May Bee Blocks

The Maple Leaf Quilter's Bee

I've been putting off Spiderweb blocks, as lately I've been trying to avoid paperpiecing, but this month Lesly sent us some templates with the starting kites and asked for spiderweb blocks using some scraps she sent us along with some scraps from our own bins.

It actually turned out to be quite a fun block to make and I can now see myself making more of these.

Sew Modern Bee

May was my month and the starting month for this bee (a group of 12 Canadian women). I sent out some packets with large cuts of "Flourish" from Studio E along with some solids (half the group got off white and half chocolate).

I asked everyone to make me a miniquilt as a block  and for it to be 16.5 inches unfinished. Some examples I gave them to look at were theblock along tutorials Elizabeth Hartman did up for Sew, Mama, Sew's quilt month.

I decided I would like to use up all of the fabric I have for this line so I have been making blocks with the scraps that have been sent back.

 My fourth block is a disappearing 9 patch row 3 block 4 below.

Here is a photo of the blocks I have received to-date along with the 4 I have made too.

I think they are looking amazing together. I'm still waiting for a couple of blocks and then I have to decide to sash or not to sash and if I sash what color to use. Any advice would be very welcome.

April Bee Blocks

I was featured on Quilting Bee Blocks Green Edition for 1 of the Maple Leaf Bee Blocks I made for my own month. To see more of these blocks go here.

Sadly, due to family commitments I have had to resign out of 2 of the 4 bees I was in. I've decided to stick with the 2 Canadian bee's (as Canadian bees are a little harder to fill).

Here are the blocks I completed for Heather (feltartistic) of the Maple Leaf Bee. Heather sent us some vintage sheeting fabric and asked us to make 2 blocks using the tutorials Rachel of p.s. i quilt has put on her blog for the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along.

May is the first month of the Sew Modern Bee and happens to be my month. It's a really great group and I think it will be a lot of fun! I sent out 11 packages containing prints from Studio E "Flourish" line and asked for a mini quilt as a block in a 16.5 inch square.

I did up 1 block so that I end up with 12 blocks. I used the Oh, Fransson tutorial for Wonky Crosses that was done up for Sew, Mama, Sew's quilting month. I used scraps that were returned from two other members of the group who sent me some pretty cool blocks.

 

Below is a mosaic of blocks completed by my fellow bee members!

March Bee's and Swaps

March has been super busy. I have been very busy longarming quilts for others but I thought I'd stop in and show you the blocks I made for bee this month and an embroidery I finished up the Hoop Up! Stitch & Send swap.

Here are the blocks:

Beatnik Bee: Katie asked us to make improv style blocks for a quilt she will be putting together for her daughter. I did add the green solid in each of the blocks as I thought it would compliment the fabrics nicely.

I wanted to make this one look like a window scene!

This one is just a basic log cabin done improv style.

The Maple Leaf Quilters Bee: Cate asked for a Crossed Canoes paperpieced block using fabrics she had sent. There wasn't enough of the print so I added the green print in 2 of the canoes.

TISQ Bee: Suzanna asked for a wonky shoofly block using fabric she had sent.

 

Hoop Up! Stitch & Send: I received a wonderful piece from Cathy Gaubert which you can view on her photostream here.  Cathy was inspired by my theme "Found in an Oriental Garden" and designed a beautiful piece for me. Thanks so much Cathy, it's beautiful. I plan on using the pieces I receive for this swap in a quilted wallhanging.

I am not quite the designer she is but I also designed a piece for her "Into the Woods" theme. The fabric it is stitched on is repurposed green linen sent to me by Cathy.

 Partial close-up View

Full view

That is four embroidery pieces done for this swap, only 2 to go!

February Bee Blocks

Beatnik Bee - here are the Amish Diamond and Pinwheel blocks I made for Tracy. She asked that we fussy cut the corners to get a nice flower in the center. The fabric was very nice and these were fun.

The ISQ Bee - Here is the new York Beauty block I made for Jen using the great fabrics she sent. The dark grey fabric was my own and the batik in the inner ring were my additions.

The Maple Leaf Bee - February was my own month so I made a few more blocks so I'll be ready to put it together when the rest of the blocks come in. I previously made some mainly green ones which I posted about here. 

For most of these blocks I used a tutorial by Elizbeth Hartman of Oh,Fransson.

 

 

 

The Maple Leaf Bee

February is my month for shipping out fabric and receiving blocks back. This is my first time and I'm really enjoying it. The blocks being made for me are really great and it is so much fun to anticipate and check the flckr group pool every day to see if anyone else has posted there.

This week has been a bit quiet there, but I have been receiving blocks in the mail all week. Such fun mail! Nice to open these packages rather than just bills all the time! Here is a cute video on how I've been feeling when I open my mail this week! Just click on the title Merci, Krista!

In late January I sent out 4 green packages, 4 pink packages, and 4 pink and green packages to my fellow bee people, who are all from Canada, along with instructions to use the large print for an outer border and a small Kona charcoal strip for a narrow inner border on the 15.5 inch block. For the centre I suggested using the Oh, Fransson "Map of the States" tutorial.

 

 

While waiting for more blocks to appear on the pool, I have been using the scraps that were sent back to make a few extra blocks, since I will need about 20 for a nice sized quilt. (My blocks, 2 above and 1 below)

Here is a group photo of the 3  I made and together with the blocks that were sent back to me this past week.

Such fun! Thanks to all the amazing Canadian women in this awesome group!

January Bee Blocks

Here are the blocks I completed for Virtual Quilting Bees this month.

The Incredible Shrinking Quilters' Bee

Jessica asked for 9.5 inch star blocks which would look great set on point. I had trouble with my first one which you can read about here so I made another using some fabrics from my stash which I thought would go with Jessica coffee, sugar, and cream quilt. 

 

The Maple Leaf Quilting Bee

Barb asked for 12.5 inch improvisational blocks in tangerine and blue/aqua for her sons "big boy bed". Barb sent some awesome fabrics and this these were a lot of fun to make. I think her quilt is going to be amazing.

February is my month for this talented group of all Canadian  quilters, my fabric has been sent out and I can't wait to see what all of the women come up with.

Beatnik Bee

Heidi asked for 12.5 inch Churndash blocks using the Modify Tradition tutorial. She asked for 2 blocks, 1 with black background and 1 with the reverse in Kiwi background.