Another One Block Over Finish

It's been been 21 months since One Block Over quilters made wonky stacked strip-type blocks for me. And it's been 9 months since I finished sewing together the quilt top. Slow yes, but steady-on with crossing UFOs off the list.

It's 53" X 67". I spent hours free motion quilting on my Pfaff Grand Quilter using YLI variegated orange-yellow thread, and YLI medium gray thread.

I don't have a clue what I'm going to name it. Suggestions? Edited to add that this quilt has been named "Balancing Act." Thanks everyone who made a block for me! Linda, who lived in West Des Moines, Iowa when you mailed me blocks, and now lives in The Villages, Florida.

July 2011 Quilt, finished at last...

My After the Rain quilt is finally finished, see the full details (and more pics) here!

Thank you, ladies for the blocks you contributed to this "new favorite" quilt!

-Doris

Spreading the Word

...on Modern Quilting!

We have a SECOND Bee member, Victoria, who has a new publication out, based on her 15 minutes of play mantra (if you've read her blog, you know what I'm talking about!):

Buy it here!  Congrats, Victoria!  Can't wait to peruse this one, too!

And a shout out to Bee member Linda, who moved to Florida six short months ago, and started a chapter of the MQG in Central Florida!

Rockstar Bee

Did you know one of our Bee's Andie has a book published?

True story...

check out her blog for the book tour,

and go here to buy your autographed copy!  CONGRATULATIONS, Andie and Kelly!!!

September to September = A Quilt Top

Hi 2011 group! It was last September that I asked you to make my wonky-looking, rectangle-shaped blocks, so I'm please to say that one year later, "It's a top!"

It measures 55" X 70". I'm pretty happy with it, and hope to do some creative quilting, especially in that long negative space. I'll be sure to post pictures of the finish.

Your scraps came together really well, and I appreciate having the few extra pieces of prints that a couple of you sent along with blocks. I used them to make several more rectangles. Thanks very much everyone! It was a fun experience. Linda... who used to live in Iowa, but has now lived in Florida for three months.

a quilt for Meredith

One of our 2011 Bee members, Meredith, had asked to have her month be December, the last one.  She willingly made a block or two for each of us, returning a finished block beautifully pieced.

When December came, and it was Meredith's turn to request blocks, she informed us she didn't want one.  What?  We couldn't understand or comprehend, why wouldn't she want us each to make a block for her as she had for us...?  Meredith knew she wouldn't be able to assemble a quilt top with her blocks, she was just grateful to have been a part of our group and participated in making our blocks.

We wanted Meredith to have a quilt.  So we made her purple (her favorite color!) star blocks, sent them to Carla in Missouri who assembled the quilt top, and sent it along to me in Iowa; I assembled the pieced back, a star label, and had my business partner quilt it on her long-arm.  I finished the binding over the weekend and sent it off to Meredith on the East coast.  She received it today...

Meredith, we truly enjoyed being able to bless you with this quilt and each of us are thrilled to have a block made by you in our own quilts...

Love, 

Doris

www.madebyabrunnette.com

My IQF Bee Block Quilt

 

I love this quilt! Two reasons: it's for my daughter and it's made by my bee ladies. Love the fact that all of you cut and pieced a block for my little girl - it makes this project so special.

Our guild had an exhibit for the IQF show in Cincy this past weekend. The theme was "A Modern Spin on the Ohio Star". While not technically an Ohio Star, this star block was my spin: it's liberated and wonky, made by members of an online quilting bee and it's an unusual color pairing....all very modern elements.

And to get to represent all of you, my daughter and my CincyMQG with this quilt is, well, the bee's knees.

Thank you!

Final Blocks Finished!

This little sweet pea joined our family in November and I promptly exchanged quilting time for loving on her.  (Could you resist that smile?)  

A big thanks to Carla and Megan for their understanding and patience as it took me a while to get these blocks out!

Here's Megan's cake block sent out a while ago...

And Carla's two bird blocks going out today...

Loved finding fun color details in these bird blocks, like the little red flower above the blue bird that allowed me to put a pop of red in the block and the black and white tree branches giving me an excuse to add my city outline fabric.  Guess, like me, the green bird is a big city gal!

These blocks were all so fun.  No, the entire year was fun!  Thanks for letting me sew with you all and best wishes for the new year.

Kat's Star

Love it! May add another border of blue to make it pop a little more. Thanks, ladies, for making this for my baby girl. What a special, special piece for both of us! Will post another pic when it's all quilted and bound.

~Andie

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!