Bee Blocks Almost Done

I didn't get nearly as much as I wanted to get done this weekend, but I'm okay with that. Saturday I only left the house once, and spent the rest of the day curled up on the couch, with a fire and the dog catching up on my TV shows and doing some hand sewing. There was so much sewing I actually had to do, but I opted to laze on the couch instead. Yesterday I had a holiday brunch with my friends in the early part of the day any by the time I got home in the mid afternoon I resolved not to leave the house again. This time I did get some face time with Hepburn to catch up on some bee blocks to get me through to the end of the year. 

I've got next week off work so we're taking a little trip (to Alaska! I'm so excited!) so my sewing time between now and the New Year will be virtually nonexistent. I was behind on some blocks for November so I wanted to power through and get them off my plate. For the Hope Circle, Janet asked for some Garden Lattice blocks in Tangerine using this tutorial. 

Then, Flaun asked us to paper piece some amazing solid blocks in the Sewn Together Bee. We used the pattern "It's a Stretch" found in the book "Modern Blocks". I am so excited about these. I absolutely cannot wait to see this quilt completed. It is going to be absolutely amazing. 

My last block ever for the Sew Fun Bee was a low volume, traditional block for Dolores. She wanted each of us to use modern, low volume fabrics but do a different traditional block. I picked the Quatrefoil block because I love it so much. I really need to make a low volume quilt for myself someday soon.

I'm really going to miss sewing with that group, but at least that's one bee off my plate. I still have two outstanding bee obligations to finish out the year, one for November for the Bee a Lone Star(burst) and one for the December Hope Circle. Speaking of the Hope Circle, we're looking for two Stitchers to join our circle in the new year. If you're interested in joining us to make charity quilts for Threading Hope with do. Good Stitches, please contact me. We'd love to have you!

Bee Blocks Galore

I used this weekend to get caught up on a lot of bee blocks. And I mean A LOT. The Lone Star(Burst) Bee Blocks I actually started when I was in Nashville. Of course, I didn't have any fabric with me, but I was able to sneak away for a half hour and run into a lock fabric store. I was shocked at the markup. Seriously, they were selling Echino for $30 a yard! That seems way over priced to me. So I limited my purchases to essentials for these blocks. I didn't really get much work done on the blocks while I was on the road, aside from getting the fabric cut for each. I did attempt to start a few of them, but didn't get far at all, so this weekend I made all eight of them. Phew! I love these blocks but they are incredibly time consuming!

Back in July, Anna asked for some low volume blocks and that became a theme in the bee. I love low volume quilts so I was more than happy to oblige. When August rolled around our lovely feel mamas realized that many of us were behind so they allowed August as a catch up month. I know, it's October and I'm just now caught up. But I made these lovelies for Leslie...

And a couple for Melissa...

Then finally two more for Pat...

Now I'm all caught up! Phew. So I also was behind in the Sew Fun Bee. In August Dena asked for Scrapbuster Blocks with any color solid background. I noticed no one had sent her a purple block yet, so I made one. It looks like it's Kona Ash in the picture but it's actually a light lavender background.

Then, for September Heather wanted String blocks with Kona White centers. These blocks are so easy, I made her two. 

So with the exception of one set of blocks for September, I am officially all caught up. October is my month in the Sew Fun Bee and we don't have Lone Star(burst) commitments until November so I can breathe a little easier. This traveling for work thing did not help me one bit!

Selvedge String Block Tutorial

Greetings from Tennessee! As you may have guessed, I am still  on the road. One week as officially turned into two and I've traveled from New Jersey to Tennessee. I'm working like mad, hence the lack of postings around here, but it sure is pretty in these parts! 

But today I've got a new tutorial for you. Now, I am sure there is a great tutorial out there on how to make a string block using selvedges, but I haven't found one. I've found several on making a standard string block and a few on working with selvedges, but none that merge the two together. I'm asking members of the Sew Fun Bee to make me string blocks using selvedges for my month, and working with selvedges is a little different so I thought I'd write up a quick tutorial explaining how I do it.

Selvedge String Block Tutorial

Materials:

Paper

Tape

Ruler

Rotary Cutter

Cutting Mat

Pen

Selvedges (in a variety of lengths from 13" and shorter)

Sewing Machine (duh!)

Coordinating Thread

Iron

Step 1: 

First, you need to create your template. I'm asking for 12.5" (unfinished) blocks so I need to first create a 12.5" square template. I'm using plain white printer paper for my foundation. You can also use thinner stock paper, but you want it heavy enough to told it's shape. Since standard letter sized paper is only 8.5" x 11" you will need four pieces to create your template. Tape the four pieces together to create one large piece. Then, using your cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter, measure out a 12.5" square and trim. Since standard printer paper has sharp, straight edges I use that to my advantage and shore it up against two perpendicular lines on my cutting mat and measure out 12.5" from each straight edge so I'm essentially only making two cuts.

Step 2:

Using your ruler measure a straight line diagonally across your template from corner to corner. If your cutting mat has lines on the angle, you can use these to your advantage to measure out your line. If you don't, it's not a problem. You can easily eyeball from corner to corner. Take your pen and draw a line straight through the center of your template.

Step 3:

Choose your first selvedge. But wait, I'm going to stop here for a moment and talk about working with selvedges for a second, if you don't mind. How much of the selvedge you retain when cutting off from you main fabric is entirely up to you. It comes down to just how much of the mother fabric (I just made that up. I don't know what else to call it.) you would like to peek through in your project. Some people don't want any of it at all and cut close to where the selvedge meets the main fabric. I, personally, am looking at this as a little memory book. It's a reminder of all the fabrics I've worked with over the years, and I like a little of the original fabric to show through, so I cut my selvedge edges a little fat. I also keep them a little long. 

Choose your first selvedge. You'll need to start with a longer one, at least 13", than can traverse your template with a little overhand at each end. Lay the first selvedge over the center line and pin in place. Choose your next selvedge. This should be another long one. Lay it directly on top of the first selvedge (right side of the first selvedge to the wrong side of the second), leaving some of the "mother fabric" exposed BUT (and this is the tricky part) covering enough of that mother fabric so it will stay securely under the top selvedge when sewn. Please keep in mind, selvedges don't always lay as flat as regular fabric because they tend to be a little bulkier, so keep your stitches slow and steady to help smooth out any bubbles along the way.

Using the thread color of your choice (be aware that your thread will show!) stitch a straight line as close to the selvedge edge as you can possibly get. Remember to make sure there is enough of the first selvedge underneath so it stays securely in place and the raw edge doesn't slip out from underneath. This is the trickiest part. Especially if you're working with narrower selvedges. Stitch from one end of the template to the other, just like you would an ordinary string block except the seam is exposed and there is no pressing or ironing.

Step 4: 

Repeat this process until you get to the corner of your block. Your selvedge lengths will get shorter and shorter as you progress down the template to the corner. Once you reach the corner, make sure you have a selvage with enough "mother fabric" width to cover the entire corner.

Step 5:

It's time to do the other side of your block. This works a little differently than the first side. Select a long selvedge and this time you're going to slip it under the first (center) selvedge. You still want to make sure there is enough of the bottom selvedge under the top one so you don't have any holes in your block. Edge stitch in the same manner as before, staying as close to the selvedge edge as possible.

Step 6:

Repeat this process of slipping the selvedges under all the way to the next corner. Once you reach the corner, as before, make sure your last selvedge is wide enough to cover the entire corner.

Step 7:

Press your block. After you stand back and admire all of your hard work, of course. This is the only time you'll actually be using your iron during this whole process. And you don't even have to iron if you don't want to. I just like to for good measure.

Step 8:

Flip your block over so the paper foundation side is facing up. Using your rotary cutter and ruler, trim your block. Line up your ruler with the edge of your paper template and trim one side. Repeat to trim the remaining three sides.

Step 9:

Carefully remove the paper template from the back of your block. Then flip your block over and smile. You've just completed a Selvedge String Block!

Notes on the block: 

Remember, you can easily make these blocks any size you want. The size of your foundation template dictates the six of your (unfinished) block. So if you want an 8.5" block, create a 8.5" square paper template.

Part of the fun of working with selvedges is exploring how you can use them creatively. Like texture like I do? Then don't be afraid to work with slightly frayed selvedges like you find on Kona Solids or Japanese linens. Like to play with words? Fussy cut the selvedge edges with texts. Want to keep it simple? Try making a block using only the selvedge edges from the non-texted side. The list goes on.

Play with thread! Since your seams will be exposed play with using different thread colors as you work.

Have other creative ideas? Let's hear 'em!

Sew Fun June Blocks

Ever thought working in Television was lovely and glamourous? Well, think again my friends. Saturday afternoon I got a phone call informing me that I was booked on a flight to New York on Monday morning. Um, how about a "Hello. How you doing?" first. I wasn't armed with much other information than I was needed on location in New Jersey for an indefinite amount of time. Yeah, and I'm already behind on bee blocks and have a To Do List a mile long. Ugh. So I prioritized and started hustling, even waking up at 5:30 am yesterday morning to finish up a couple "Must Dos" before I left the house at 9:30 am to catch my flight. I didn't even have time to get to the post office, so my lovely and amazing husband is doing that for me.

I caught up on several Bee Blocks. I'm still behind, but I'm getting closer. Hopefully I'll only be out here on the road for a week, so I'll be able to catch up on the rest as soon as I get home. But my first priority was to finish up Amber's Bottled Rainbows block for the Sew Fun Bee. This one was the furthest past due.

She's making a king sized quilt, so these blocks were ginormous - not your standard Bottled Rainbows. She sent us out the frames already made, but couldn't find the batting she cut when she sent the packages out so it wasn't the standard QAYG method. Since the scraps are machine appliquéd onto the background, using some sort of stabilizer really makes difference, otherwise the fabric could pucker or bubble. I opted to use a lightweight fusible interfacing on the back of the white center to provide some stability for my appliqué. This worked like a dream. If you want to make these blocks but don't want to quilt-as-you-go, I would highly recommend using a lightweight interfacing as backing.

I've made this type of block before, and I used spray baste last time to keep the pieces in place after I settled on a layout. This time I tried something a little different. I cut double sided Steam-a-Seam into pieces the same size as my scraps to fuse them onto the fabric. It's a little more time consuming, but not really that much more, and it's cleaner - less gummy. Don't get me wrong, I love spray baste, but for a project with pieces this small, sometimes it can be a little annoying since it's an aerosol spray and covers larger spaces better than little tiny ones. So one more down and safely on it's way back home. I hope Amber loves it! P.S. It was also a little breezy when I was taking pictures of the blocks I caught up on this weekend. I just love seeing blocks and quilt tops blowing in the wind. It makes me happy.

Sew Fun July Blocks

I've been neglecting my blog this summer and it makes me sad. It's not that I haven't been sewing at all. I have been sewing, though not as much as I would like. But it seems like when I do have a rare moment to sew I've been focusing on stuff I can't show yet or the been there done that kind of stuff that seems pointless to re-hash. Time is also an issue, and not just finding time to sew but also finding time to write. Work has been a different kind of crazy this time around. I sprained my wrist playing ice hockey and it's just now starting to feel almost back to normal, almost a month later. And I've also been traveling a lot lately. In the past month alone I've been on eight flights and one road trip. I've only had one weekend at home. I love all this traveling. I'm not complaining. I've been to San Francisco, Tucson, Mammoth, Kernville, Chicago and Denver, so I've been doing lots of hand sewing, but my machine is feeling a little neglected.

This weekend, on my trip to Denver, I was able to finish up some bee blocks for Wendi. Okay, they're almost finished. I have a couple small side seams to do in one of them before I send these off to her tomorrow. Wendi asked us to make her some blocks for her Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt. Wendi asked us to help her replace a childhood memory by making these blocks for her, which makes them even more special. Her only request was that the centers were orange or yellow, otherwise go to town. She's going for scrappy.

I had Wendi as a partner in a swap a while back so I also know she loves bright, which is exactly what I was thinking when I made the pink and red block for her. But those blocks were for July, so as you see, I'm way behind on bee blocks. Sigh. I am in serious need of some alone time with my machine. I think we're past due for a sewing date.

All Caught Up

Phew! I am finally caught up on all my past-due bee blocks. What's even better is that I'm ahead on my May blocks too, so I'm back in good shape and I can finally start focusing on other things. The most tardy of the blocks was a "Bright and Happy Tree" for Aud in the Sewn Together Bee. February was her month and granted, she sent her fabric late and told us not to worry about a deadline for getting them back to her but I still felt bad being so behind on her block. And it was a relatively easy one too.

She sent us the tree trunk already quilted onto the background and batting and simply asked us to attach scrappy leaves however we desired. I decided that this would be a fabulous time to pull out my Sizzix Big Shot Cutter and break in my Hexagon Die. The thing that made me most nervous about this block was the free motion appliqué method she wanted us to use to attach the leaves. I've never free motion quilted before. So my stitch length is a bit off in places but I think it was a noble attempt for my first time.

Then I caught up on the April Blocks for Sarah in the Bee a Lone Star(burst) Bee. She had the same color scheme that ??? did but she sent along the white pin dot fabric for the backing of the stars. Unfortunately the color looks a little blown out in these photos, which is a shame because I really love how these turned out.

For the Hope Circle's blocks for April, Rachel asked for a simple Purple Strip Block measuring 48" x 6.5" in total. I kept in simple and did alternating square in square blocks strung together. The small centers measure 1.5" and I used some leftover 5" charms for the larger centers.

Finally, for Stacey's April Block in the Sew Fun Bee she wanted a 12.5" block for a boy. Her only requirements were no pinks or purples. I decided to paper piece a sail boat for fun using this pattern. I don't know why but I had a boat stuck in my head. So I'm done! Thank god. I swear I'm never going to let myself get so behind again.

More Bee Blocks

Sorry I disappeared last week. I am officially back to work and I ended up shooting all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. That means long hours and no time to breathe. But today I'm settling into my new office and starting pre-production on a new show. We don't start shooting until mid-June so I have a little respite. Saturday my husband had to work all day so I got to play in the studio without any guilt. I have a few things stewing in my head that I can't wait to work on, but first my mission is to eradicate my MUST Do List and that means catching up on Bee Blocks. The exciting news: I am almost 100% completely caught up. Yippee!

The Hope Circle of do. Good Stitches is actually taking May off so we can all work on getting caught up on everything, so I finally made the Antique Tile Blocks that Robyn asked for in March. She wanted a bright color palate and her only other requirement was that the center block was solid white, using this tutorial. Otherwise we could go as scrappy as we wanted, but I kept it pretty simple. One thing about the tutorial - perhaps, I just missed it and I'm crazy, but I couldn't seem to find the correct cutting measurements for the center square anywhere on the page so if you're wanting to make this block just know you need a 4.5" X 4.5" square for the center.

Then, I finished up Melanie's blocks for April in the Bee a Lone Star(burst) Bee. This bee started in April and we're on a condensed schedule so we make two Lone Star Blocks using this tutorial every month for two different people. I was invited to join this bee by Sarah who I "met" through a swap last year. I still need to make her blocks for April. Funny enough Sarah and Melanie had the same color palate so it made things a little easier.

Finally I finished up (on time I might add) the Dear Jane blocks for Corley in the Sew Fun Bee. She asked us to help her out by making two to three hand stitched blocks. She sent us the templates and white fabric, already pre-cut and ironed onto freezer paper with a desired color for each block. She sent me block C-3 "Rayelle's Fence" and asked for it in purple as well as block D-ll "Snow Crystal" in blue. I attacked "Rayelle's Fence" first. This was my first ever attempt at hand stitching a quilt block. I mean, I have a background in garment construction so the concept of hand stitching isn't completely foreign to me but I've never done a whole block by hand before. I was so excited about this challenge. I found the block came together so quickly. I finished it in an evening before April even ended. In fact, I had so much fun with it I immediately told Corley that she could send me more blocks if she wanted.

Personally, I'd never make a sampler quilt for myself. It just doesn't fit my style so I wouldn't ever think to undertake a Dear Jane myself so I am so grateful and thrilled that Corley was brave enough to ask us to attempt these blocks for her. It helped to further motivate me to do my Double Wedding Ring entirely by hand. The "Snow Crystal" block was more complex than the first block because it incorporates Y-seams and appliqué. As soon as I got the hang of the first Y-seam it was all downhill from there. Seriously, if Corley wanted to send me more, even in months to come, I would gladly make more blocks for her. I was disappointed that I ended up with one of the packages with only two blocks, not three. If only I was into Samplers. That's the fun of working in bees. Now, I'm only behind with three more. My goal is to finish them this week so I can finally get all caught up. Wish me luck!