We be with it Hive blocks

I have been in 4 hives this year and had the first 2 hives make the Kaleidoscope blocks -- you guys rocked this in the first half of the year. I will be putting my quilt top together soon.

For the last 2 hives I picked the Scrappy Crossroads block. There is an excellent tutorial at The Dream Quilt Create, these are great for using up scraps and so I hope everyone enjoys making them.   

When pulling out fabrics think shades of Navy, Blue, teal, orange and gold (maybe touches of dark purple and red) -- I really like the inspiration photo below . These blocks will be scrappy, so I would like for everyone to use a variety of colors in each block but do keep the fabrics modern and tonal.

To give you an idea of what this looks like in fabric form I have pulled a sample from my stash to show off.  (You will need 48 2 1/2 inch squares for each block)

The constant will be the creamy off white for the 8 4 1/2 inch squares. Snow by Kona is what I used but anything comparable is great (the bella solid equivalent is off white) -- please use a solid.

Here is my initial block that I created for inspiration -- they will finish in the quilt at 16 inches square. I picked these big blocks because, I am shooting to have an over sized throw for my couch, big enough for snuggling and watching movies.

I was queen in the 3rd hive last month and the ladies did a great job on the blocks I have received so far (6/11) -- I can't wait to see what all fun you guys add to the grouping. 

City Sampler check in for September

If you missed it Michelle and I are supporting each other and a few other brave souls that have taken up the 100 modern block project from Tula Pink. 

My (lofty) goal was to make the 70 blocks for the layout that I want to make --  in time for Stash Bash (which is in a month). So let's see how I did this month and how many blocks I added to the 3 that I completed last month. (note to stay on track of one per day I needed to get to 40 blocks completed)

#4: block 9

#5: block 10

#6: block 11

#7: block 21

#8: block 22

#9: block 23

#10: block 27

#11: block 57

#12: block 63

#13: block 69

#14: block 72

#15: block 73

So this half month's progress is 12 blocks, meaning that I have completed 15 of 70 for the project. Meaning that I need to complete 2 block per day before Stash Bash, if I am going to have all the blocks made before hand and be able to assemble it during the retreat. 

Orphans for adoption

Cynthia over at Quilting is more fun than housework is hosting an orphan adoption for projects and fabrics that are in need of new homes and she has invited us to link up and share the love as well. 

In clearing out my sewing room I found a few things that need new homes. The way this will work is if you are interested in re-homing any of these items post a comment below with what you are interested in receiving and I will draw names and let the winners know early next week. (Due to shipping costs I am only opening this to US residents or people with US addresses.) So on to the items up for adoption. 

#1 -- Scrappy crossroads block and a pile of 2.5 inch squares to make more of these blocks (or another project) -- this was a sample for a bee and I decided to change colors after I made this one to colors more my style. 

#2 -- Accucut Snowflake -- this was intended to be a table topper or wall hanging but I know it isn't likely to get finished.0

#3 -- I started Bonnie Hunter's last mystery project and decided not to complete it when I saw all the pieces that it was going to require so these are the blocks from part 1 but could easily be turned into a mini or even baby quilt. 

#4 -- 13 paper pieced square in square blocks that i got from a block swap 

#5 -- 9 accuquilt kite blocks -- I went a little over board in making blocks for a mini quilt and these are the extras. 

If you would like any of these let me know which ones and I will be selecting winners early next week. 

Labor Day weekend

Don't you hate it when you forget to click publish -- I've had this blog post ready for just under a week and realized today I never published it. I've decided to share it now even though several of these projects have seen some progress. 
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I got a message on Friday that my mother's last living brother had passed away -- he was the youngest sibling and the jokester of the family. He had served his country in Vietnam and lived a challenged life as a result but always loyal to his friends and family. 

He had been battling throat cancer for several years and warded it off 3 times. He always said he was to stubborn for something like cancer to take him out and he was going to beat this thing. I had spoken with him about 2 months ago and he was doing well on the last round of radiation -- another win in the cancer battle. 

When talking with my cousin after getting the news of his passing, doctors had found a mass near his intestine about 6 weeks ago and told him there was nothing that could be done. He was 63. 

Uncle Darrell, you will be greatly missed. 
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Aside from the funeral and other obligations I did manage to find some time in my sewing room to work on a variety of things that are in various stages of completion. 

Vintage Mini -- completed 

Kate Spain Jewel box -- top complete

T-shirt Quilt -- top complete

Accuquilt Mini #1 -- top complete

still working on Tula Pink blocks but I'll hold that progress till later this week for the link up. 

I also started pulling some fabric for swap projects -- my Schnitzel and Boo Mini quilt and a project for Mallory.

I am happy to have been able to spend some time back in my sewing room and think that my obligations to the car group will be changing in the next few months -- sewing is what makes me happiest and that is where my energy needs to be focused. 

August sewing or stashing

I'm going to preface this month with saying that my anniversary is in August and Hubs and I usually take a weekend trip somewhere so there will be fabric bought this month -- the key is how much fabric and from where. 

August started with a simple pouch finish for the guild swap. I used / gifted 3 yards of fabric for this one. 

I've been working on a t shirt commission project and pulled 3 yards from stash for the filler fabric and the boarders. 

We love the mountains and this year we choose to do a day trip to Boone, NC as our destination of choice for our anniversary -- it has so much to do while still being scenic and quaint and it reminds me of the area that we got married. So while up there we went to Sew Original (the sister store of the one in Winston Salem) and The Quilt shop -- this yielded a purchase of 4 yards of fabric, most of it for that awesome fox collage pattern. 

Then there are the Bee Blocks I made this month --- 1 yards used.

I started working on the Bee Blocks for next month's example as I am the queen bee in one of the hives and will be the queen in my other hive in October. I choose the scrappy crossroads blocks for these and my tester blocks used about another yard of fabric. (mostly because I kept changing my mind on the color pallet). 

 

I'm still working on the Kate Spain Jewel box project and finally got most of the block units put together and it's ready to start forming larger blocks and then the rows. 

 

Started on my Tula Pink sampler quilt and got 3 blocks made. 

Made a trip out to Sewingly Yours and couldn't resist the new Alison Glass -- add 2 yards (Art Theory and bookplate prints from Ex Libris).

I cut up the tumblers for a leader / ender project -- another 3 yards by weight. I have since decided to pass it along to someone else that makes charity projects so they will still go to good use. I have another lady going to the Stash Bash retreat that is also interested in Tumblers and I'm strongly considering cutting up another bundle of scraps for her. 

I finished up the month with having bought 6 yards and with having pulled / used 11 yards. So put that with last month's totals and I am in the positive 109.5 yards for the year. 

Next month will be better totals as I will be pulling fabrics for 3 swaps, taking a few vacation days (to include some sewing) and hopefully have some finishes to show off for the quarter.