Tuesday 18 July 2017

July Block Round-up



This month’s queen in Stash Bee Greta (@snippetycamel) asked for a maple leaf block of our choice in green. She suggested a couple of tutorials but not being one to leave well enough alone I thought I’d have a look on Pinterest first… 3 hours later I surfaced with a decision, ending up with a paper pieced block I made up for myself based on this barn quilt. I’m thrilled with the way it turned out and I’m thinking about maybe making more.


For Bee Inspired Queen Jennifer from TheInquiring Quilter designed a block and wrote us a tutorial based on the Irish chain quilt that she’s had in mind for a while. She requested graduating shades of green (the fabric pull was simple this month!) going lighter from the centre out on a white low volume background.

It’s my turn to be Queen in Stash Bee next month and I’m pretty excited! I have picked my block, written the tutorial and it’s scheduled and ready to go for the 1st!

‘til next time

Ooroo

Sue


Wednesday 5 July 2017

June Block Round-up



At last, almost two months after posting these blocks, my crows for Velda at GrannycanQuilt, who was Bee Inspired queen back in April, have arrived! We’ve had our mystery line-up to guess the maker (a lot of fun!) and I can show them to you. Ta-da! Velda gave us a tutorial which she has since had to remove from her blog to keep the peace (long unpleasant story) and requested that part of the crows be either black with white or white with black with the rest of the crow being bright colours on a low volume background.


Staying on the black and white critter theme, June’s Bee Inspired block for Karen at Tu-na Quilts and Eats is a poodle block. This was a nightmare of tutorial errors and a confusing number of pieces. If you feel you want to take this on the tutorial is here. Karen gave us corrections but wasn’t specific as to what pieces they were in the pattern. (The underbelly should have a flip triangle of 2.75” for the hind leg and the ear piece should be cut at 4.25” long). I was overwhelmed by the written instructions and decided to follow the photographic steps instead where the error was different on the ear piece, but instead of being longer as in the written instructions (I’m told) came up too short. I was ready to throw it in the corner and there were some choice words thrown about at this point but I persevered and the block is done! Would I do another one? Not on your life!

EDIT: I am reliably informed that the tutorial has now been corrected. If you want to make one now it should be a lot easier.


The tutorial suggests that we name our poodles and I was going to name him after the poodle we had when we were growing up, Marcel, but Kate has picked that name for hers. I could always call him Marcel2 but I think I’ll go for Ricky Doodle the poodle (anyone seen Ricky Tims’ Grand Finale video? You’ll understand the reference if you have.).


Finally, for Stash Bee Alanna (@the_handmade_tail) chose nice simple flying geese. She’s making a quilt for her best friend’s upcoming wedding and her friend is very much into nature and the environment, with a husband-to-be who’s a scientist with music as a hobby. Colours chosen were green and grey with prints that reflected the couple’s interests. I’ve had the Laurel Burch leaf print for a long time and now seemed like the perfect time to break it out and use it. The greys are new from my local fabric purveyor. They were 50% off and who can resist a bargain!

Till next time au revoir!