Modern Stitching Bee Quilt: FINISHED

Why is it bee quilts are always my favorites?  Is it because each of my friends contributed a bit of happiness?  Is it because I can see their personalities in each block?  I think so!  The ladies in this bee are so very special to me, so this quilt was bound to be a hit!  

This quilt started in November of 2012 when I was queen bee and requested a scrappy Depression block.  My bee mates were quick to send in beautiful blocks, but I had set them aside for months and months. It was only when I was preparing for the Fat Quarterly Retreat in July 2013 that I realized I could assemble the top and hand it off to Emily for quilting (you can see her work bit better in this post).  Done!

 

 

The back is Kona Peacock pieced with signature blocks from some of my bee mates.  I wish I made other siggy blocks for those who were not able to send in their own...just to have the complete group included.  Live and learn.

 

  

 I then finished it off with a dotty pink binding from Simply Style and popped it into the wash and held my breath.  Thank goodness the Color Catchers did their job because the white top stayed nice and crisp.  After a day or two on the line and a tumble dry, this quilt is now in use each and every evening.  

Ladies, thank you.  I think it's absolutely wonderful.

Quilt Stats

Name: Unknown - Modern Stitching Bee Quilt for now.

Made for: Me to use while watching TV curled up on the couch.

Fabric: Scraps and white fabric from bee mates, Kona Peacock on the back and binding by Simply Style.

Thread: Pieced with Aurifil.

Batting: 100% Simply Cotton.

Size: Approximately 60x60 inches.

Quilting: Quilted by Emily using an infinity loop.

Pattern: Depression block using this tutorial.

Significant Quilt Top Finished

Not that the finishing of this top is significant, but the name of this quilt will be Significant.  I will tell you the whole story later, but the long and short of it is this quilt is being made for a family who needs a quilty warm hug. I wanted to make a quilt that could be used by the whole family this winter when curling up on the couch.  I tried for a more neutral colors scheme than I usually go for (ash, white and creams vs. scrappy rainbow) and avoided things that might make it too girly as there are two fellas in this family.

With three Comma charm packs, some Kona Ash and my Sizzix, I altered Jennifer's Starflower tutorial scaling each HST block to 4.5 inches square.  The first border is a 2 inch (finished) strip of Kona Black followed by a second border (3 inches finished) of Comma Asterisk.  The full top is now 70x70 inches, which is perfect for a couch quilt.

I just need to finish off the back, sort out the label and then I'm sending this off to be quilted professionally.  It is quite important to me that this family has the quilt quickly and I take months and  months to quilt anything.  Sending it out seemed like the best thing to do. 

I hope to show you a finished quilt next week!  

...And In Return

I always forget that after I send off swap goodies that happy mail is quickly to follow.  Both of my recent swap partners had me 100% pegged with the pretty things they made for me.  Want to see?

In the Irish Pin Cushion I was unknowingly matched up with Fiona of Besty Grey Crafts. Fiona makes the most beautiful things and you get to see lots of it in real time following her on IG (@betsygreycrafts).  We have not yet met in real life, but I am hoping our paths cross this weekend at the Knitting and Stitching Show.  Fiona sent over the most gorgeous cathedral windows pin cushion with the little tiniest yo-yos at each point. 

How on earth did she press these windows and still keep each of her fingertips?  I'll never know.  I adore the fabrics she choose. I love, too, that with the thickness of the windows it gives great resistance when poking it with a pin. It's beautiful, Fiona.  Thank you.

In the Stamp It Up swap, the super Nathalie made a massive zipper pouch for me.  Its a size I don't have and it's 100% perfect for travelling as it fits all kinds of goodies.  She carved an amazing flower and stamped it once on the front and once on the back, then framed the stamp with log-cabin type piecing.  The blues she choose are so beautifully rich.  

Inside it is lined with white and pink fabric, that's further stamped with little FSQ sheep, making this pouch so super and personal. I love that there are little black FSQ sheep, too!  That's so cool.  Nathalie, thank you.  It's amazing.

Swaps are such a wonderful way of getting to know new folks or pushing ourselves a bit further.  A great big thumbs up to both of my partners as well as to the organizing mamas, Nicky, Helen and Sarah.  Thank you all for making these swaps so much  fun.

Stamp It Up Zippy Pouch

Life has been filled with travel, family, health issues/healing, etc lately and blogging has fallen behind.  You know the story.  But I have missed you all so very much that I'd really like to re-join our happy community as best I can.  I love the giggles and inspiration we all share so I am only thrilled to bring that back into this cold, wet, dark part of Ireland.  

Let's start with an oldie, but a goodie shall we?  Back in Sept the lovely Nicky ran a super swap called Stamp It Up!  We were each to carve eraser stamps and make some small creation for our swap partner based on their inspirational mosaic.  So I gathered together my erasers, brand new ink pads and got down to business.  

I then embroidered little eyes and legs on my new friends.  I loved doing that.  At the end I felt like I knew each of the little ladies personally.

My partner, now revealed as Anneliese, had wanted a coffee cozy to keep her fingers from getting burned when holding a takeaway coffee.  I read through a few tutorials and choose one to try.  Although the tutorial was relatively straight forward and logical, the measurements listed were COMPLETELY incorrect, so my miserable cozy ended up looking like this.

See how the top and bottom (Summersville) border is cut off and one birdie is missing her feet? Awful.  So I unpicked everything and made a few new birds to create a zippy pouch using Kat's go-to pattern that is 100% wonderful from start to finish.

I used Essex linen on the top and back, then Kate Spain's Good Fortune on the bottom and as the lining.  I liked that I was sending a bit of Good Fortune to Anneliese and her home.

My little stamped pouch has now safely arrived at its new home and is already in use.  I hope you like it, Anneliese!  I really enjoyed making it for you.