Happiest Days!

h a p p i e s t   d a y s

With warm thoughts, hugs and misses, 

from my house to yours

And many great wishes

for a

sparkling

New Year

Natalie Barnes

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Holidays - a time to catch up

The holidays.

...a time for catching up.

With friends, with family...

With quilting bees?????

 You betcha.

 What better way to say you care?

 After all, the bobbins have been wound, the machine has been oiled...

 You're working on finishing all of your hand made gifts, right?

 So - thank you, all of you in beebeautiful

for a wonderful year of new techniques, new fabrics and new friends.

Happiest Holidays

and

Happiest Days.

Natalie Barnes.

Late but Alive?

Or perhaps I'm better off not admittting I'm still alive as I'm three months behind on the bee blocks and haven't visited my friends for ages!  I wonder how many posts my Google Reader can hold before exploding.  Sorry!

But I'm loving making the dresden - and that yellow/green fabric on the bottom right is fabulous.  I just wish life would cooperate and understand that a non-crafting Angela is a very grumpy Angela. 

December's Block: It's Hip to be Square

It's December! I can't believe we've come to the last month of the bee, crazy huh?! Well, the time sure does fly when you're having fun! :)

Ok, onto the blocks...

I saw this quilt a while back (Jan 2010) on Rebekah's blog, it is made by the empty bobbin (don't know her actual name). I just fell in love with this!

Inspiration Quilt

So here's what I'm thinking...

I would love,

2 blocks measuring 12" square unfinished.

One block a very simple Log Cabin square, with one square surrounded by another square, surrounded by another and so on.

Example...

For the second I'd love it if you got a bit more creative and make a 12" block with multiple squares, as many squares as you'd like, or not very many, that's up to you.

Some Examples....

I prefer straight and simple compared to wonky.

The fabrics I chose are a few of my favorites with some coordinating yellow, blues, light gray and greens thrown in, and for some contrast Kona Charcoal and Kona white crush.

2 blocks I made

A little helpful tip... if you don't like math like me, I just made the first basic 12" square (mine is actually a tad larger then 12" and needs to be trimmed) then used that as a guideline for laying out my small squares. It was nice to be able to eyeball it, instead of doing the math to end up with a 12 inch square.

A few common questions:

1. SCRAPS:: Please send the scraps back, I plan to use them in the quilt, plus I had no idea how much fabric would be enough so I think I sent a lot.

2. SIGGY BLOCK:: I sent everyone a separate strip of fabric to sign your name on. I will use those strips to make one large square for the back.

3. ADDING FABRIC FROM YOUR STASH:: I'm trying to stay with the colors I sent you. You may add fabric from your stash that is modern and is a lemon yellow, pale gray, medium blue or lime green.

Any questions??????????????? There's a lot going on lately, so my brain is mush, I'm sure I've missed something :)

I'll be shipping your fabric out tomorrow! Happy Sewing :)

Log Cabin's for Amy

Love the red fabrics, thanks for letting me play with them :)

Hope you like them Amy!

catching up little by little

I'm still behind... but little by little I'm catch up on some bee blocks.

Vicki's block in progress

and a blurry photo of it done

Here is Vicki's block w/ the siggy block and sashing strips.

Michelle's block in progress

almost done... time for the hand sewing.

Amy's block #1

playing with fabrics to make a 2nd block for her

the result of block #2

Amy's blocks done.

Better Late Than Never... ?

I owe a couple of people apologies! I'm super tardy on my September and October blocks because life has a way of bulldozing your safe, happy routine. So Vicki and Michelle, I'm really, really sorry!!! I hope you like your blocks :)

Vicki's block... so fun to do! And LOTS of points to match! I just loved all the saturated colours.

Michelle's block... I'd never made a dresden plate before (though I've wanted to for the longest time!) and this was both scary and fun to make. I ended up machine stitching it, and I'm really not great at curved sewing, so Michelle, please don't look at it too closely. Thanks, I appreciate it.

While we're at it, Vicki, don't look at yours too closely either :P

Amy's large block... I have a special place in my heart for the improv log cabin, so this was right up my alley :) I tried to keep them simple and clean while injecting some wonk here and there. I signed this one after I was done with the pics.

The smaller block... I went heavy on the MoMo with this block! It ended up being not so much smaller (like 11" unfinished) because I got carried away and didn't stop to check the sizing!

All the blocks will be on their way shortly!

- Audrie

playing catch up

Vicki's Squares

Michelle's Dresden Plate

Amy's Drunk love/log cabins

I had a lot of fun playing with these different fabrics. I can't believe that we only have one month left to go. (And, Michelle and Amy, your blocks went out in the mail yesterday).

November Block for Amy

Hello you wonderful people!  Your fabric for the November block is on it's way! When I first joined this Bee last year I knew exactly what block I was going to do - until I saw the fabulous improv quilting you all do and I totally changed my mind. And so, at the risk of being Lady Redundant Woman, I am asking for Improv Log Cabin blocks!

I would really love 2 blocks each, if that's feasible. One that is 13.5" unfinished and one that is anywhere between 8-12".

I'd prefer more square than wonky.

I'm feeling like I sent way too much fabric.  Use what you want and please return scraps.

I'm going to sash with Kona Snow. I've included a piece for you to use where ever you like including the outside edge if you want.

Feel free to use any of your own scraps, but please stick to the color scheme provided - mostly reds and browns with a little bit of golds, blues, and greens. (Think Momo, American Jane or Denyse Schmidt.)

Don't worry about a siggy block.  Just sign or initial one of your bigger blocks.

Many thanks to everyone - I can't wait to see what you do!

Here's a little inspiration: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31159787@N04/galleries/72157625254903078/

Block for Michelle

I love making dresden plates, but I've never made one with such large petals. I really love it, shows off each fabric so nicely, and what nice fabrics! I'll be mailing this out soon Michelle :)

Flowers For Fall Directions

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to have done for my October block. It was difficult to decide because there were so many choices. In the end I chose the Dresden Plate block.  I named my blog Dresden Quilter because the Dresden Plate block is one of the first blocks I made and quilted as a wall hanging over 14 years ago. I do not however, have a Dresden Plate Quilt.

The directions for the block can be found on Oh Fransson’s tutorial.

 

I do have a few differences. My block has only 12 petals and it is slightly larger so my background fabric is cut to 18 inches. I do not mind if it is hand or machine appliquéd.  The tutorial has a few different suggestions for appliquéing the circle, and any one of those is fine with me. Neutral thread is probably best. I will be sending 15 petals so that you have a few extra to choose from. I would appreciate it if you could send the extras back.

For the signature block please use Rachel’s siggy block tutorial.

 

I am sending you a white 3 ½ square for it and I am hoping that you would be willing to use 2 scraps of your fabric that represent something about you.

Thank you so much for all of your inspiration and creativity. I am so excited to be finally having a Dresden Plate Quilt of my own!

Erica's Block

 I am realizing I never posted pictures of Erica's block from last month.  This block was so much fun to put together.  I loved the new technique (yet again, one I've wanted to try for ages and finally a good excuse to do so) AND I loved working with Erica's vintage fabrics.  I even added a little piece of a vintage fabric of my own (Erica - you were the first person for whom I ever cut into this fabric!) It's the ABC print fabric.

My only regret is that I wasn't very good at judging the seam allowance and so I cut off parts that I didn't want to cut off. grr. I think I would do a better job next time. Thanks for letting me be your guinea pig, Erica!

...and mine, too.

(please iron into submission upon receipt)

natalie.

Rainbow Connection

Here is my September block for Vicki. As with some of the others I used 3 squares of my own fabric and also made 4 rows of sashing. I had to hide these squares from my daughter because she wanted all of them. I did cut  some squares for her and she told me that it was not enough. Guess I will be cutting more! I will send this along in a couple of days with my October fabric.

1963

Here is my block for Erica. I really enjoyed working with all of the different types of fabrics. I had done one small quilt along block before and this one was great to do. I am getting my packages ready for October, so I will them along together.

Precision Counts

 I just couldn't help but start with this pic.

Because it reminded me of the "bright, cheery, colorful" that is in this month's block!

Will you just look at all those great fabrics, those great colors!

Yowza.

 Finally, this late in the month, I opened my package to find quite a lot of

VERY TINY

blocks.

I worked on layout, and then it was time to sew.

How do you approach your precision piecing?

That's my question to all of you.

 With pieces this small, I chain pieced rows, keeping threads intact.

What about the rest of you?

Of course, now, comes the real test...

Thanks for another fun month of sewing!

natalie.

I also made the four strips of 8 blocks each, and a siggy block.

I added the additional blocks from my own stash at the end of the rows

in case they are not to your liking and you want to remove them...

A block for Vicki

I decided to follow Angela's tip and use three of my own scraps, which left me with enough squares to sew my siggy block and make 4 strips of 8.

I love all this bright happy color. So cheery :)

Vicki's Rainbow

I finished up Vicki's block quickly - or I would have been too tempted to keep all those lovely 2" squares myself!

I added three squares from my stash and was excited that it seemed to be the perfect number. I had just the right amount to make your block, the signature block, and sew up four complete strips of eight for sashing.

Already in the mail back to you.