Hive 4 2017 January Tutorial...

Happy 2017!!! I'm Stephanie from Quilt'n Party. This is my second year in Stash Bee, I was part of Hive 1 last year. I'm so excited to be the Hive Mama for Hive 4 this year. It's been fun getting to know the members of my hive the last couple weeks.  For the other hives, I have been quilting for about 20 years and I am a self taught quilter. I grew up in Colorado and I still live in the Metro Denver area. By day, I work as an IT Business Analyst. I don't have any children but I do have a sassy, Pomeranian named Katrina that you will see from time to time if you follow my blog or Instagram. Let's get to my block. I've seen this block done as a 12" or 14" block but the math was a hassle. To simplify things I upsized the block to 16" finished.

Fabric Requirements - This is a chance to use up your scrappy scraps. The only thing I ask is that you not use civil war fabrics as they run more brown than I want. For the low volume pieces it's ok if the low volume pieces have color in them as long as the read dominantly white, gray or off white.

Cutting Directions
Fabric A  40 - 2.5" x 2.5" scrappy squares
Fabric B 2 - 4.5" x 4.5" low volume squares
Fabric C 2 - 4.5" x 8.5" low volume rectangles

Piecing Directions: use a 1/4" seam allowance

1. Using Fabric A squares, layout 4 - 2.5" squares, to create a 4 patch square. Sew rows together. Repeat so you have 2 - 4 patch squares.

2. Sew 1 Fabric B square to a 4 patch from step 1. Repeat so you have 2.

3. Sew 1 Fabric C rectangle to the unit from step 2. This unit should be 8 1/2" x 8 1/2".  Repeat so you have 2.

4.  Using the rest of the Fabric A squares, layout 16 - 2.5" squares, to create a 16 patch block. Sew rows together. This unit should be 8 1/2" x 8 1/2". Repeat so you have 2 -16 patch squares.

5. Layout the units as shown in the photo. Sew rows together.   

6. Sew the last seam to finish the block. The block should measure 16 1/2".

I hope you enjoy making this block. I can't wait to see what you each come up with.