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May 2013 Block

I have been oohing and aahing over this quilt pattern for some time. It's been on my "must make list" once I have more scraps to work from. However, instead of having three different shade of blue (aqua, light blue and dark blue), and two shades of orange, I think I'll have to add in a grey block, and maybe even a brown, white, and/or black block as well. In my book it's all about the color spectrum, not just the rainbow.

Karri sent enough fabric to make a 4x4 block, but the instructions call for a 5x5 block. I think she's currently finishing up a semester, so I'm going to cut her some slack on that. Once I added a few more 5" squares to the mix in my assigned color of red, I was ready to go. Improv piecing the star points was pretty fun, but if I make this quilt for myself, I'll probably end up making perfectly symmetrical star points. I just like order in my life, it's a flaw, but one I'm willing to deal with.

I made the points first, then put together the nine patch around the star, and then added on the outside rows and columns, one "layer" at a time. That seemed to work pretty well and I like to think that my points are fairly accurate.

 

I'm really quite happy with how it turned out. And the other pictures I see popping up in our Flickr group are equally amazing.

May 2013 Theme

What is your theme (if you want everyone to make a specific block type please provide a pattern to follow)?
Rainbow Starburst Block

Tutorial can be found here.

What size block would you like (unfinished v. finished)?

17.5 unfinished

Do you have any particular instructions for the fabric (don't use a certain color as a background, use some of every fabric sent, etc.)?

I'm sending 5 inch charms that need to be cut down into 4 inch blocks.

Can members use their own fabrics, or should we stick with yours? If yes, should it be washed or unwashed?

Each person will be assigned a color. If you have red and feel like you have a fabric that better represents that color instead of mine, please feel free to swap out.

Can members make more than one block if they are feeling inspired?

One block each will be plenty to make a large quilt.

Do you have preferences for thread color (white/off white/etc.)?

Any neutral thread you have in your machine should be fine for the piecing.

Please share any links that inspired your theme (flickr/pinterest/etc.).

April Block

Caryn sent out some beautiful prints. I happened to receive this very exotic looking elephant print with two neutral solids.

The pattern we used was this Giant Churn Dash block. They finish at 24" and nine of them make a decent size quilt top.

Except for some initial measuring and cutting issues, I did finally manage to get the block put together fairly easily. However, due to the measuring and cutting issues, it's just a hint shy of 24.5" unfinished. Still looks gorgeous.

April Theme

What is your theme (if you want everyone to make a specific block type please provide a pattern to follow)?
Giant Churn Dash blocks. The tutorials can be found here and here.

What size block would you like (unfinished v. finished)?
24.5" blocks according to the tutorial.

Do you have any particular instructions for the fabric (don't use a certain color as a background, use some of every fabric sent, etc.)?
You'll be sent one patterned fabric ready to be cut utilizing the diagram in the first link, plus two pieces of background fabric. The large one will be cut the same as the print fabric and the smaller one (8 1/2" X 8 1/2") will be the center block used when piecing your final nine patch. Please note in the second tutorial that the HST's need to be cut down to 8 1/2" before sewing together your nine patch block.

Can members use their own fabrics, or should we stick with yours? If yes, should it be washed or unwashed?
Please only use the fabrics sent

Can members make more than one block if they are feeling inspired?
One block each will be plenty to make a large quilt and a pieced back

Do you have preferences for thread color (white/off white/etc.)?
Any neutral thread you have in your machine should be fine for the piecing.

March Block for Mallory

Mallory sent two white on white fabrics and the blue background fabric. I ended up adding in a few of my own white on white fabrics, and I think they turned out great. The pattern for the block on the left can be found here, and the one for block on the right came from Esther at ipatch.

Unfortunately, the block on the right turned out a little small. I thought it had a 1/4 inch seam allowance already, but maybe I was mistaken. And I didn't have enough background fabric to put a border around the outside, but it was too pretty not to send off. So hopefully Mallory can do that herself.

March 2013 Theme

What is your theme (if you want everyone to make a specific block type please provide a pattern to follow)?
I've been really debating. On one hand, I have a ton of WIP that I could use help with. On the other, what's one more project... I'm thinking one more project it is! My theme is stars. My hubby is an astrophysicist (I know, nerd, right?) and I'd love to make a constellation quilt for him. Paper pieced, basic--I'm willing to have whatever.

Is there anything you don't want on your block (things sticking off the surface of the fabric, applique, etc.)?

Nothing hanging off the blocks please! This is going to be a present for my hubs, and I'm sure that he'd rather not have to avoid buttons or other similar items

What size block would you like (unfinished v. finished)?

Since I'm going to be making a larger pattern from the blocks, I think I want to keep the blocks around 8 inches finished (8.5 unfinished)

Do you have any particular instructions for the fabric (don't use a certain color as a background, use some of every fabric sent, etc.)?

I'm going to be sending blue star fabric (likely 2 12 x 12 pieces), which is intended to be used as a background, and multiple tone-on-tone white fabrics for the stars. As far as the white, use what speaks to you

Can members use their own fabrics, or should we stick with yours? If yes, should it be washed or unwashed?

Please keep the blue fabric as the background only. As far as the white, any white tone-on-tone would be acceptable. I do prefer unwashed fabrics, but, if you're more comforable with washed, please be my guest

Can members make more than one block if they are feeling inspired?

Sure! I will try to include enough fabric for multiple blocks, but please let me know if you need more!

Do you have preferences for thread color (white/off white/etc.)?

No preference for piecing. Quilting would be a completely different story!

Would you like people to send back any scraps?

As I will be using the leftover fabric to make the constellation, please do send back any pieces that you do not use (unless it's love at first sight--I can't stand in the way of that!)

Please share any links that inspired your theme (flickr/pinterest/etc.).

www.flickr.com/photos/ohfransson/8120551493/

February Block for Sabrina

This is my February Block for Sabrina. She wanted a Japanese X-Blocks and sent us a bunch of blue fabrics. The tutorial for the blocks can be found here. I think the finished quilt is going to look fabulously scrappy. I am really tempted to make another one, but it will have to wait until after I finish some other February obligations. I am also planning out my very first quilt for myself using white/tan text prints for the "X" and black fabrics for the "plus" and red fabric for the background and outside portions of the pluses. I'm excited to see how that works out and also that at the end of the day I may actually have (as my husband puts it) an "Anna original." :)

These are my January blocks for Rachel. They are based on a tutorial for modified bento box blocks found here. I had asked her to send me fabric for two blocks. Unfortunately, she had a bit of a mishap when cutting and sending fabric, so I didn't actually have enough for both. I made it work and only had to use my own fabric for the very outer layer and the non-yellow solids in the second layer. I thought they turned out pretty nice and by the second one my seam allowances had gotten so good that I think I actually ended up with a 16" square block. The left block has Kona Pomegranate with Tiny Gingham in Fuchsia by Michael Miller in the outer ring and the left has Kona Papaya and Pomegranate and in the outer layer: Square Petal in Tangerine from Notting Hill by Joel Dewberry.

November Layout

So, I was playing around in the very high-tech program, Paint, to try and come up with a layout for my November bee blocks. 8 of 11 have been posted on the Flickr group so far, and I cannot wait to see the rest. I am planning on making one of my own, to round out the number to 12.

My thoughts are as follows: blocks with white signature blocks and blocks with lilac signature blocks will alternate. I will be sashing the blocks in solid white. The signature blocks will be on green patterned backgrounds. The purple corners I'm not sure about. I just put the squares in there as spacers, but kind of like the idea of having some purple in the sashing, either solid or patterns.

Can't wait to get the rest of the blocks and start putting this puppy together. I think I'm going to try QAYG, so my poor sewing machine doesn't die when I attempt to quilt my very first twin sized quilt.