Liz: January

Oh, hi everyone! Here it is, almost the end of the month, and I nearly forgot to post!

For a quick intro, I'm Liz. *wave* I blog about quilting at teeny tiny quilts, and about life and parenting twin toddlers at Goddess in Progress. (That's why you'll see my blogger profile as "Goddess in Progress.") I live in Massachusetts, where I'm a full-time mom of 2.5-year-old boy/girl twins. I sew when they sleep.

I'm so excited to be a part of this Bee. What an awesome group! I actually made Michele's block very early in the month, practically right after I got the fabric. I followed the pattern quite literally, and added a sort of turquoise blue from my stash as a background for the star points. (And, yes, you can see the crease from where I sewed the row on the wrong way the first time... whoops!)



I then sat on it for a few weeks. I was really hoping to make a second block, maybe taking a few more liberties with the design. But too many sewing deadlines this month meant I had to stick with just one for this time.

Michele, it went in the mail this afternoon. I hope you like it!

Pinwheels, Stars and Wonky, Oh My

Here is the January block I made for Michelle at Calico Daisy.

As you know, she wanted a pinwheel inside a star, so I was happy to have the Feb. 2010 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting for reference. Such a cool idea for a block!

I was excited to finally try out my quick quarter tool (thanks to Sherri for the reminder that I had one). You just line up the slotted center of the tool with each corner of a square, draw two lines on either side of the tool, and sew along those lines, giving you a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Cut down the center, in between the two lines, and you get two triangle squares (see center pinwheel above).

Here is the February block I made for Heather.

As you know, Heather requested a wonky log cabin block, as wonky as we could get. I've never made a log cabin block or a wonky log cabin block, so I followed the directions from Quilt Dad's quilt-along posted last fall. I hope it is wonky enough for Heather's taste! I hope you will be able to trim this block, Heather, or add to it to match the size you need.

Both of these projects involved blocks or techniques I hadn't tried before, so they were great fun! -Terri

michele and heather

michele,
i was inspired by your 'birdie' fabric. it had such a light lacy feel that i wanted to try to achieve that in the block. i also thought a lot of white would show off these fabrics. i got a couple of little birdies in my piece so i fussy cut those for two of the corners. i think it'll look pretty sashed in the green. i don't make a lot of blocks like this, so it was definitely out of my comfort zone.

heather,
loved making your block. i agree that 16.5 inches is a big one. i hope you don't mind the addition of the katie jump rope and the amy butler dots.

i don't know if i can keep up with you guys. i've never been in a bee where blocks get done so quickly and fabric gets sent out early! you guys are amazing.

Gorgeous!

Heather, this was a fun block for me -- I can do wonky!  Your fabric choices are just gorgeous.  I had an unexpected free day from working -- the clinics I transcribe for are in Boston, and there's a big snowstorm, so nobody is venturing out (sounds like we Southerners!) -- and it took all the power I had not go directly to the LQS to check out some brown, turquoise, and limey fabrics.  It won't be long though, and I'll be getting some .....   

wonky cabin for heather

hope you like it heather!

Sunshine in the Cabin

February block for Heather....I gotta say, 16.5" is a BIG block size... I kept adding strips to this and thought I'd never get to 16.5". But Heather, it's a fabulous big block size with these wonky cabins! I'm calling mine "Sunshine in the Cabin", as I started by fussy cutting one of those great sunburst floral motifs out for the center...
It looks wonkier in reality than it does in this photo for whatever reason... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your color choices, Heather! I had no problem finding fabrics in my stash and scrap basket to add to this (we have very similar fabric tastes, I think!) This will be a lovely quilt, no doubt!

Stars, Pinwheels, and Birdie's, Oh My!

My January block for Michele...I added the dark brown with brights mosaic print (in the pinwheel and outer border strips) from my scrap basket to the fabrics Michele sent along. I love that she chose a specific block pattern, and yet, all of our blocks are turning out so differently! (I think Amy's is my fave so far...it must be that Kaffe green she through in there!) ;->I even snuck a little birdie into my pinwheel...ain't she a cutie? Hope you like this, Michele! I bet you're really glad right now that you decided to be brave and volunteer to go first, even though this is your very first Bee experience!

looking ahead...

Heather! Your on the ball for Feb! Woohoo! This is good! It gives those who are far away enough snail mail time! Just a note to say I have your fabrics already... Fun stuff.

I've been having the hardest time trying to decide which I block I want for MARCH... If you can believe it, I've started three quilts in the process of coming up with the right project...!!!

Then today my Quilter's Newsletter (feb/march issue page 56) came in the mail with this Hawaii Sunset Quilt on the cover... And it just did me in...Love flying geese, love 9 patches, and it's most likely not a quilt I would ever make on my own (that's a good thing) which means you ladies get to help motivate me...

So if you have this magazine, HOLD on to it... Because I will use this block for March.

I love it!! And! I have enough fabrics, that I don't have to go buy more! (drat!) ;-)

I'm posting this now, so i will stop racking my brain over this, now I can't change my mind!!

It's been fun so far seeing what everyone comes up with... Happy Sewing!

(p.s.-- Don't worry, I cut most of the pieces for the march block...
so you'll get pieces ready to sew...)

Shooting Star for Michele

edit: Michele asked, and so thought I would just link here in case anybody else needed to know - I learned how to make the Maverick Stars from this tutorial. They're fun and turn out awesome every time. To do it off center, just make all your white base squares the size you want and go as normal from there.

As is my thing, I have more white in this than others. The pinwheel is only 2" instead of four, and I set it off center to allow for longer wonky star points on two sides. I thought that vine print made an awesome shooting star out of my wonky creation! The adorable little bird is pointing the way. I hope you like it Michele!

Heather is way on top of things, I already got her package. I love these greens and blues!

Michele's block

Michele's block is done! It turned out cute! And I put together the left-over half square triangles and am sending them to Victoria for her Kitchen sink quilt.
The blocks are in the mail, ladies.

Hi Michele!

And hello everyone! It was great fun making Michele's block! It got me thinking that I don't make many "just blocks" these days. I make quilts, most of which already have a setting and sashing and borders that are pretty much planned. I'm thinking it would be fun to get back to making "just blocks" and then figure out what to do with them. We'll see (my mom used to say that to us all the time...it always meant that'll never happen...). :-)

Anyway, thanks, Michele, for setting a lovely example of being organized. Here's your block:

Keeping Up With The Bees

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So not to be last sewing my own block, I stayed up late all the way through the block only to find that I had sewn the last row on backward!  It was too late to make adjustments, so the ripping and resewing and photo shoot waited until this morning.  I've never pieced anything like this before, but other than a bit of finagling and forcing a fit on the bottom center piece (the bias cut got a bit fiddley), it went well. 

To keep all the blocks straight and to keep a little photo log of this month's process, I am framing all the blocks in little frames and titling them on my calicodaisy flickr set for the bee.  You can take them if you like. 

star/pinwheel block for michele

hope you like it michele!

The Same But Different

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I love to look at these blocks side by side.  Heather's little switch of using the solid fabric for that small rectangle seems to change everything.  Victoria's use of a solid in the center causes the pinwheel to look so sharp. 

January block

Can I just say that I REALLY liked having a pattern this time? I know this is supposed to help me with being more creative but I really like having directions this time!!! :) Hope this is how it's supposed to look! ;)

Michele's block

Here's your Block Michele! I hope I got it right...
me and patterns don't always mix well!
I did have to play a little... had to wonky it up a little on the pinwheel...
Are we adding the sashing borders? that was my only question...

fun fun fun!~