Hive 6 October Tutorial: Funky Chickens for Elise

                                                 This lovely lady is Rose. She lays colored eggs.


Happy October!

This month, we will be making the chickens from the Dear Stella Poppie Prairie Flock Party Quilt Pattern as a birthday gift (though more likely, Christmas gift) for one of my best friends, who raises chickens.

Chicken feathers actually come in a variety of colors and patterns, so feel free to use the link as inspiration or create your own breed of funky chicken.

Fabrics

• no florals
• any shade of green for the background

Cutting Instructions

    

These Lavender Orpingtons are the inspiration for my sample block.

Beak

A: 1 ¾ x 1 ¾ inch square 

Chicken

E: 2 ⅛ x 2 ⅛ inch square

F: 1 ⅛ x 1 ¾ inch rectangle

G: 2 ⅜ x 2 ⅝ inch rectangle

I:  two 2 ⅝ x 2 ⅝ inch square

 J: 8 x 5 ⅞ inch rectangle

Background

 B: 1 ¾ x 3 inch rectangle

 C: 8 x 3 inch rectangle

 D: 2 ⅛ X 2 ⅛ inch square

 H: 3 ⅞ x 6 ⅛ inch rectangle

 K: two 3 ⅜ x 3 ⅜ inch square

 L: 1 ¾ x 10 ½ inch rectangle

Piecing Instructions

1. For left-facing chicken: Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of A. Place A right sides together on the right end of B with the diagonal line starting in the upper right corner. Sew. Leave 1/4 inch seam allowance and press triangle open. For right-facing chicken: Draw a diagonal line on wrong side of A. Place A right sides together on the left end of B with the diagonal line starting in the upper left corner. Sew. Leave 1/4 inch seam allowance and press triangle open.

2. Sew AB unit to short end of C.

3. Make 2 HSTs with D and E. Only one is needed. Press toward the darker material. Trim to 1 ¾ x 1 ¾ inch square.

4. For left-facing chicken: Sew F to E/D HST and press toward F. Sew FED to G and press toward G. For right-facing chicken: Sew D/E HST to F, then DEF to G; press toward G.

5. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong sides of the two (2) I squares. Place an I square, right sides together, in the lower corners of H. Sew along diagonal line and trim, leaving 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press triangles open.

6. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong sides of the two (2) K squares. Place an K square, right sides together, in the lower corners of J. Sew along diagonal line and trim, leaving 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press triangles open.

7. For left-facing chicken: Sew FEDG to HI and press. For right-facing chicken: Sew DEFG to HI and press.

8. Sew above unit to KJ and press seam allowance toward KJ.

9. Sew ABC unit to above unit and press seam allowance toward ABC unit.

10. Sew L across top of block and press.

The final block should be 10 1/2 x 10 1/2. Don't worry if the final size is a bit off. The blocks will have sashing, so wonkiness will be hidden.

Hive 1 September Friendship Star Block for Caitlin

 Don't mind the floral background. Hope you like this one. Will get it in the mail tomorrow. 

 

Jai 

Hive 1 Friendship Star for Caitlin

 

I loved making these! Thank you for the color freedom; lots of input on one of them from my five-year-old. We had fun! They’ll be on their way to you tomorrow. 

 

Hive 1 Friendship Star for Caitlin

Here are the two stars that I made this month.  I am making a quilt for my daughter that is made up of a number of pinks so I had some extra squares already cut and was inspired to use them for this project!  Hope they work with the rest of the quilt.  They will be in the mail today.

Beth

Hive 1 September Friendship Stars for Caitlin

 

These were super fun to do and I love a good scrappy star. Can't wait to see your finished starry blanket. 

Hive 1 September Friendship Star Block for Caitlin

 

Hi Caitlin,

HSTs and myself are not on friendly terms, nonetheless, I managed to get some Friendship Stars out of them. 😁

These blocks go on their way to you today.

Happy sewing,

Rita

Frienship Stars for Caitlin

Hi Caitlin,

I hope these blocks work well for you and find their place in your collection of "Friendship Stars"!

Happy Quilting!

Marie

Hive 1: 2025 September Friendship Star for Caitlin

 

I loved how quickly this came together. The color is a bit off in the photo. I like when there is freedom to pick whatever. Thank you for allowing us to showcase colors and scrappy. 

- Tasha

Hive 1: 2025 August Book Block for Abby

 

I am a little behind on the August block for Abby, but I really was looking forward to this block. I love the blocks that allow you to tie in your personality and hold stories. This block holds my favorite color, my love of cats and nature, fairytales, one of the first 4 fabrics I ever bought when I started sewing/quilting when I was 16, a raid of my fussycuts box, a fabric designer that pivoted my entire view of the hobby, my first cut into a fabric that was the first time i bought fabric 'just because' and not because I had something in mind, and a recognition of me being honest with myself about who I am and is ok to be. 

I hope you enjoy your new 'reads' and the stories each one holds! 

-Tasha

Hive 1 2025 Finish: Starry Night Quilt

 

From block of the month to finished in under 6 months--that's a Stash Bee record for me! 

This was such a fun finish. It was my biggest quilt yet that I've done on my new-to-me longarm, and my first with wool batting. I know the block itself wasn't everyone's favorite, but I will definitely repeat the concept of the assembly--some pieced blocks, some scrappy background. It makes for a nice overall effect, and much quicker to collect all the needed blocks!

Thank you Hive 1 and crashers for making this with me! 🌟🌟🌟

-Julia