Hive 2 - Jennifer's Blocks

Hi Jennifer, your blocks will be winging their way to you tomorrow with a few extra 1.5" cuts in case they may come in handy!

These were fun and great scrap busting blocks!  I think Lizzy will have great fun with this quilt!

Please forgive me, but I'm too ashamed to show the disarray of a fabric stash that I call mine :) Caroline aka lalinsocal

Hive 4 September Block

Just like Pam, it was my first time doing reverse applique and once I got some sewing machine tension issues worked out it was really easy.  Thanks for the introduction!

What keeps me going with quilting is the satisfaction of completing something.  So much of my current life is filled with things that I do repetitively that never get done.  Quilts get done and when they do it's so satisfying!  Thanks again for this new-to-me-technique!  It will be on it's way to you tomorrow.

September Hive 4

This is my first time doing reverse applique. I enjoyed doing them. I am going to try reverse applique on a baby quilt I am doing.

Hive 6: September

Here is the next month for the Stash Bee. Michelle requested grey backgrounds with navy or orange plus signs. This quilt is going to come out awesome! Super easy block to make with charm squares, this might need to become a quilt for me :) 

Michelle asked how we store our stash.  Mine is color coded nicely folded in an IKEA rolling cart. I don't keep a very big stash, I clean it out frequently to keep it fresh.  Sorry I don't have a pictures (right now it's a disaster!)

Chelsea @ Patch the Giraffe

September Hive 2 Blocks for Jennifer

I had so much fun making these little blocks for Jennifer. I've always wanted to make an I-Spy quilt but my nieces and nephews are way too old for them now.

It's such a joy to use some Heather Ross fabrics and knew the Briar Rose bumblebee would be my first block in yellow. Then, I found this tiny scrap of kawaii fabric with a little surfer girl in Hawaii on it and decided to make a brown block, too. (Since you are teaching colors, I thought it should work. I tried to keep the browns fun.)

I really hope you like them.

To answer your first question, I definitely keep my solids separated because they all have different thread counts. I buy Kona, American Made Brand and shot cottons so I prefer keeping brands together. I don't have a fancy color card and so tend to buy more if I need a lot of a specific color scheme. (This way I don't have to worry about dye lots matching.) I use bins from the Dollar Store that are perfect for holding fat quarters, scraps and/or bundles together. They stack neatly into my shelves when I am not using them.

 

     
To answer your second question, I have 17 living aunts and uncles from both sides of my parents (21 total in this Catholic family!!) and they have each had a profound effect on my life. They inspired me to create art, work hard, and cherish every moment while you can. It would be too hard to list them separately to thank them for the lessons I've learned so I will just send a THANK YOU here to all.
-Yanick

Hive #9 September Block for Grace

Hive #9 September Block for Grace

Hey Everyone!  For this month's block Grace asked us to make a Pineapple Block.  It's a beautiful block!  It was a fun block to watch come together....twice.  The first time I made it, it came out to small, which prompted a verbal outburst and a new and improved clean work space, so it's all good!  Lol!  The tutorial has a misprint in Step 7, which says to use 1 1/4"  strips.  Don't do it!!  Stick with 1 1/2 " for the entire block.  My instincts told me something wasn't right, but i'm not one to listen, even to myself. Lol.  So here are your blocks!  Maybe you can use the smaller one for  throw pillow! 

Grace also asked to see our work space.  Mine is nice and clean now, and much more user friendly!  Here's a before and after:

Thanks for a great block Grace!

 

Hive six September and August blocks

This is one of the Julia's from hive 6. I have blocks done! I enjoyed making the blocks this month. 

My sewing space is organized by size (larger than 4 yards, larger than a half yard, and scraps), solid or print, and colors. I love it! 

About last month . . . These blocks and I did not get along. Here are my best attempts: 

So sorry about being late :(

Hive 2 September Blocks for Jennifer (from Yvonne)

Jennifer, my niece will be turning 2 tomorrow, so I am so excited to be making these blocks for your niece! Since the block finished out so small, I couldn't limit myself to making only one. Jennifer, the blocks are *slightly* over sized, but I thought it would be best if you gave the final trim before you sew them together.

Jennifer wants to know how we organize our solid fabrics. I keep my solids in separate bins from my prints. I have a large bin for colors and a large bin for neutrals. If the fabric does not come labeled (some stores put awesome labels on that I re-use), I will write the color down on a post it note and fold it into the fabric. I pretty much only have Kona solids. I do have some Denyse Schmidt solids, but they were a large fat quarter bundle / grouping, so they are stored separately in a bag that they nest in perfectly. I have no idea what their color names are... ...and when I lose track of a Kona color name, I'll pull out my color card and sort it out. I like knowing what I am using.

Hive 2 September block for Jennifer

Jennifer asked two questions. The first was how do we organise our solid fabrics, to which the answer if that I don't, it just all goes into a big box, not even all that tidily if I'm honest.  The second was whether we'd had a special aunt in our childhoods and I spent most of mine on the other side of the world from mine, so sadly I have no happy memories on this score, but my sister has been a great aunt to my kids, and I have loved watching their relationship over the years.

Hive 4 September block for Katie

Hi, Katie - this was a fun block to make. Fortunately I had these great little scissors with extra sharp points on them - perfect for cutting through those layers.  I would have made you two, but I am super-pressed for time this month and am now out of town on business for the remainder of the month.  Have fun putting these all together!  (Bad photo - sorry!)

Your question about what keeps me quilting?  All my life I have shuffled papers for one business or another. Now I do long arm quilting and have found an avenue to be creative - no rules! Or at least, I can bend the rules to my pleasing :)  I also enjoy making quilt tops, all aspects of it, as an expression of my creativity.  I don't think I'll ever let quilting go to the wayside.  Guess I can't - I have too much stash to use up!