Catching Up

Hello everyone. I want to thank you for your patience with me as I've lagged behind in my blocks in the last half of the year.

Everything has gone into the mail yesterday and this morning, and I believe I'm caught up.

Megan's cake slice:

Carla's blocks:

Linda's blocks (I hope these are OK, they are short and all leaning in the same direction, duh):

Terri's block:

Anything anyone is missing from me? Again, thanks for your patience and I had fun getting back into the sewing groove with these blocks.

Amy

Blocks For Lolly {Carla}

They look a little crooked and crumpled! I didn't realize these pics were so bad. Anyhoo - great block, great idea. Love the birds in the centers. My MIL would love a quilt like this!

 Blocks are on their way to you today!

On The Line

Sewing this quilt block and watching the slice and dice pattern come to life made me think that everyone can make a gorgeous quilt and not fear getting blocks just perfect.  The randomness of this type of block is such a showcase of fabrics.  Other than deciding which favorite prints to use, the blocks came together quick and easy. 

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Of course, I don't take the easy route and must have trimmed too much here and there, and so I only have two blocks completely made, Linda.  The rest of the 3rd block is in the return package which includes several strips of the prints I used so you can finish off the last bit. 
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Thank you for the pretty fat quarter.  Can't wait to use it. 

Bird Brain

Carla's birdie blocks, as made on a rainy Sunday.

I never would have thought to put Kaffe with plaid, til I saw the green bird and started pulling fabric. Sometimes I surprise myself!

Thinking ahead...

We are almost at the end of our second year of this Bee, and it's been sew much fun!  Getting to "know" quilters a little better by sewing with them is great.  I'm glad I started this Bee in the first place, and glad I committed to the second year! 

However, as is my nature, I've overcommitted myself for 2012 and need to focus my efforts on the leading Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild, and another project I am working on outside of my "day job". 

I'm happy to hand the reigns over to anyone who is willing to head up One Block Over 2012, turn the blog over to you--and I know some of the quilters this year would stick around next year.  So, any of our readers/followers, if you're interested leave a comment and I'll get in touch with you.  If not, the blog will stay up so we can post finished quilts we make from the blocks we received this year (heck, I still need to finish mine from 2010!!)

Thanks to everyone for sewing with me/us and to all who follow and comment! 

Doris

two for Carla

What a bright fun quilt this will be!

The Misty Love Quilt

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Doris can now complete her Love in the Mist quilt, if she hasn't already filled in my block spot yet!  This one is heading up to Iowa as I write.  Trimming out the half-square triangles to perfect 2.5" blocks was the most difficult part for me, but, otherwise, the block moved along pretty easily.  Until editing the photo just now, I really couldn't see the center star while so close up to the work.  Under the lights and cropped to photo presentation, though, I am always amazed to find I can actually put together such a pretty piece after all the drama I feel getting to the final point!  Your quilt will be gorgeous, Doris. 

Birds, Flying Away

Carla's blocks are flying away to her. I enjoyed sewing these, but they did cause a little consternation. I didn't know if I should surround a bird with logs or picture frames.

And I wasn't sure whether the bird should be centered, or offset a little. (Gotta have a little of that Habitat Challenge fabric in a strip as a "happy" reminder of that experience, right?)

My hope is that everyone's blocks will be so different that mine don't stand out as being wrong! Linda

OK here is the second block. As requested no Civil war reproductions, no batiks or novelties. Which by the way is pretty much my entire fabric stash. The last sides sewn on look funny in the photo because I have the block on a closet door not my design wall.

Luckily I won a give away of scraps from Victoria (Bumble Beans) which came in handy. I had orginally planned to make a liberated wedding ring with them.

I will not be sending anything out for December. That should give everyone time to get caught up and decide if they will be back next year. I will not be coming back next year.

Thank you for including me and all of you who participated this year.

Blogger is again not cooperating. Here is my 1 block. I do not have all day to try and upload photos.

Two Little Birdies...

Picked my mail up on the way off to retreat this weekend, and there was Carla's package (GREAT timing!) so the first thing I did once I got set up at retreat was make these two cute blocks... love the quilt idea, adore the birdie print!!!

Hope to post back to you tomorrow, Carla!

C-A-K-E

I was finally able to get Megan's fun Cake block done! 

Too bad that I procrastinated so long, because I took a nasty spill on my stairs 10 days ago that resulted in a broken hand. UGH!
SOOOOOOOOOOOO...........working with one good (right--yea!) hand and one not-so-good-left hand........

 plus a perfectly good left elbow to hold down my rulers, I  goterdone! Since i was on such a roll and loving it so, I went ahead and made one more for good measure.....

 Only after I was finished did I re-read the directions about using the Kona solid that was included! Argh! If the yellow background on the second block doesn't work for you, Megan, maybe you can use it on the back somehow.

 Sorry about that...guess the fall affected my brain too! I will include the blocks in the envelope with my November bird fabric, Megan. Can't wait to see your finished quilt!

Birds of A Feather

Since I am such a wild bird lover and love Alexander Henry's Bird Song print, I thought I would ask my quilty friends to flock together in combining the two for my month of November. Hopefully, this will be an easy and low stress project for this busy month.

What I have in mind is for you to use the two bird squares that you find in your envelope and combine them with scraps from your personal stash to create two 12.5 inch (12 in. finished) log cabin type blocks. You will also find two strips of Kona PFD cotton to use in one of the rings on each.

In creating your blocks, you might find these hints helpful:

*I'm looking for more of an overall “picture frame” effect than I am the typical shaded log cabin block. See my samples on the OBO Blog to see what I mean. Please, use only 90 degree angles, not 'WONKY'.

*Use the PFD Kona in one of the rings. You can trim it narrower if you want.

*The center bird print can be trimmed down if you want...there is no magic in the size square that you are sent.

*Use as many fabrics as you want to make the block with as many rings as you want. Please have the outer ring be a color though, and not the PFD. Be sure the outer ring is wide enough for my 1/4in. seam.

*It worked well for me to make the blocks a bit larger and then square up to the 12.5in. size.

*I would prefer that you not use batiks, children's prints or civil war repros. in making the blocks. Use any colors that you see in any of the birds, flowers etc. Solids are fine, but throw in a print as well.

*Here are a couple of tutorials that might be used as jumping off points..

http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2009/06/how-to-make-scrappy-hedgerow-blocks.html

http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com/2008/04/for-dana-wonky-log-cabin-block-tutorial.html

Thanks so much! I will be mailing out the envelopes tomorrow.

Happy quilting,

Carla

www.lollyquiltz.blogspot.com

Celebrating June Warmth in the October Chill

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It might have been pretty interesting -- or embarrassing -- to hear what the valets of the Lowes Atlanta said after unloading my two sewing machines, box of sewing supplies, and miscellaneous bags and luggage for my stay a week or so ago.  My friends and I went to The Country Living Fair in Georgia and were treated to the great accommodations.  However, it was pretty funny when one valet told the other to get the next guest, and the guy said, "The Toyota or the Porsche?" Uh, I'm the Toyota.  Wonder who he thought might give the best
tip? 

While there, I was committed to getting THREE blocks done and be caught up and relieve everyone and myself of my delinquency.  I'm crazy to update my own blog, but I'm not allowed (by my own set of rigid rules) til my blocks are complete.  Only one was completed on Monday -- I did have social obligations to the treaters!  This took me six hours!  Ridiculous -- me, not the block.  However, part of those six hours was a quick trip across Atlanta to Whipstitch Fabrics.  Fun to visit a place I've followed through the blogs since the shop was started.  I tried to stay away but was sure I needed a couple of bright Konas to bring out the light area of Andrea's block, so I called the valet, had the car brought around, and ran by right before closing.  Ah, the life for a week! 

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This block was such a challenge.  I got all caught up, as usual, in the teeniest of details -- see my drawing -- impossible.  I requested crayons from the front desk.  Though they offered to bring the box to the door, I totally went down and picked them up myself!  I find only one thing that makes me crazy.  My plan was to have some of the dark fabrics on the right side carry over into the light block by having the tree branches/leaves cross over.  Instead, there is a distinct line of separation, but there was no going back.  It is quite amazing, though, that the light/dark piecing works so beautiful! 

Andrea, it will be so interesting to see how your quilt comes together and what you do to combine all the different interpretations and values.   

Fruit Tart for Megan

Megan, I hope your friend will like her fruit tart (with flaming candles) on a cut-glass cake plate...

 

I know I would love to receive a quilt like this! 

Is anyone else getting hungry?  I hope there is cake at the Halloween Party tomorrow night.

OK, Blogger is finally allowing me to post photos. :)

Cake Pops

I decided to make cake pops for Megan’s quilt.  Because sewing them seemed easier than actually making them, haha!

This is going to be a delicious quilt!

A Piece o' Cake!

Megan, happy birthday - way ahead of time - to your friend. Linda

Progress Report

I have received 10 of 12 blocks to make my Garden Party quilt. Thank you ladies!

A couple blocks came back smaller than the directions, so I am taking those apart and resewing them together to make sure they are the same size as the rest of the blocks. Since I don't have much fabric from this collection in my stash, I don't have a lot of wiggle room to make additional blocks. I'm hoping to get the other two missing blocks back soon, and I'll be ready to piece this burst of color together.

Thank you again for helping me make this quilt!

Terri

Baby Cakes for Megan



Fun little blocks! What a great idea for a birthday gift for a dear friend. Now that I'm looking at that cupcake, I might need to go back and embellish it a little so it looks less like a house....

two for you..

I cake and one cupacke for Megan! 

I may make a couple more, fun quick morsels... ;-)

I don't have many LIGHT konas... is it OK to use bold kona solids?

(I just made a carrot cake because these got me hungry for cake...)

Linda's Blocks...

Linda's blocks have been sitting by my doorway forever, patiently waiting for a clear, dry day for their photo shoot.  Today is at least dry, so here's the pics.  They went out with today's mail, so you should see them soon.  What a fun set of blocks to make!

Megan's October BLOCK

Hi Ladies!
My name is Megan and this is my month for the block of the month. Everything is in the mail with pictures and fabric. I want/need 6.5" wonky birthday cakes. Practice your free piecing! Absolutely anything works! Thanks for all the help!

Here You Go, Linda!

Linda, I loved, loved making these blocks! I hope that you like them.......(I plan to deliver them in person.)

HST Love

Doris reminded me yesterday that I had not posted her blocks or Terri's block. I decided to test out the blogger mobile app, since I have the photos on my phone.

I drew the color blue for Doris.

And I love playing with Garden Party, thanks Terri!

Fun blocks, girls! HSTs might be my fav building block ever, so I always enjoy getting to sew them up!

Linda's blocks

Here's your blocks Linda!

They really aren't this wrinkly! LOL!

...and there is three of them... 

I just laid them together for a shot to see what they looked like.

On their way to you today!

Sliced & Diced

On Monday, I decided to labor over bee blocks for One Block Over and A Notion or Two..

I started with the blocks for A Notion or Two, and they had me seeing red.

Thankfully, Linda’s block provided a much-needed mental break (and a color break from the 2 red blocks in A Notion or Two).  The slice & dice method was quick & easy.

The 3 colors in the FQ that I chose to focus on were yellow, brown, and orange.  This quilt is going to be amazingly diverse, everyone’s fabric choices so far have been completely different, and yet, I think it will all come together really well.

Slice and Dice Fun

 

Made these three fun and fast blocks for Linda last night... her inspiration FQ is at the top, we were to pick three scraps from our stash to use with the grey solid.  I think this took me about 45 minutes, including reading the directions.  

Can't wait to see her quilt!

Caught up

I put in one of my favorite red and white fabrics. You can click on the top photo for it to be larger.

Both blocks were fun to make. :) Everything will be in the mail tomorrow.

Linda's Blocks

Linda - I love this block so much!  Love the color combo, too. This is definitely on my "have to make this" list. And thank you for the FQ - I've already got plans for it!