GO! August 25, 2010

Krista asked us to make her some improvised blocks (12.5″) for the Not Your Grandma’s Quilting Bee (August)

with THIS quilt as her inspiration.

She sent several strips of linen in neutral colors to all of us

and then a few different scraps of Anna Maria Horner “Good Folks” and some Kaffe Fassett “Shot Cottons” as well.

Here is what I came up with =0)

Block 1

Block 2

This was my first time completely improvising a block without any pattern or instructions…

not bad for a first try???

Block 2 is much more pieced because I had only scraps left to use, but I think I actually prefer it to block 1.

At any rate, I hope she likes them both and I look forward to see her finished quilt!

PS- just have to share this FABULOUS giveaway from Heather over at a la mode fabric HERE…

can’t believe she is giving away an AccuQuilt Go! Cutter along with three dies ~ EEEEK!

I have been saving and saving and saving up to buy one of these, but my savings always dwindles???

Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be the lucky winner!!

We’ll if it isn’t me I certainly hope its you ;0)

Happy sewing,

Colette

Queen Bee June 23, 2010

Hooray I am “Queen Bee” for July in the Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee!

I cut and put together packages with 6″ squares of eight Marylebone from Liberty fabrics

(that I blindly ordered from Sew Mama Sew HERE)

along with a 6″ x fabric width strip of the Kona aqua fabric for each hive member.

I absolutely LOVE these fabrics together with the aqua and can’t wait to see the Flying Geese blocks that I get back!

Now I just have to get to the post office to mail them ;0)

Happy sewing,

Colette

July is all MINE!! June 14, 2010

crazy geese quilt, originally uploaded by a quilt is nice.

All of these bee blocks I have been making will pay of next month…
July is MY month for the Honey Bees (Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee).

This is my first month hosting and I can’t wait to see

all of the LOVELY blocks that my talented “hive” members will create for me.

I came across the lovely “Crazy Geese Quilt” pictured above from a quilt is nice HERE

a couple of months ago and knew right straight that I wanted one!

How great is it that your hive members get to choose to make a block that inspires them and lets their creativity shine?

I’m just waiting on my fabric to arrive so I can send it out…
and promise to share pics when it does!

Happy quilting,
Colette

Well on my way May 26, 2010

FINALLY got all of my wonky star bee blocks finished for the 3×6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee

and OUT of my WIP box (pictured below) and into the mail today they went ;0)

I truly LOVE each and every color combination!

I actually got started on my Dad’s “Turning Twenty” quilt yesterday!

Isn’t the fabric for it LOVELY??

The fat quarters were cut, pressed, and I got the blocks half done…

I love how easy and quickly this pattern (here) works up and how the fabric takes the spot light.

I still have to get to turning this chair block into a pillow cover for the Pillow Talk Swap 3…

but I haven’t EVER made a pillow cover before…

so I ordered this pattern here so that it would indeed look like a pillow when I am finished

(that’s just how I roll, I am WAY too much of a perfectionist to just wing it, ha ha).

Well on my way to FINISHING all of my WIPs =0)

Happy sewing,

Colette

Block O’ Strings May 6, 2010

I have been in quilting ZEN up in my new sewing loft!

A “block o’ strings” for Janet (Not Your Grandmas Quilting Bee) from the p.s. i quilt tutorial HERE.

Finding new blocks to sew makes me very happy =0)

This one is SUPER easy, a bit time consuming,

BUT I found piecing it to be VERY…relaxing???

Ha ha, I know right?

I added a bit of my own fabric here and there to the scraps left from the “Map of the States” (blogged here) block.

I didn’t have any quilt basting spray

so I used freezer paper and a thin flour sack towel (of the kitchen variety) as a pressing cloth

(I used my new iron and I wasn’t sure if the freezer paper would wreck it???  Do you know?)

AND I have to say it worked MARVELOUSLY!!!

The fabric lightly adheres to the freezer paper and lays down nice and flat for smooth sewing.

Borrowed Jeni B’s creative packaging

and off it will go with today’s mail.

Enjoy Janet!

Happy sewing,

Colette

Map of the States Blocks May 5, 2010

Look what I got in the mail!

This is a “Map of the States” block that I received from Jeni B for our 3×6 Mini Sampler Bee

AND its the first “bee” block I’ve ever gotten =0)

I requested a block in raspberry, lime, and chocolate and I am TOTALLY in love with it!

In fact, I was so inspired by it, that I chose to make a Map of the Sates block for Janet in the Not Your Grandma’s Quilting Bee.

OK, so I have A LOT of “states” there, and it took FOREVER to fussy cut and sew…

BUT IT WAS SO WORTH IT!

When I trimmed up my block it was 12.5″ X 12.25″???

It was supposed to be a 12.5″ inch square…

so I ended up snipping a bit off and adding this fabulous Monaluna Mingle Dots in canary border

AND I like it even BETTER!!!

I love LOVE love how each of the fabrics are showcased because they were fussy cut.

I can’t imagine making an entire quilt with this block by myself…

however, it would be a fabulous “Bee” block so everyone could help me???

Something to think about!

Now to make one for yourself or somebody else,

grab some scraps and your patience and follow this easy tutorial over HERE at Oh Fransson!

AND of course I am stealing Jeni B’s wrapping idea!

Well alright, she gave me permission, so its not REALLY stealing, ha ha.

Happy sewing,

Colette

Wonky Star April 29, 2010

I can’t tell you just how elated I am to be part of several virtual quilting bees!

I tend to be one of those people who get into a groove and stay there…

and I don’t particularly care to push the creative envelope.

Being in a quilting bee pushes you right off your arse and out of your comfort zone.

I am learning new techniques,

experimenting with new quilt blocks,

and working with colors I never would have put together myself…

AND I am thrilled with the results!

A particular favorite of mine is the 3×6 Mini Sampler Bee.

It is a group (aka “beehive”) of 7 and you have 3 months to make and send 6 of the same block type (ie. log cabin, star, etc),

one for each of the other 6 members in your beehive, in their specified colors and fabric tastes (ie., modern, no batik, etc.),

and here is what I love…using your own fabrics!

Really, it couldn’t be easier, no sending fabrics and directions, you just make the block you are comfortable with,

and at the end of the three months YOU will receive 6 blocks in your color way =0)

If you would like to join, the reservation list for the 3rd and 4th quarters can be found here.

Getting on to the wonky star part…

I followed this very helpful tutorial over at The Silly BooDilly blog here to make my first ever Wonky Star Block.

Jennifer requested orange, purple, and brown for her blocks.

I chose to use a different fabric for each star point and linen fabric for my background.

I didn’t quite get the whole making your triangle larger by 1/2″ -1″ until I sewed up my first side…

aaahhha ~ cut your star point fabrics into 5″ (charm size!) or 5 1/2″ squares, instead of the 4.5″ she originally suggested!

I went ahead and chain sewed my blocks wherever possible.

And I simply adore how this block turned out ~ isn’t it just so fun?

Jennifer plans on donating her finished quilt to charity…

UNLESS she loves it too much ~ ha ha, gotta love her escape clause!

But for now she only gets to see this “sneak peek” pic on our flickr group.

Happy quilting,
Colette

Paper Pieced Laced Star Block April 27, 2010

Got a package from my Red and Aqua Bee 2 in the mail from Canada!

I kinda sorta freaked when I saw this paper piecing pattern sans instructions…

(original pattern here ~ she enlarged hers to make a 16.5 inch block)

I have NEVER done a quilt block quite this COMPLICATED before!

A few deep breaths were taken and I gathered my wits about me

(and courage ~ it is a bit worrisome when the fabric is NOT yours and is in very limited supply)

and I jumped right in (only after reading this tutorial here and this one here too).

Perforating the printer paper before sewing was definitely helpful when lining up the fabric on the reverse side before sewing

as well as making it easier to remove the paper after the block is finished.

I had to seam rip and resew about a thousand times…

alright, maybe only a hundred!

Really really REALLY wish she would have sent MORE fabric for nubes like me.

It took a while to get the hang of cutting the proper size and aligning it just right for sewing.

More fabric = much easier = saves tons of seam ripping

SO PLEASE BUY TONS OF FABRIC IF YOU PLAN TO PAPER PIECE!

Surely remember to lay your 1st piece right side UP and ALL OTHERS right side DOWN

because if you don’t that makes for tons more seam ripping.

OH and please lay out your pattern before you begin and mark on it with pencil the top bottom left and right pieces and then write on the shapes which color or fabric goes in it because it will make your life way easier (well maybe not your whole life).

AND even though it was totally frickin’ frustrating

and I cursed the whole time I was piecing it

I am so glad I did it and am totally in LOVE with this block!!!

Happy quilting,

Colette