BEE INSPIRED 2019

This is our third year in Bee Inspired but we are shaking things up in 2019 and running activities rather than bees. This will work out better for some of us who have other commitments that take priority over bee blocks.

We’re going to be sewing charity quilt blocks, making a mini sampler and running a couple of challenges. If you fancy playing along we’d be glad to have you. Here’s a garishly coloured schedule. Follow the blog for tutorials and details of the challenges.

SCHEDULE

What does a six block sampler look like? These are a few doodles I’ve put together (in Word which explains the standard shapes). The houses are any 3 extra blocks of your choosing. We’ve decided to use 6 inch blocks and a modern-traditional theme.

You’ll be able to contact the charity quilt queens if you want to contribute to their quilts simply by commenting on the blog.

If you want us to show your blocks or challenge quilts leave us a comment on the relevant tutorial post and we’ll be in touch for the photos.

 

Twice the fun!

This month is double queen month in Bee Inspired so twice the fun!

I’m starting with the house blocks for Janice, one made on behalf of Kate. The first one was simple. I made life more difficult for myself by choosing the directional terrarium print for the second and it would have been even more difficult if I’d attempted to match the print but I didn’t even think about it and I have zero experience in that anyway.

And finally the log cabin for Irene. I’m hoping I used the right fabrics for this.

 

July Tutorial – 10-inch Toadstools

Yep, July already! Well here anyway. This month we’re making a toadstool quilt for my great-niece Tilly, a term that makes me sound like I’m 150 😊. Velda and Emily have made me these blocks for Stash Bee already, where it was popular with my hive mates and a couple of you expressed that you would have liked it to be our bee block too so I’m here to please! I’ve changed my original plan and I’m now going to be making a larger quilt. Hope you enjoy it!

The block has been tweaked – up scaled, turned into a square, simplified slightly, and the tiny HST units have been removed (you’re welcome) – from this block by I am LunaSol. It turns out that it now looks very similar to this block by Patty Sloniger. When I couldn’t find the pattern in her shop I checked with her and she has given her consent to me using it so long as I acknowledge that she came up with it first. I’m more than happy with that!

FOR FABRIC CHOICES I would prefer a red and white print for the toadstool tops if you have it or black and white if you don’t, low volume prints on white or off white for the background, a mid to dark grey print, blender or solid for the stem and a pale grey print, blender or solid for the gills. Since Tilly is coming up to her third birthday feel free to add prints with some novelty value.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

From the red print

Cut one rectangle 5 ½” x 10 ½”

Cut two 1 ½” squares

From the pale grey

Cut one 1 ½” x 10 ½” rectangle

From the darker grey

Cut one rectangle 4 ½” x 3”

From the low volume

Cut two rectangles 4 ½” x 4 ¼”

Cut two 3 ½” squares

SEWING IT TOGETHER

Mark the diagonals on the two low volume squares and the two red print squares

Line the low volume squares up in the corner of the red print rectangle so the line cuts across the corner, and the same for the red print squares on the pale grey print rectangle. Stitch along the marked line. Trim and press.

Stitch the two low volume rectangles to either side of the darker grey rectangle.

Stitch the three sections together to form a toadstool.

And we’re done!

POSTING TIPS

Please also add an airmail sticker or write it on the envelope to avoid the two month delivery time.

I know you guys will do a stunning job and I can’t wait to see them!

June block for Jen

When Jen asked for a block of our choice for this month I knew exactly what I was going to make because when I posted my Stash Bee Geese Trails block from Piece and Press block for March queen (also) Jen (@jentexas) on Instagram (see it here) she said it was on her list of makes. I know how long my own list is and how frequently it gets updated so here it is – a tertiary coloured Circle of Geese. I used a different pattern this time around, the Circle of Geese from Piece by Number, and increased the size by 125% so that it turns out at 16” finished. I wasn’t intentionally going to place the geese in rainbow order and that’s just as well because somehow the plan I did have went awry anyway. Hope you like it Jen!

 

 

Made With Lerv

The most important ingredient in a good cake is chocolate love and that’s what I’ve put in my cake for Velda. This cake was going to be raspberry like Emily’s but maybe I can call it red velvet with a chocolate Smarties frosting.

Thanks for the excuse to buy Smarties and happy spring Velda!

Shamrocks for Jennifer

I’ve been trying to keep count of how many more shamrocks we need to make without much success. I’ve made two – hope you like them Jennifer!

Ispy for Paige

Here’s my Ispy blocks for Paige. Hope you like them! Now for the shamrocks…

Blocks for Janice

Here we are Janice, my two blocks for this month are done! I really enjoyed everything about these blocks from fabric selection to construction.

I’m not sure which is my favourite – hope you like them both!

Inside Addition Quilt Top Finished!

Hi everyone!

I’m just getting a blog post ready for this quilt top and I couldn’t resist giving you guys an early look at this. Thanks so much for your contributions – it turned out great!