and play around with the layout)

 

Sew the 4 pieces together.  Your block should be around 15"

Press the seams as you like.  Don't worry about trimming as I can do that later when assembling the quilt.

    

Hope you have fun with this quick and easy block!

Thanks, Laurie