Hive 1 June Purpleish Log Cabin Block for Caitlin

 

This was a fun and easy block, and I think Caitlin's purple and red color palette will make a lovely quilt.  Happy quilting all!

Pam 

Hive 1 May - Flying Geese for Kelli

 This was a fun one to make! 

Hive 1-MayTutorial - Neon Stroked Flying Geese for Kelli

The Block

Thanks for being on this journey with me. I have enjoyed sewing with you this year! I have been lifting weights for the last few years, and my shoulders have outgrown my quilted coat. You all will help me make a new coat! I am going for bold colors--and the late 80's neon color scheme inspires me. 

For the pattern, I have chosen the stroked flying geese block, a pattern from AGF. You will notice this method makes 4 at a time (and it leaves quite a bit of waste, sorry).

Fabrics:

For the fabrics, I am looking for neon on dark grey. I am using the Sharpie highlighter collection for inspiration. 

Background Fabric: I want a dark background. I prefer dark grey, but medium grey and black are also welcomed. You can use solids, blenders, batiks, and tone-on-tone. Please no light grey or navy. No prints. Here is my fabric pull:

Colored Fabrics: You'll need one main fabric and one accent fabric for the stroke. I recognize that you will likely not have neon fabrics in your collection; I don't either. Please choose colors that are vibrant and will contrast with the dark background. Solids, blenders, batiks, tone on tone, and small prints are all fine. Here is my pull: 

Cutting: 

Neon Main Fabric 

• four (4) 4 1/2” squares 

Neon Accent Fabric: 

• two (2) 4 1/2” x 2” strips
• one (1) 10“ x 2” strip, 

Dark Background: 

• four (4) 3 1/2” squares

Sewing the blocks: 

1. Take the four (4) 4 1/2” main fabric squares, two (2) 4 1/2” x 2” accent strips, and join them into two fabric strips with the contrast bar in the middle. 
   
   
   
2. Take one (1) 10” x 2” accent strip and use it to join two barred strips you created in step 1. You will end up with a 10" block that looks like a plus symbol.  
   
   
   
3. Make a template of a 6 1/2” square using paper or cardboard (I am using an acrylic template from Nancy's Notions), then place it on point on top of the block, making sure it is perfectly centered, align it with the center strips of the block, and trim it to size. You should now have a 6 1/2" block that looks like an X. 
   
   
   
4. Take two (2) 3 1/2” background squares and place them on the diagonal, aligned to opposite corners of the X block. Pin them in place, and draw a line from point to point.
   
   
   
5. Stitch at  1/4” from the drawn line on each side. Cut on the drawn line. Open and press toward the background fabric. 
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Take two (2) 3 1/2” background squares and place them on the diagonal aligned to the corner of the X block.  Pin them in place, and draw a line on the diagonal of the background square. 
   
   
   
7. Stitch at 1/4” from the drawn line on each side. Cut on the drawn line. Open and press toward the background fabric. You will end up with four stroked flying geese.
   
   
   
8. Trim: Mine came out to be 5 1/2" x 3"

Here are my final blocks. 

Hive 1 April 2026 - Colorful Squares for Julia

 

These blocks were easy and fun to make.  Julia's idea for Klimt-inspired colorwash-style quilt is great, and I can't wait to see the finished version.

Pam 

Hive 1 April Blocks- Yellow Squares for Julia

 These were so quick to make! I don't use a lot of yellows in my quilts, so there are more off-white yellows and browns here. Hopefully they'll help round out the color wash effect.

Hive 1 March Blocks- Evil Eye Block for Leah

I am really falling behind this month! I've had this one done but keep forgetting to post and mail it. I've got it in a bubble mailer ready to go out with my postman tomorrow morning. 

Super fun and easy make, thanks! 

Hive 1 April Tutorial: Yellow Squares for Julia (AKA the not-so-colorful color wash quilt)

Happy April, hive mates! For my Stashbee project this year, I was inspired by color wash quilts. Many people say these quilts remind them of Klimt paintings--I'm running with that idea and going all-yellow with mine. Terry Rowland popularized this design, and you can see her talk about it here.

Please make 6 5x5" blocks.

Colors:

You'll need shades of white, yellow, and black fabric for this. Anything in this gradient is fair game. Solids, blenders, batiks, and prints are all welcome! Just make sure it reads as being these colors. 

Here's an example fabric pull. I love that black-on-mustard-yellow print: it really helps to tie things together. I'm especially grateful for any prints you have that are a combo of white/yellow/black.

You'll also need some little scraps of bright or jewel tone fabrics. Please, solids or blenders only for this. (In my photo at the end you can see some squares with obvious print centers. This was before I realized that solid-only centers really make a difference for a cohesive final look.)

Cutting:

I don't have super specific cutting instructions for you, as I expect each square to be a little bit different. I usually start by cutting 3 strips of my main fabric, each 2.5x5.5(ish) inches. I then cut one strip in half. This results in an oversized block that I trim down--you could be leaner if you need to.

The center accent fabric can be rectangular or square. I recommend keeping this center piece between 1-2.5". Remember that if your center piece is super-skinny, it will eat up more seam allowance than width it adds so you'll need to start with a wider strip.

Assembly:

You should have something that looks like this: 

Assemble the middle strip first, and then attach the sides. Press however you prefer. 

Repeat for a total of 6 5x5" blocks! 

Here's the vision:

Thank you everyone!

Hive 1 March 2026; Anti-Evil Eye Blocks for Leah

 

I hope these blocks keep off the Evil Eye! Thanks for an easy and fun tutorial, Leah.

Hive 1 February Knee Bend Block for Rita

 

Here are my Knee Bend blocks for Rita for February.  I'd never made this block before, but they were easy and fun to make.

Hive 1 February Knee Bend Block for Rita

 These were really fun to put together. I can’t wait to see what you do with them! They started on their way to you yesterday.

Hive 1 - February, 2026 Knee Bend Block for Rita

Hello Hive 1:

The weather in Kentucky is certainly conducive to sewing these days.  The farm is blanketed with snow and COLD.  Here’s my block for February:

Jane

Hive 1 January 2026 Tree Blocks for Alanna

 

Coming in under the wire with my Tree Blocks for Alanna.  These blocks were familiar to me, because I made a Christmas quilt a few years ago using the same improv technique:

Happy Forest/Holiday/Christmas Alanna! 

Hive 1 January trees for Alanna

 

What a fun block! I couldn't get any decent lighting in my house at the hour I was sewing--they are true to your color scheme in real life. 

I haven't made any christmas quilts, though I've have ideas for a few! I did make some stockings a few years ago. I was especially happy with this one. 

-Julia

Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

Hello Hive 1!  

I love this block - it was so fun to make.  

I couldn’t find photos of all the Christmas/Winter themed quilts I’ve made, but here are a few table runners:

Jane

Hive 1 Christmas Tree block for Alanna

 Hello Hive One! 

I sent these blocks off in the mail last week, and I hope Alanna received them well. I went for a Kelly green and bright red. 

I know Alanna asked for a picture of our own holiday quilts, but I have never made one! I leave you instead with a couple of cute pillows I made 2-3 years ago. 

Hive 1 January 2026 Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 I had already started this quilt last year and then abandoned it, and my color scheme matched Alanna's. So, I made a new set just because and am sending off both. The pink is much closer to a deep hot pink. Enjoy!

Also, since you asked for a photo of our family Christmas quilt. This was the very first quilt I made (and has some of the fabric in your trees). I learned SO much from this little patchwork quilt. It was coincidentally going to be this exact tree pattern that you posted until I decided that I should learn how to sew straight lines before tackling a "real" quilt project. It is well loved and used almost all winter long. Fabric line is Moda's Cozy Wonderland.

Hive 1 - January 2026 Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 Alanna:

Headed to the post office to ship these blocks to you.  Hope this works in the final project!

Cindy

Hive 1- January Tutorial- Christmas Tree block for Alanna

 Hello everyone and welcome to 2026 Hive #1!

I hope your holiday spirit has not completely burnt out, because for the January block I am asking for christmas tree blocks.

I am travelling with my family for the holidays, and between that and organizing StashBee, I haven't had an opportunity to come up with a new tutorial. So I am repeating my tutorial from 2024, since I could use more blocks as I still have not gotten around to finishing that quilt.

Have you made a christmas/holiday quilt for your family? If so, please include a picture of your own holiday quilt when you post your finished block.

I have 2 little kids (my son just turned 6, and my daughter will be 4 in April).

Their excitement and joy over the magic of the holiday season is so fun, and we are in that stage where we are forming our own traditions and core memories.

I really want to finish a christmas quilt to add to our holiday decor, to snuggle under while we watch christmas movies.

Inspiration:

My inspiration for this quilt is vintage christmas ornaments, and the pink and red stockings my mother-in-law made for our family.

My partner and his mother are Haida First Nations, and there are cultural rules and protocols about what animal crests that you can use. They are part of the raven clan, so his stocking has a raven design.

My kids don’t have their own crest yet, so their stockings only have the buttons and fur, and no design yet. And for me, she made a hummingbird, which is one of the animal crests that don’t belong to a specific clan so she was able to use that for me, a non-indigenous person. 

 

I actually really like pink and red together, and love vintage christmas ornaments that have pink and aqua/turqouise in them as well.

Here are some additional images I found online that represent the vibe/colour scheme

Block Pattern:

I am asking for christmas tree blocks, based on the tutorial by Amy Smart, of Diary of a Quilter. 

https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/modern-christmas-tree-quilt-block/

I am not making any changes to her tutorial in terms of sizing, so the blocks will end up about 7″ x 9″ finished. It might not be exact, because this is kind of an improv block.

Based on the way this block is constructed, you will be cutting and piecing the block in a pair- so you will end up with two blocks that are inverse of each other in terms of colours.  

Fabric Selection:

For this block you need three fabrics:

• 2 colours for the background and trees; and

• 1 brown for the tree trunk

• Medium to dark, chestnut brown is ideal but use what you have (just not a light tan brown though, please)

For the background and trees you can choose 2 different fabrics in any combination of the following colours:

• Pink: 

• Medium to bright pink

• Bright Green:

• Emerald or kelly green

• Avoid olive or lime greens, or any super dark hunter greens

• one of my examples in my fabric pull definitely leans to the light side (the lime green with snowmen)- i dont want anything more yellow or light than that one

• Red:

• Bright, tomato/cherry true reds

• Reds with a lot of white in them are okay

• Please avoid super dark reds, maroons and burgundies, or reds that have a lot of brown or orange in them

• Aqua/turqouise:

• I am looking for a contrast with the bright green, so I don't want something that reads true blue (ie not a cobalt or royal blue) or too mint/green

• A bright teal is okay if it leans towards more blue than green

• 
  

Prints and solids are both great. 

If you are using a print, here are some parameters:

• tone on tone or blenders are great

• novelty prints are great too if they are winter/christmas themed (snowflakes, snowmen, sweaters, ornaments, reindeer, santas, peppermints etc) 

• Please no licenced characters (no mickey mouse, paw patrol,sesame street etc. while my kids love those, I do not want them in my decor)

• Prints that have a combination of the other colours in the quilt, or white, are perfect. Just try to avoid prints that introduce new colours into the quilt

Consider contrast 

When choosing your two fabrics, please try to have some contrast between them in terms of both colour and scale . So for example, if you choose a bright tone on tone green, for colour # 2 choose a lighter pink, or red print with more white in it. Or if fabric 1 is a larger print, choose a smaller scale print for fabric #2.

My Fabric Pull and Colour Inspiration

Here is my fabric pull from my own stash.

I think I may use this fabric as a border around the finished blocks

I found some completed quilts on instagram in a similar colour scheme. Here is one of my favourites. This one has navy though, which is not one of my colours.

Cutting:

Colour 1 (any of the four colours listed above)	Cut (1) 8.5” x 8.5” square Cut (1) 2” x 8.5” strip ***Note: If using a directional print, be careful how you cut this strip- in one of my blocks I have my print going the wrong way for this bottom strip
Colour 2 (a different colour than #1)	Cut (1) 8.5” x 8.5” square Cut (1) 2” x 8.5” strip ***Note: If using a directional print, be careful how you cut this strip (see above)
Brown (tree trunk)	Cut (2) 1.5” x 2” rectangles

Block construction:

Step1:

Stack your two 8 ½″ x 8 ½″ contrasting squares on top of each other. 

This is where the “improv” part comes in.

Place your ruler at an angle and make a diagonal cut.

Pull the fabrics from the first cut away, and make a second diagonal cut the other direction to get your tree shape. 

You can make the tree fat and wide, or tall and skinny, or any combination in between. The more variety across all the tree blocks I receive, the more visual interest the quilt will have.

***Note: Don’t cut your triangle point right at the top of the block – leave lots of room above the point so that there’s room for squaring up and for seam-allowance.

Step 2:

Sub-Cut your two 2″ x 8 ½″ strips in half to make two sets of 2″ x 4 ¼″ strips.

Step 3:

Swap out the ‘tree’ piece and match it up with the contrasting background pieces.

Sew the tree piece to the background side pieces starting with the side of the second cut.

Tip: When lining up your tree piece with the background piece right sides together, place the top corner of the tree ¼” past the edge of the background piece.

Press seam away from tree.

Step 4:

Now sew the side of the background from the first cut to the tree.

Press away from the tree

Step 5:

Once your sides are pieced, square off the bottom so that the edges are straight across.

Step 6:

Sew the two sets of 2″ x 4 ¼″ strips on either sides of a brown 2″ x 1 ½″ ‘trunk’ piece.

Press towards the trunk

Step 7:

Sew the trunks to the bottom of the blocks. (The trunk strips are purposely wider than the tree parts so that you have wiggle room to center the trunk under the wonky trees.)

Press the seam open.

Step 8:

Trim off any pieces hanging off the side.

Do not trim the top. I will do that when I get them all, and trim them all to the same size. 

Repeat for the inverse block, and your done!

Here are three sets I made so far, all mixed up.