Bee Block Buzz

This year I am lucky to be part of a 'Bee Block' party with other quilters, near and far!  There are fourteen members of this Quilt Bee and the 'Bee' will run for fourteen months.  Each month one of us becomes the 'Queen Bee'.   I am Queen Bee this July 2012.... so excited. Which means that in July, everyone in the Bee will be sewing my quilt blocks!  I must mail out a package of fabrics & instructions to each Bee Block member before the end of June ; they sew up my blocks and mail them back.  The fun is that we upload all photos to Flickr and share our progress. Sounds fun?  Sure, and a bit intimidating!  We have some powerfully talented members and I don't want to send out boring blocks!

Each month, another 'Queen Bee' is in charge of the blocks.   I am looking forward to my month - only I have to choose.... a design, color, fabrics.... wow!
Okay, this is what I have been looking at so far.

I know!  This inspiration is from one of my favourite blogs, and I think she is a favourite amongst alot of quilters.... Tall Grass Prairie Studio. She provides a lovely tutorial to make your spiderweb block here. What I love is her use of colorful selvages mixed with bright fabrics! Very punchy!   I have so many fabrics that would work in this quilt..... I do really like this one!

OKay, so this is another scrappy beauty that I am considering....

This block has lots of potential.  And I love the cross design, and the use of solids with scrappy prints!  This also might be the one!

Here is another gorgeous quilt that would be a great Bee Block...It is called "Roman Stripe" - again I am loving the solids with the scrappy stripes.  The inspiration originally came from the book "Bee Block Party". Awesome.

Last and not least is this lovely...  An inspiring project from another fave blog, Film in the Fridge called  Scrappy Triangles.  
You will find a great tutorial for this block.  I love it too!  So... ?   Any thoughts?  I have got the scraps!  And I have got solids.... Ah.

Mod Mosaic Saturday

Awesome workshop this Saturday!  Paul from the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild hosted  an all day workshop entitled "Mod Mosaic".  

This workshop is based on Elizabeth Hartman's Mod Mosaic quilt block technique.  It was so fun. 

Here is the beginning of some of my blocks.... chose an aqua-red theme for my mosaic. Plus cups of Stash mint tea... it turned out to be a very lovely afternoon.

This quilt top by Paul - loved the examples of 1/2  inch sashing between fabrics. This tiny sashing which we called 'grout' had a really big impact.

This quilt featured was made in 2011, in a collaborative bee  by the Vancouver Modern Guild,  - the block arrangement by Paul.  This block design is so versatile. Look how graphic and bold it looks with the reds, greys & blacks.

But look at Vera's blocks in soft reds and greys, so soft:

Here is one of Kat's blocks in fresh greens and blues:

Cheryl used bright juvenile prints - very sweet:

I have completed several blocks and haven't been able to decide what fabric to use as a background for my aqua-red blocks. Here is what I have come up with so far....

Above is a pale aqua print by Lecien which I like.

Above are some of my blocks on light grey background.  I like this too.

Above, again, on this teal solid by Moda.  Hmmm.  

 And with yellow solid and below with lime green.

I actually like them all only I imagined using a print as my background. Just an idea that I can't shake but haven't found the right fabric for.... 

Happy Sewing All.

Ode to Saturday & my quilty week

Another rainy Saturday morning; but I will take it.  A great chance to stay in and putter around the house.  But I must admit that the temperature outside has warmed up and although the back yard is very soggy I do have a bit of the 'gardening bug'.  I can see my herb garden come back to life along with many weeds that need to be pulled..... ah another weekend.

This week was another quilty week:

This bunting draped on our bookcase was designed by Cynthia Frenette, a member of our Modern Quilt Guild. Our guild will have a booth this March 23 - 24 for the Creative Stitches show at Tradex in Abbotsford. Love that font! These will decorate the booth. Plus we will be displaying many quilts, handing out buttons, business cards and keychains!  The show will be a wonderland for the modern sewist.  Come check it out!

Here are some of the lovely fabrics that showed up in my mailbox this week!  Do you notice a trend? Seasonal influences perhaps?  Dreaming of summer? Yes, yes, yes!  But I am in love with the line of fabric by Choe's Closet "Fruit Cocktail".  (bottom bolt)  very vintage vibe - the colors are lovely.

And I wanted to include a picture of my lovely magnets that I won as a doorprize at our Thursday night guild meeting.  These are handmade by another talented member of our Modern quilt guild, the fabulous Amy Dame.
Today, on this rainy Saturday I plan to work on 'rug mug' designs for an upcoming 'rug mug' swap with the Vancouver Modern quilt guild.  I have a few ideas.  One is based on this lovely photo:

I love scrappy quilts. I made a smaller version of this quilt last year and I have always wanted to make individual blocks.  Check out the link to Freida's Hive for the tutorial.  I love the block!
Other rug mug ideas.....

This lovely was featured on Pleasant Home.  Love whirligigs!

This beauty from Flossy Bossy (on Flickr)

Basically, any block from this fab book.  Every project is a 'keeper' in this one!  Really good.

Happy Sewing All !!

Diamond Lil quilt

Happy Friday.  Of course, it is rainy but this is the Fraser Valley and it is only February. I have spent the morning running loads of laundry, the dishwasher and to celebrate a Friday at home.... finishing my Diamond Lil quilt top. Last Saturday I participated in a wonderful workshop hosted by Ridge Meadows Quilt guild. They host the most amazing workshops!

Here are all my fabric strips all precut, pressed and packed.

This is our instructor's quilt. Her name is Lil hence my quilt's name, "Diamond Lil".  She used Balipop batiks, but I always want to use my vintage vibe fabrics!  I loved the latticed diamond pattern.  Something I had never done before.  Lil has been a quilter for a long time and I loved her 'old school' methods.... pencil, paper and ruler.  She was a treat to work with!

 A lot of Bliss by Bonnie & Camille and some prints from "Annie's Farm Stand" which I adore. This morning I am 'auditioning' fabrics for the border and the binding...

HAPPY SEWING ALL !

Door prizes

It has been awhile since I placed an order of books to be shipped by mail.  I seem to be getting into the habit of reading online.  I said that I never would do it, but I find that I do, and all the time. But there is something satisfying about holding a book in my hands, especially a craft book!

The book "Pretty in Patchwork" was a door prize at our Modern Quilt Guild retreat which I did not win. But I was sure to include it in this order.

This is to come (in the mail!). Three of these books I have looked at front to back and they are 'keepers'.  The book by Elizabeth Hartman of www.ohfransson.com fame, I am sure will not disappoint.

February quilt retreat

 Sunday night... so tired, but I spent the weekend at our modern quilt guild retreat.  and yes, I need to put my laundry load into the dryer; unpack my sewing machine and my sewing supplies. But as I am stretched out on our sofa, laptop on hand... I am posting a few pictures. So enjoyable and now sorry that it is over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Inspiring.