Bee Block Experience #2

I was in several bee block exchanges as a new experience in 2015 but for each of the quilts that I used 2 bees each to make sure I had enough blocks in the end to make a larger quilt. My first blocks were for my Kaleidoscope Quilt and the other 2 hives completed scrappy Cross roads Blocks. 

These are the extra 4 blocks that I put together. As these hives were later in the year the blocks trickled in slowly and a few didn't come in at all but I did have enough with the extra blocks that I had made, this was going to be a large quilt. 

So it sat basted for a while waiting for me to quilt it when a friend of mine, Rena (The Southern Bobbin) asked for quilts that she could practice on with her long arm and I thought -- Why not? 

When it came back a short while later I got it bound and all ready for some couch snuggling. 

This is my 4th finish in the 3rd Quarter 

When Guilds Collide

Earlier this year our guild decided to do a mini quilt swap with the McKinely Texas guild. This was a pretty easy choice since it's just about the mini quilt and we were sending 3 pattern suggestions along with our interests. It also turned out that 3 members of the guild are also in my traveling quilt group, so that's extra fun. 

I got asked to make the rainbow squirrel by Quiet Play as one of my partner's choices.

I eagerly set out on this project by looking for other inspiration -- I didn't want rainbow and neither did my partner but she did like bright citrus colors. With bright colors as my guide I tried to think of an interesting way to make this mini special. I decided I would make multiple squirrels, one in each of her chosen citrus colors. The idea that I was missing something obvious kept nagging at me so I looked online for citrus colored artwork -- and there it was in it's Warhol nature, my future mini quilt. 

I pulled out scraps from the string bins and scrap baskets first. 

These squirrels went together easily and relatively quickly -- i shrank the pattern by 25% and made a 9 inch version of the block. 

 Then there were a pair

and then there were 4 -- I got it quilted in organic circles and ready to ship out. 

Oh, so cute. It will be heading over to live with Ellyn in Texas. 

In return I got this Awesome Cat mini by Martha

This was my 1st finish in the 3rd quarter and my OMG goal for July. 

August Sewing and Stashing

July finished with a lightened stash of 93.5 yards, after a minor splurge early in the month and a minor lack of motivation because of the heat and distraction of Pokemon Go (yeah I'm a nerd like that). I hope that this month's progress makes up for my limited focus on sewing and having a few days off at the beginning of the month really should help. 

I started the month working on my Traveling Quilt project for this month with was Alice's block that had already been added to by her awesome sister Catherine. I gave Alice the option of AMH feathers or Arrows as my addition this month and she choose the feathers. I also added in some plus blocks to fill in the corners and round things out.

I also wanted to get my Bee Hive Swarm block out early this month because Jen is celebrating her birthday before mid month and she wanted these great double star blocks (-1 yard) 

My other hive wanted paper pieced blocks so I got those ready right away. (-.5 yard) 

A while back I signed up for the Star Mini quilt swap and this month I finished these awesome Celestial Stars up to mail out to a lovely Lady in California -- you can read all about that here. (-2 yards) 

I completed my Kate Spain Love Mini (-3 yards) 

I also got my Scrappy Crossroads back from Rena and got the binding attached and then I realized my tension was off so I had to take it all the way back off so this will be a finish next month. (-1 yard)

August started at 93.5 yards lighter so far in the year, this month I added 0 yards and used 7.5 yards making my new total 101 yards lighter this year -- Whahoo. 

I haven't been in a good sewing mood lately and I hope that September changes that cause I have way more things I need to get finished before the end of the quarter and as we hit that downward slide into the holidays.