Sneak Peek for Sheila

Here is a look at the little 12x12 quilt I mailed to Sheila along with some other goodies.

Jane.

NewBee Blocks for Emily

I have had these done for a little while.  Just a little internet challenged at the time.  They will go into the mail today.  Enjoy!

BOM's, BEE's,and Fabric please!

Here's two blocks for Melinda for the November Scrap Bee quilt bee.

I tried to come up with some different kinds of stars for you Melinda, hope these are OK!

I randomly cut chisel shapes to piece the pink one, and some slices off squares for the green one.

Play is such a great head space to be in!

Just an update on a few things...

Are you up-to-date on your Quilt BEE blocks?

Please, if you are in a BEE please stay on top of getting your blocks done on time

and please post your work, so we can see what everyone is doing.

Inspire each other!

********

Second.

update on BOM Quilts, I am extending the deadline for the BOM quilt to January, 

after a requests was made by three people...

Our new Deadline for SHOWING BOM quilts will be January 18th.

We will have a complete show of all the BOM quilts then, and I will have a 

special guest to view and pick a favorite!

HINT

CLICK HERE

With goodies included....

******

THREE!

SERIOUS STASH SWAP!!!!

After spending time with LeeAnn this past week, and her stash!!

(Did I say how much fun it is to visit someone else's stash?)

I'd like to put together a Serious STASH swap.

 I'm thinking 20 FAT QUARTERS from each. ( or more?)

I prefer to keep this swap to FAT quarters or larger,  instead of random scraps so 

  we can all make out own scraps!

To boost our stash with fabrics we would have never thought to buy.

(I can match you up, and you can be in contact with each other about likes and dislikes etc... )

This does NOT mean, handing overall your uglies to someone else,

this would be to share favorites, of fabrics you've had and it's time to let 

someone else share in their beauty as well...

Shoot me your thoughts on the swap and if you want in... Doesn't have to happen quickly.. 

we can say for the end of January...but plan it now... 

DIRECTIONS: 

If you want in, make sure you  

email me your name and address, 

and if you will ship international.

Please include all the info even if you think I already have it...

his saves me a load of time...

bumblebeansinc at gmail dot com

I will leave this open til Sunday night, Dec 4th, 6pm

** You do not need to be a posting member of the site, ANYONE can be a part of the swap.
Specific details can be arranged with your swap partner after I match you up. ( size cuts of fabric etc)

PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR INFO as listed above.... 

15 minutes of playing with roses

I like playing with bits and pieces to make something new,

like these roses.

But sometimes it's hard to figure out how to join the wonky, liberated blocks.

I posted a tutorial on joining liberated roses over at my blog.

Come over and smell the roses!

BOM Quilt

Well, it's almost done!

I just have to hand sew the binding.

I used black and white fabric for the sashing and corner stones.

You can't really see the binding, but it is a very bright multi-colored

funky stripe.  Really makes the sashing pop.

Very fun project V!  Thanks for the play.

November Scrapbee blocks

Here are my blocks for Melinda. After I made them I thought I should have reversed the background and put the black with the yellow and white with green. Here are 2 more low contrast blocks! I also left the extra fabric around the stars so you can trim them to whatever size you like. My first wonky stars and they were fun!

Searching for the Perfect Tote Bag

I don't think I'm obsessive (this is my 4th try) but I am trying to develop the perfect tote bag for my knitting. I have been using some of the  large pile of made fabric as I keep trying different construction options. Needs to be large enough, but not too big, have good pocket structure and a top zipper. Close but not quite. I'm going to keep trying!!!

Update: I really do like this bag, but the zipper is just not the way I want it to be. There are a lot of tote bag tutorials and patterns around, but none of them are really good at zippers. If I get this figured out maybe I'll write my own directions.

Irene @ http://irenesews.blogspot.com/ 

New'Bee Star for V

Victoria posted her instructions for the New'Bee December block early and it was a perfect time for me to tackle the assignment.  These stars, a big one and three wee ones, are going to her in my next mailing.

Star for Melinda

Here's my November Scrap-Bee block! Enjoy!

A twist on the 15........

Would we hop from blog to blog if there was simply text and were no photographs of inspiration?  How many of us have been inspired by Kaffe's beautiful photographs in his quilt books, bloggers who have the eye for that perfect photo op when the sun is just right, or squeal with delight as the photo is being taken of the quilt that is finally finished!?   Victoria, I hope you don't mind that I spin the theme of this wonderful blog for this post and CELEBRATE the quiet 15 minutes play of posing a quilt for a photograph, the process of uploading it, tweaking or not tweaking the dimensions and pushing the buttons, Save...POST! Have you discovered the fun of photography as you have delved into this wonderful hobby of quilting?  Just a few minutes to connect strips of scraps, snap the button and then SHARE!!!!

Scrap Bee Blocks for Melinda

This quilt is going to sparkle!

A Snowy Cabin

I made Marlynne Joy a cabin in the snow for the 12" x 12" holiday quilt swap.  It was so fun to make and after reading her blog, mcreatesdaily.blogspot.com - I know she enjoys it. 

Victoria and Miki exchange mini quilts

Victoria is in Seattle with her family to celebrate Thanksgiving.  On Wednesday, she came to a Rebels quilter's meeting where we got to exchange our mini quilts.  It is so much fun to meet online quilting friends.  I am excited to see what everybody else made.  Please post them when you get them.

Scrap Bee Blocks for Melinda for November

Whew!  I think I made it.  I have stars for Melinda!

Still catching up, I grabbed some time in my sewing room to make some stars.  Wonky for sure!  I like the red star.  That is my favorite color combination, so dramatic.  And the green wonky star is definitely low contrast.  I guess I still have not mastered that color/contrast/looking good thing.  I thought I ought not to send it, since it is not dramatic like the red.

But then I thought, you know, what if she NEEDS a low contrast block in there.  Then I would be depriving poor Melinda of something that she needed. 

So it goes with the red to Melinda's abode, just in case she needs a low contrast moment.

glen

My exchange block from Victoria

What holiday did you request in the small quilt exchange?  When others asked for Christmas, I asked for el Dio de los Muertos (day of the dead), and this is what I got!  Isn't it fantastic?  The colors are perfect, and the fabric is to die for.  Ha ha.  I love the hand stitching and the beads.  In fact, I love everything about this.  On the back is a pocket with a handwritten note on fabric.  Thank you so much Victoria.  It already has a place of honor on my studio wall.

December Scrap Bee Blocks Received!

I got my first batch of December Scrap-Bee blocks today... wow, check these out!

Sandy's (top right) came in the mail, then Victoria (top left) and LeeAnn (bottom right) gave me theirs when we got together for an all too short sewing session this afternoon. The bottom left one is mine.

They are beyond gorgeous- thanks Ladies! I am going to be tempted to stay up ALL night and play with these!

WINTER MINI-QUILT A little peek

A snowball

A little bit of applique.

New Bee Blocks for Emily

I sent these two blocks off to Emily last week, so hopefully they will arrive soon.  This was a fun block to make.

Janet 

Star Pattern

Bee Block for Alexis

I think this one is my favorite of all the blocks we made this year.  We sure did make some fun blocks, didn't we?  This is the December Bee Block that went into the mail to Alexis today.  She said to wonk it up so I tried!!

I want to thank Victoria for organizing this.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and I learned a lot.  Whew!  I got a whole year's worth of blocks done.  Yay for me!

Star Blocks Received - Scrap Bee

Here are the first blocks I have received. These are from Sara and Barbara. Thank you so much. They are just what I had hoped for.

Melinda

Bee Blocks for Melinda

These star blocks for Melinda were fun to make.  They will go into the mail tomorrow.  Hope you like them!!

Second green BOM BASICS quilt

One more for BASICS... we got two donating quilts made from the BOM blocks, that you all donated. Thank you!

help with a border

I need suggestions on how I should finish my dresden plate wall hanging.
Please go to http://beebeesquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think would be best!
thanks
beebee

No time like the present

 OK, no time like the present... It came together before I took it back off my wall...  Isn't it lovely?

Good Job Everyone!

Seeing STARS!!!

Here's an updated picture of the Camo Blocks. I'm two blocks short...I need to get this quilt top sewn up in the next day or two, so I will whip up two more blocks from some of the scraps a few of you sent along! Thanks for that!  

My Friend BOB, whose uniforms these were, is on the Queen Mary II, now, with his family, sailing back from England to the US.  They will be staying with me for a couple days and I want this top ready so he can see what everyone contributed to.  How special!   I will be asking him if he has someone in mind, that he knows from his service, that may well deserve this quilt.

I also sat for a few minutes today to make one block for my December NEW'BEE blocks to give you another example... Any kind/size of star/s, these colors, set in anyway inside a 12.5" block... (feel free to use ones from our BOM too!) no white or black. The two fabrics I am sending you to include, are mailing out today...

Now, I gotta get Melinda's stars done!  And get my BOM quilt top together!!! 

Fun play day!

What will your 15 minutes of creative time look like today?  trying any new tricks?

November scrap bee block

I made two blocks for you this month.  The star on the black fabric is appliqued and is quite large, about 14 inches and the star on the white background was pieced...no more y-seam fears for me!! yoohoo!  I'll send them off tomorrow.

Cheers,
Mary-Frances

Perfect 15 Minute Project

It's been a long time since I have posted anything so I just had to share this. I have never made any structured triangle blocks, but they intrigue me. So I collected a pile of reds and light blues  and just made a pile of 1/2 square triangle blocks (15 minutes).  Then because I hate to do anything more than once, I started assembling larger compositions (15 minutes) with the triangles. This is just the start and when done I will put them all together into a king size (Yeah Victoria!) quilt. I wonder how many different arrangements can I make?

Happy Sewing, Irene

http://irenesews.blogspot.com/

Better Late Than Never!

I don't remember whether I shared these two made-fabric heart blocks I put together some time ago. My intention back then was to turn them into a Priority Quilt for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative for the 15 Minutes group effort. I kind of got stuck once the blocks were assembled.



Whatever magic that needed to happen finally did. Ta daa!

When I finished the binding and hung it up for the first time I realized there was a bit of a black hole in the upper right. That strip of green was calling out for embellishment. A trip to JoAnn Fabircs yielded the tiny hearts and flower buttons (and a massive reaction to the overpowering scent of cinnamon in the store).

I'm quite happy with it now. In fact, I'll be a little sorry to see it go!

oh so sweet

Yummy Morsels for Em. ;-)

I need a cookie now.

Trying to Help Recruit

I put in a plug for BASICS at my blog. It's here:

http://giraffedreams.blogspot.com/2011/11/400-quilts-by-thanksgiving.html

I hope it helps!

Carol E.

DEC. NEW'BEE BLock

NEW'BEE BLOCK FOR DECEMBER

I am posting mine early as well, so we have time for the holidays to prepare our December blocks...

I am sending each NEW'BEE participant TWO pieces of fabric to incorporate into a

STAR 12.5" block.

Pictured above.

My color palette of this block should read like the Star quilt at top.  

I'm going for a dark block, with lighter ethereal stars...

NAVY BLUE/ BLUES

GREENS

HOT PINKS

ORANGE

PURPLES

GOLDS/BROWNS

NO BLACK or WHITE please!

Must use "made fabric" Any which way you like in the block, or star...

You must use the TWO pieces I send you somehow in the block...

Cut them up however you like...

Incorporate a STAR in the block, (however you like)

ANY SIZE STAR, and any which way inside the block... makes no difference, on point, off center, etc... SO when I put them together the stars will be all over the place... Feel free to send an extra star that I can finish off... ;-)

So to sum that up:
This color palette,
with a star somehow inside the block..
NO BLACK or WHITE

Will get the envelopes mailed off this week. Thanks! ( can you believe we are talking about DECEMBER already?? sheesh!)

THANKS!

December Scrap Bee Block

Here is my SCRAP BEE block for December... It's just around the corner, so I am posting now for all your organized ladies who want to get a head start before the holidays get in full swing! I will be sending out an email with my NEW mailing address and some extra details about my block.

You will need:

1-6.5" square bright & fun MADE fabric

6- 3.5" squares yellow (some can be MADE) fabric
6- 3.5" squares red (some can be MADE) fabric

Combine the yellow & red 3.5" squares into 12 HST's using the method of your choice, and trim to 2.5" HST blocks.

4- 2.5" squares red
1- 2.5 x 10.5" rectangle red
1- 2.5 x 12.5" rectangle red

Put it all together following the photo...HAVE FUN AND PLAY!!!!!!!!!!! Feel free to add some slashes to the rectangles, make fabric for the colored squares, wonk it out... whatever moves you to sparkle and shine.

THANK YOU for an awesome bee, ladies!

Itsy Bitsy Sneak Peek

I love giving surprises and receiving surprises - so this is all I will show of my holiday quilt swap!

Sneak Peak

Think velvet and wonder what I am going to do with it.

teeny tiny sneak peak

I can only show you a teeny tiny sneak peak... without giving it all away! LOL!  Not that you can see ANYTHING here!!!  I had fun trying some new things on this little quilt...

hints?

It has lot's of RED, lot's of GREEN, Lot's of White.... Shiny Things.... and lot's of stitching....

hehe.

that's all I can tell you!

Hearts from around the world........

Thank you all for these beautiful hearts!

I put together the heart blocks from my online quilting bees......I participated in two bees and asked for the same block from both of them.  I got all these blocks.  I used all but 1 small block and I will put it on the back.  This has been a great experience.

I received blocks from:   Australia, Colorado, Texas, Canada, New South Whales, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Washington, Missouri, Louisiana, Georgia, Utah, New Zealand and France.  I think I listed all of the places.

Sneak Peeks

 

My Christmas 12 x 12 just needs to have binding and label put on now but will have to wait for at least a week until I am back on my feet. I have been laid up for just over a week now since having knee surgery. Luckily I was able to have a few hand sewing projects to do during this time.



I have also finished my BOM quilt - did the hand sewing down of binding during the first few days afer my op. I will also have to wait to photograph the full quilt but that is not needed until December 1st.