Monday 5 May 2014

Blocks and Bees

Well it seems like such a long time since I have posted, but that might be because my last two posts were scheduled to appear whilst I was on holiday. Now that we are back from our amazing trip, which I will definitely bore you with once I have worked my way through the hundreds of photos I took, it is time to get back down to earth with a bump and start looking at my commitments for May.

Before that though a quick peek of the patchwork inspiration I was surrounded by on holiday :)


Tiling Detail Uzbekistan
Tiling, Uzbekistan


My head is spinning with possible patterns for quilts and blocks!

Speaking of blocks I came home to lots of happy mail from my month in April as Queen Bee of the Fat Stash Brit Bee. There were still a few blocks to come when I took this photo but here is how the blocks are looking so far.


Fat Stash Brit Bee blocks received

The blocks are destined to be a quilt for our youngest son, but my niece is expecting her second baby this week, so if it is a boy it may just end up going his way instead :)

For May, Rachel has asked us to make a floating star block with tone-on-tone blacks as the background for all but the middle and cheerful scraps for the triangle corners that make up the star. I had never come across this block before, but I really liked it so will be squirrelling away the instructions for future use.


Fat Stash Brit Bee block May

The next meeting of my new Quilt Group is on Wednesday so I have also been trying to make some attempt to catch up on the blocks that I missed at the beginning. The first block the group attempted was a Log Cabin block, so that was first on my list.


Hadrian Quilters Log Cabin block

Stupidly, I used a lone fat quarter of a white tone-on-tone for the background of my first block, blithely assuming that it would be no problem to buy extra when I needed it. Needless to say, neither of the LQS's had the same fabric in stock, so I went for the nearest alternative in the hope that when it is cut up the difference between the two fabrics won't be so noticeable!

At the class on Wednesday we will be tackling a Mariners' Compass block, should be interesting :)

Thanks to everyone who linked up in my absence to

and

 I really enjoyed reading about your projects on my return.

Finally, another shot of more stitching inspiration, EPP anyone??

Linking up to

   Quilter in the Closet

Fresh Poppy Design

19 comments:

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  3. Nice quilts. As for your niece, I hope her pregnancy goes well. While it tends to be racked by anxiety, it can be tempered by a rigorous planning and having all the check-ups and visits to the hospitals done right. Hope she is feeling well! Cheers!

    Elli Degennaro

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    1. Thanks Elli, it is all going swimmingly so far!

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  4. amazing inspiration from your trip. I'm looking forward to your coming quilts :)

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  5. When I did a lot of paper piecing (and therefore used a lot of white or beige tone on tone's for backgrounds) I always thought it looked cool to have multiple TOT's in the block - it saves you the stress of worrying about running out, but it also gives the block that little bit of extra dimension. I say ... design decision! :)

    With a son and a coming-soon baby to sew quilts for, there are certainly some To Do projects in your future - fun!!

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  6. so many great blocks Fiona!! i really like the floating star and havent seen hat one before. inspiration is everywhere!!!

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  7. I'm going to have to find a tutorial for the floating star. I love the contrast of the black and the acid yellow. I look forward to seeing something creative from the tiling photos too.

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  8. all the blocks work so well together, by now you will probably have them sewn together and quilted! Floating star bock is also a new one to me. How good to have a quilters group to go to and all work on the same block

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  9. I do so like your blocks - I think the floating star is my favourite. Looking forward to seeing more of your photos after this taster!

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  10. Lovely blocks, and great inspiration! So you too are going to be a Great Aunt !!!!! Hope it all goes well !

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  11. I'm actually looking forward to your holiday shots as it's a part of the world I'm interested in. Lovely blocks, i made some very similar to the top ones this weekend.

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  12. sounds like you had a lovely holiday :-) Love all those colourful blocks - it would make a really fun baby quilt!

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  13. lovely blocks, and I love how you find inspiration everywhere you go.

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  14. Love all your blocks together, whoever ends up receiving it will be very lucky!

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  15. You'll have no problems with the Mariners Compass, Fiona. That was the first foundation piecing I ever attempted and the first class I had ever attended. Love the colours in your log cabins and the quilt from your turn as Queen Bee is going to be stunning!!! Looking forward to seeing how you interpret your holiday inspiration into quilts.

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  16. Lovely as usual. If you go to Bonnie hunters site and look on her free patterns under smokey mountain stars you will find another lay out for the floating star block.

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  17. OOOoooOoo, I'm looking forward to seeing what quilty goods come out of your trip inspiration.

    I think your 'queen bee' quilt would make an awesome baby's quilt. It looks like Rachel's quilt will turn out very cool, too. And the log cabins look great.

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  18. Great projects going on here, and I enjoyed the inspiration too :-)

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