Hive 5 - January Tutorial- Dala Horses for Josie

 Happy New Year, Quilters!  I am starting off the year with some sweet little Dala horses in bright red and blue.  This pattern comes from a Moda Christmas Countdown and is written by Nicola Dodd of Cakestand Quilts. Traditional Dala horses are in bright primary colors, most often in red, and have such a cheerful, sweet Scandinavian vibe.  They are unofficial mascots of Sweden, which is why you may be thinking "...didn't I see this in Ikea??" 

For your background fabric, please select a bright, clean white.  It can have a tone on tone pattern if you would like, but it should read visually as clean white. For your horses, please select bright, crisp blues or reds...but you have options!  Please select either a fun, lively pattern that reads red or blue overall, OR go with a nice solid.  I plan to embroider some of the Dala horse details onto the solid horsies, or if you have a yen for embroidery (or a machine that does fun stitches), please feel free to send your own pattern.  Here is my pull of my colors, and I can tolerate all the way to a bright scarlet (a little darker than pictured) or royal blue.  As long as it's poppy and fun, you've got the right idea!

Let's get cutting!

From WHITE BACKGROUND, cut:

• one 4.5x9.5"
• one 4.5x5.5"
• one 3.5x8.5"
• one 3.5" square
• one 2.5" square
• one 1.5x5.5"
• one 1.5x2.5" 
• one 1.5" square

From your HORSE BODY COLOR, cut: 

• one 4.5x9.5"
• one 3.5x7.5"
• two 3x5"
• one 1.5" square

Start simple with the horse's body...we gotta give him a little butt. Draw a line down the center back side of the white 1.5" square, then pin the piece, right sides together, to the upper right corner of the large 4.5x9.5" rectangle of body color. Sew along your line, then trim your corner a quarter inch from the seam, and press flat. Set aside.

 The legs are the only tricky bit of this block. Take your two 3x5" body pieces and place them right sides together.  Mark a point 1.25" from the lower right corner on the short side, and draw a line from that point up to the top right corner. Cut along this line and you should have two mirrored pieces. I'm including Nicola's sketch as well as my work because my pattern makes the line a little hard to see.

Now that we have our legs, we're going to mark where they'll be sewn in place.  Take your 4.5x9.5" background piece, and with the piece sitting lengthwise, make a mark 2" in from both top corners, and another pair of marks 1" from the bottom two corners. Draw lines connecting the top and bottom marks. 

Take your leg pieces and with right sides together, align the cut diagonal edge of the leg piece with the line you just drew on the background fabric. The corners of the cut diagonal edge should extend about a 1/4" over the background fabric. Stitch 1/4" from the cut diagonal edge, then you can press the leg open and trim the block to the original 4.5x9.5", using the background fabric as a guide. (After I trimmed this section, I also flipped the legs back over and trimmed the excess white fabric, but you don't have to!) My picture shows one leg aligned and sewn, and one already flipped and pressed.

Now we need to make this little guy's head.  Take your 3.5" and 2.5" white background squares and draw a line down the center back side of the fabric. Align the 2.5" corner in the top left side of the 2.5x7.5" body color rectangle with right sides together, sew along your line, trim your excess, and press open.  Do the same with the 3.5" square in the top right corner of the body color rectangle.

Last corner triangle!  To make our horse's ear, draw a line on the back side fabric of the 1.5" body color square, position it right sides together at the bottom left of the 1.5x5.5" background piece.  Check your positioning to make sure that the ear will be cocked forward! Sew along the line, trim excess, press. 

Finally, join your 1.5x2.5" background piece to the left of the ear strip.  

Now all we have to do is put this little friend together!  Sew your ear strip to the top of the head block (As you can see, my ear strip was very slightly short. For alignment's sake, I recommend lining up the leftmost edges of the head and ear strips so that the ear lands nicely at the top of the "forehead.").  Then, attach your 4.5x5.5" background piece to the right side of the head. Sew the legs to the body, then sew the 3.5x8.5" background piece to the left side of the body/leg block.  Finally, sew the head unit to the body unit. 

Look how cute that little Dala horse is!  Your finished block should be about 12" square.  If you choose to add designs to your solid block, please feel free, but don't feel that you have to...I will be embellishing as I assemble!

Hive 4- January Totrial- Color Block for Laura

 Hello!  Welcome 2026 Stash Bee!

My name is Laura from sunny Florida!  

 Yes, we still use quilts here…it often gets chilly in the winter!  This morning it was a chilly 42 degrees!

This month we will be making what I’m calling  COLOR BLOCKS .  I m not sure who to give credit to for the pattern….I had saved several Pinterest pics that were very similar.  This was really easy to figure out in the size I wanted and I think it’s going to make a very cool quilt.

This is a simple and fun block to create…so let’s go!

Preferred color scheme:

Plus black and white.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Choose prints of four bright colors and a black/white or white/black neutral.  Any rainbow color will be fine.  If you have a lot of scraps of one color, it’s okay to do two of the quarters in that color.  Actually, if you want, make all four corners with the same color!  I will make it all work!!  This is all about using up your stash!!!

Quilt pieces are all cut the same size: 4.5” x 2.5”

Cut 6 of each color and 8 total of the black & white.  

Sew together like this using a quarter inch seam:

I pressed open.

I pressed away from the center, but you do you!

Again, I pressed away from the center.

All is good though.

Repeat 3 more times.

AND THAT’S IT!  I’m not sure as to my layout and color placement, so stop at this point and send.  It’s going to be fun trying different layouts and color variations!!  

The finished little block will be about 8.25 to 8.5” and when put together will equal about a 15-16” block.  I’ll be trimming the blocks to the same size once the happy mail arrives in my mailbox!

PLEASE SEND THE 4 INDIVIDUAL CORNERS UNATTACHED!  I cannot wait to play with all your beautiful blocks!!!

Thank you for being a part of Stash Bee 2026.  I’m looking forward to all of your creative ideas this coming year.

Peace,

Laura

Hive 3 Tutorial - simple 9 patch block for Helen M

Hello fellow beehive members

Happy New Year to you all and here's to an amazing Stash Bee Hive 3 year of making blocks and friends.

I am Helen and I am your Hive Leader this year and I am first cab off the rank for my quilt tutorial. I have been quilting off and on 1998 to 2011 (I attended a quilting class making a sampler quilt using scissors and measuring tape to hand cut blocks and then hand sew them all together - I still have that quilt and I marvel at my ability to complete a quilt by hand and it look well made. The colours I chose are very 1990's I am afraid. I will pop a photo of it in chat later).

Then in 2011 I attended Quilt Festival in Houston and I fell for quilting hook line and sinker since then and it occupies my hobby life fully with a bit of knitting and embroidery/cross stitch on the side.

I live in New Zealand and it is currently summer so it is warm and sunny here.

I would like you to make me blue and white blocks this year. And I have picked a very simple tutorial that will take way less than an hour to complete 2 blocks out of 6 strips of fabric (this includes selecting fabric time).

The blocks are a pair of simple 9 patches 9.5 inch square unfinished (9 inch square finished in the quilt).

Here is a link to a tutorial from 2014 prepared by Red Pepper Quilts. Rita doesn't seem to be around anymore but she was a prolific scrap quilter and made quilts out of small pieces, for sale. She was amazing and made the most beautiful quilts. She also showcased new lines of fabric every Sunday. What an inspiration she was.

https://www.redpepperquilts.com/2014/10/nine-patch-checkerboard-quilt-tutorial.html

Please follow this tutorial and my photos below. Her tutorial is beautifully written with photos far superior to mine. The thing I'd like you all to pay close attention to is her pressing instructions. I am a press a seam open kind of gal but I would like you all to follow her "to the side method" so that my quilt top goes together nicely - your blocks will look lovely and crisp as well, using her pressing method.

Please use a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance due to the pressing to the side method.

Can I please also ask you to use white thread for sewing the block so that the thread does not show through the white fabric.

Fabric Pull

Here is my fabric pull. I would like blue please - light blue, mid-blue, dark blue. Please don't go too turquoise, teal, jade or purple - mostly blue. There can be other coloured motifs on the fabric but please mostly blue. This was part of a deep dive into everything blue by Alison Glass.

Can the white please be clear crisp white - not cream or off white. There can be motifs on the fabric but the fabric needs to read as white.

Cutting the Fabric

Choose one blue fabric and one white fabric.

Cut 3 strips from each fabric 3.5 inches wide and 11.5 inches long. (I added half an inch to the suggested length in Rita's tutorial for wriggle room. Scroll down the tutorial towards the bottom for her cutting instructions for different sized blocks).

My cut pieces laid out for sewing along the long edge.

Sewing the Strips

Sew two blue and one white strips together on the long edge alternating the colours and sew two white and one blue strips together along the long edge alternating the colours. 

The three strips sewn together.

Sewn together strips pressed as per Rita's instructions.

These blocks should measure 9.5 inch high by 11.5 wide. Lay your ruler on the block to check as per this photo. If it is not this size please check your seam allowance.

The middle strip should measure 3 inches and the outer strips should measure 3.25 inches when sewn in.

Cutting the Sewn Strips

The strips sewn together now need to be cut into 3.5 inch by 9.5 inch strips as per the photo.

I recommend squaring up one edge and then cut across realigning each time. The strip on the right edge will be excess and allows for re-squaring as you go. Use the lines on the ruler against the lines in the block where the colour changes to line up.

Sewing the Cut Strips Together

Layout your fabric alternating to make 2 blocks.

The seams at the back should nest nicely giving lovely crisp blocks.

Please press as per Rita's tutorial so that when all the blocks are sewn together, they will nest nicely.

Here are my 2 completed blocks using the 2 fabrics.

And here are some more I made very quickly using other blue and white fabric but also to show how they will alternate in the quilt.

I think it will make an amazing quilt. The blocks are 9.5 inches square unfinished.

Hope this all makes sense - if you have any questions please let me know.

Hive 2 - January Tutorial- Offset Wonky Star Block for Gayle

 Since this is the United States Semiquincentennial year, (extra bonus points if you can pronounce it), I decided I would like a red, white and blue block made from offset wonky stars.

 

 

 

 You will use red, white and blue fabrics, one color for each element. You get to choose the placement for each area. For example blue could be either the background (as in example above), the center square or the star  points. Then use the two other colors in the other areas. 

Blues in medium to dark, a print or texture mostly blue without other colors, except small bits of white or black. Batiks are okay.

 

Primary reds, again medium to dark, prints or textures. With small bits of white or black is okay, no pinks. Batiks are okay.

 

Whites can be solid white, a white on white print or a white with a tiny subtle print, any color as long as it is not overpowering.

 

So pick one fabric for the center square. 

 

Another color for the background pieces, these should be all cut from the same fabric.

 

I would like the star points to be scrappy, but repeating a fabric is fine (this will happen if you cut a square on the diagonal). Just use your best assortment. If you pick white for the star points, it is fine to use all solid white for the points since it is harder to come up with an assortment of whites. But if you have them, use them, I just don't seem to have a good selection.

 

Fabric cuts:

 

Background:

 

cut 4 - 4 by 5 inch pieces 

and 4 - 4 by 4 inch pieces 

Note: there will be 2 strips cut for offsetting the star block, but see below for cutting instructions, about 2 or more inches wide. Finish the star part before cutting these strips. Note - a piece of fabric slightly smaller than a fat quarter will work for all the background pieces. (These fabrics shown are for my second completed block shown at bottom)

 

 

 

Center square:

Cut 1 - 5 by 5 inch piece

 

Star points:

No real measurement, can be scraps. A block around 4 or 5 square inches divided diagonally will give you two points. If you have a cut off triangle from something else, it should work as long as it is big enough. A rectangle can work, too, I even used a 2 1/2 inch strip, but wider makes it easier to make sure you completely cover the background.

 

 

 

Start by placing a rectangle or triangle over the edges of the 4 by 5 inch background piece, along the shorter side. Place it and see if when you sew the seam, and flip it, it will cover the edges of the background block. Have the one edge near the center, but does not have to be exact center. The other side should not extend all the way to the top of the block on the short side.

 

Sew along the red edge, fold and flip over the red point piece. Iron it and turn to the wrong side.

 

 

 

Trim away the extra star point fabric.  

 

 Now turn up the star point and trim away the extra background fabric.

 

 

 

Repeat for the second star point, trying to make it a bit taller, wider, a bit different. You can overlap the first point at the one edge. Just leave at least a 1/4 inch free on the top edge corner, shown in the upper right (and left) hand corner in the example below. This will prevent the tip getting cut off when assembled. 

 

Repeat and make 4 blocks.

 

 

 Now assemble the block like a nine patch. Sew the three rows and iron away from the point blocks in each row, this will allow them to nest when assembled. Iron the cross seams any way you prefer.

 

 

 

The next step is to add the two offset strips, but at this point you can adjust the final strips so it will be the correct final size. Measure the block, it should measure 12 inches square. If by chance it is a bit larger, trim it down to 12 inches. 

 

Cut two strips:

Cut 1 - 2 by 12 inches in same background fabric

Cut 1 - 2 by 13 1/2 inches background fabric

 

Attach the shorter strip and then the longer one to the adjoining size. The block should now measure 13 1/2 inches square. 

 

NOTE - If the block by chance measures less than 12 inches square, cut the strips a little wider than then 2 inches, maybe 2 1/4 inches. Then add to two sides and check again. If necessary trim to 13 1/2 inches. It will finish at 13 inches when the blocks are sewn together.

 

Here is the second block that used the fabrics where I showed the example cut pieces.

 

 

I hope I haven't set too many particular requests for this block. Please have fun with it.

 

Thank you, Gayle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stash Bee 2026 - Sign Up by December 20th 2025

  

Registration for StashBee 2026 is Live!

CLICK HERE to access the sign-up form. 

Registration will be open until December 20th 2025, and Hives will be announced before the new year via email. 

Please share the link with your Quilty Friends and encourage them to sign up too!

New to Stashbee? Read on, to find out more!

What is StashBee?

Stash Bee is an annual modern, international, online quilting bee.  It runs for 11 months (January-November) on multiple platforms including facebook, instagram and on this blog. 

StashBee is open to new and returning members. Stash Bee is international friendly. All hives can expect to have a mix of countries. In the past, the majority of participants have been American, with 1-3 hive members from other countries. Participants are responsible for the cost of mailing blocks to their Hive Mates.

Participants are divided into several hives, each containing 10-11 Hive Mates.  The total number of hives will depend on how many people sign up, so invite your friends! We need 10-11 people per hive, so there may be a wait list if there is an incomplete hive.

Each of the members acts as “Queen Bee” for one month. Before their month arrives, the Queen is responsible for testing out their choice of block and creating a tutorial post on the Stash Bee blog for their Hive Mates to follow. All of the hive members then create the requested block from their own fabric stash, and mails the block to the "Queen Bee".

As "Queen Bee" you specify the block, and the color scheme and type of fabric you would like your hive mates to use (ie. solids, prints, low volume, novelty, florals, tone on tone etc). Since this is a modern bee you  can ask for modern blocks, or a classic block but with modern fabrics. 

By signing up, everyone commits to making 10 blocks over the course of the year (January to November). In exchange, when its your turn as "Queen Bee" you will receive 10 blocks.

Reasons to Join

1) One block a month is an easy commitment!

2) Make new Quilty Friends around the world!

3) Try new blocks and new techniques!

4) Make a dent in your stash!

5) Make a quilt with a great story, and a wonderful diversity of fabric from other people's stash!

6) Have fun!

Rules & Expectations

Please review our Rules and Participant Roles & Expectations before signing up. 

If you have additional questions you can email me at the StashBee email:  Stashbee.blog@gmail.com

During the sign-up process, you will be asked what platform you would like to use (facebook, instagram, or the blog). Hives will be assigned based firstly on platform preference, then skill and design/fabric style preferences will also be taken into account. Anyone not assigned to a hive will be placed on the waiting list in the order that they signed up.

One more thing...

Follow our StashBee Instagram profile, and tag us in your StashBee makes!

@StashBee.blog

Hive 1 November bonus block for Nicole

 The first ever jaguar-astronaut. 🚀 This is on its way! -Julia