Blocks Received So Far

Natalie, ask and you shall receive :) A picture of all the blocks I have so far... including mine, that's 13.

I love love love how this quilt's coming together! I thank you ladies for making it possible :)

-- Audrie

Audrie's Blocks

I thought Audrie was crazy to set us up with so pre-cut pieces to make a block, but now I'm very thankful that she put so much prep into her blocks.



I was worried about getting this block to work out after hearing lots of complaints from all of you. I took things slowly and I only had to rip out one seam, so there are no complaints from me for these blocks. :) They went out in the mail today so please pardon my tardiness!

Audrie's blocks

These were in the mail before the end of April (barely) but I keep forgetting to post the pictures.

Your quilt is going to be amazing, Audrie!

Pretty Pretty Pretty!

The blocks I have so far are making my head spin! They're so gorgeous sitting together like that! :)

I love the blocks and I love you guys for toughing it out and doing them despite wanting to cause me bodily harm.

Vicki sent me a little pressie in her package! How'd you know I love Orla Kiely! lol! Thanks Vicki! :) It was very, very sweet of you!

-- Audrie

angela & audrie!

march was crazy..
but angela told me not to worry..
i finally had some time over the weekend to work on her blocks..

and i ended up making 2 for her.

first i started with a square... and built around it..
and around.
i made the last border in different widths so it ended up being off center.
i like this one a lot!!

and for the second i started similar..

but then got a bit more "free" with my piecing.
i sewed the greys together with the green & white dot..
and then chopped them into strips.. and so on.
last step was adding the blues..
i just love the blue on blue dots!

then it was time to work on audrie's blocks.
and i had similar issues that other people did.
and let me just say.
audrie you are lucky i like you.. and fought through the bias for you!!

they aren't perfect.
but i think they look good!

and like i said on my blog...

"i'll never make this block again."

"sometimes bees inspire you to make blocks

and sometimes you learn what you don't want to make"

audrie's block, one of two.

Well, hopefully. This block came together rather painlessly, over three weeks ago! I LOVE the style of these blocks...this is going to be an awesome quilt. I used one or two little pieces of my own scraps I'm sure you'll spot it, Audrie. I had so much confidence going into the second block a few days after the first. I didn't re-read the instructions. Instead, I turned on my Pandora Internet radio really loud and dove in with an air of fearlessness that turned out to be my downfall. I was so caught up in piecing that I just kept adding my wedges in a clockwork fashion. Of course, everything was going smooth until that last wedge! Ummm...lets just say I had to use my seam ripper very creatively. After seam ripping and sewing 3 times I decided to let it rest a little. So on my ironing board it has sat. Tomorrow I will try again. If it doesn't come out or my seams become too threadbare to sew again I promise to send along something sweet Audrie.
Aside from the drama, I really love these blocks. :)

Audrie's Blocks

Here are my blocks for Audrie. I really enjoyed making them, but I wish they had turned out a little better. I love the fabrics chosen. I am having so much fun and have learned so much already from this bee. Thanks everyone!

through the ringer

Yeah. I totally put myself through the ringer when making this block.

It went like this: L-man was on the computer, so I thought, "I can totally do this without the instructions". Not so much. My first version had a nice big mountain in the center, since I sewed each piece together one at a time instead of by twos, as Audrie recommended in the instructions. I wish I would have gotten a photo. It was really quite comical.

I ended up using one piece of fabric from my stash in the block, can you spot it Audrie? For some reason, I thought you needed some fish heads. Which reminds me. Have you ever heard that song? "fish heads, fish heads. rolly poley fish heads. fish heads, fish heads. eat 'em up, YUM!" L-man swears I made it up, but I didn't! I need someone to help me prove him wrong, please?

p.s. I'll just come out now and apologize too Audrie, I pressed all my seams to one side. I should have read completely through the instructions BEFORE I started sewing the second and third time. I'm a total spaz. I know.

Audrie's Blocks for April

These were making me a little nervous. I think it's because I'm not always the best at having points meet up, but I think they turned out well. I added three scraps of my own, and had so much fun matching all the scraps together. Great scraps Audrie!

Hope you like them :)

Now I need to go locate my packaging tape, there will be a LOT of tape on my envelope, sorry mailman no pretty quilt blocks for you!

early in the month

Here are Audrie's April blocks. I hope you like them! I am enjoying trying out block styles that I probably wouldn't have come across if not for my 2 quilting swap groups.

I added one strip of my own fabric, can you spot it?

More April Block Stuff

I totally forgot to add the bit about the signatures...

I'd like everyone to sign their name on the little triangle.

You get the idea :)

For those doing two blocks, just sign on one of the blocks. Basically I want there to be one signature from each bee member on the finished quilt.

The parcels went out today (finally!)... let me know if there's any questions. Also do feel free to add your own fabric scraps if you wish :) Thanks!

-- Audrie

April Block Instructions

I've changed my mind yet again. I'm insane and I know it.

Instead of the spiderweb block, I thought I'd choose the Stashbuster quilt blocks from Material Obsession 2. I'm completely in love with this book, possibly even more than the first.

So pretty! :)

Anyway, here are the instructions to make a block...

I'll send everyone a bunch of scrap strips.

Sew a few strips together and trim so that they're all the same length. I think there's 10 strips there but since the strips all vary in width, I'd say just sew as many as you need together so you can cut four triangles (if you're making one block) or eight (if you're making two blocks).

Using the template I'll give you, cut triangles with the strips going lengthways. Just alternate the direction of the triangles for easy cutting. [I should've trimmed the strips to 5.5" for easier cutting. I only realised this after the fact. Of course.]

Tada! Four triangles.

I'll send these white blocks already pre-cut... four to a block.

Sew the triangles made with the strips to a smaller triangle like so... I'll send the little triangles also pre-cut.

Then sew this to a white pre-cut triangle...

Then sew two sections together...

Then sew them together...

And you'll get a finished block!

The blocks end up being about 10.5" but you don't need to trim them... I'll do that once I get them all back :) Also, please press all the seams open. Makes the centre of the block a little less annoying to deal with.

I'll be sending out the fabric on Monday so if possible, let me know if you want to do one or two blocks. They're a little fiddly so I don't blame you if you don't want to do two. Those I don't hear back from will get enough for two... just return the extra bits if you only end up doing one. Thanks.

So... clear as mud? Feel free to ask me any questions. I'm watching telly while I write this so it may not make sense hehe

-- Audrie

Rachel's Blocks... And a Decision for April!

I finished Rachel's blocks yesterday and they were such fun to make! I did paper piecing for the first time last month so I'm thrilled to get to do more :)

Block one...

Block two.

Rachel had so many wonderful fabrics to play with, so it made this really fun and easy.

Hope you like them Rachel! :) [Oh and please do let us know about signature blocks and whether you want your scraps returned, thanks!]

And I've finally decided what I'd like to do for my blocks! Told you I'd change my mind. Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studio really inspired me with her selvage spiderweb quilt, and while I'm not about to start collecting enough selvages to manage this for April, I think it'd be a perfect way to use scraps!

I started collecting scraps yesterday and figuring out what fabric to have as the centre bit. Solid? Dots? Hmm...

To be continued.

-- Audrie

My Month's Blocks... Maybe?

I'm totally in love with the Map of the States blocks Elizabeth from Oh, Fransson! did. I'm thinking perhaps these could be our April blocks... the 'controlled' wonkiness speaks to me lol

She even did a tutorial for the blocks, so that eliminates the need for instructions... perhaps only the size of the blocks need to be amended.

I'll keep ya posted... Just thought I'd share :)

-- Audrie