4x5 Modern Bee Archives

June 23, 2014

Bee Blocks – Received!

It is always fun to receive bee blocks! I try to do the 4×5 Modern Bee quarterly, which is nice because it has instant gratification as far as bees go. You send your blocks and receive your blocks at the same time. This spring I was in hive 3, and was fortunate to receive the following blocks to add to my Real World Red & White Sampler:

1. Dawn, 2. Christina (illy23), 3. Brandy (Jade Rose), 4. Sarah (Coincidentally Quilting), 5. Cinda (Sewbusy64), 6. My Double Pinwheel

I am also part of the Stash Bee, which is a more traditional monthly bee where you send away a block each month, and then have to wait until your month to get all your blocks in return. When it’s your month though – it’s magical! Everyday going to the mailbox felt like my birthday.

Hive 12 did an amazing job on my blocks. I requested that they do my Square Dance block using my paper piecing tutorial in gray and shades of aqua. As you can see below, they did beautiful work.

Thank you to the ladies of Hive 12: Heather (Quilts in the Queue), Cheryl (Texas Quilting Gal), Jennifer (Taken Patiently), Michele, Kristel (Work in Progress Girl), Laura (Sew Frou Frou Quilter), Toni (Gypsygirl Wanderlust), Genevieve, Francis (Quilts n Stuff), and Willa.

-Heather

Linking up to:

Anything Goes Monday, Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Ft. Worth Fabric, and Sewjo Saturday at My Go-Go Life.

May 26, 2014May 31, 2014

Spring 2014 4×5 Modern Bee

I chose to make the Double Pinwheel Block from McCalls.

I think it’s a fun block, that isn’t seen very much around the inter webs right now. It’s one of those classic blocks that can be modernized with fabric choices. The only downside of the block is using the construction directions from McCalls there are a gazillion bias edges. All you can do is starch like crazy and hope for the best.

Sarah requested aqua, lime, cobalt, and grey on a text or low volume background.

Christina requested sea foam green, pale turquoise, pale gold, champagne, pearl white, and kona white background.

Cinda requested aqua/turquoise, orange, yellow, and grey with a white or low volume background.

Dawn requested red, turquoise, aqua and pink with a white background.

Brandy requested purple and aqua with grey or low volume background.

I continued with my real world red and white theme.

– Heather

Linking to: Anything Goes Monday, WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Ft. Worth Fabric, and Sewjo Saturday at My Go-Go Life.

March 19, 2014May 29, 2014

Winter 2014 4×5 Modern Quilt Bee

I finished up the winter round of the 4×5 modern bee, with wonderful results! I also have the final version of all of the blocks I made complete.

First up, the blocks I received. I was in Hive 4, and I think everyone really did a good job making some awesome blocks!

1. Philippa.G (Philippa), 2. JodiB63 (Jodi), 3. Mine, 4. Sew2879 (Kendra), 5. Hambone and Jennicakes (Jennifer), 6. mtclifford2012 (Maureen)

The blocks I sent are below. I used the January 2013 Lucky Stars BOM pattern from Don’t Call Me Betsy.

I’m linking up to the 30/30 Challenge, even though it’s kind of a stretch. I have been sewing, but between a terrible virus working its way through my household and a few dark and dreary days I have no pictures to show for it. Hopefully it will get nicer this week, and I can show my real progress.

1. COMPLETE: Two blocks for my “Real World Red & White” Sampler.

2. A shirt for me. I’ve been wanting to make my own clothes for awhile, so why not start?

3. Get ready for spring! I need at least one pair of shorts for my daughter, preferable more.

4. COMPLETE: Acknowledge that spring is not here yet, therefore make a couple pairs of pants for my daughter.

5. Complete the March Stash Bee block – that’s not a real goal, more of a must finish, but I think it still counts (and makes this list a little less clothing heavy).

Also linking to Anything Goes Monday, Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced, and Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts.

March 1, 2014May 29, 2014

Winter 2014 4×5 Modern Quilt Bee & Fresh Sewing Day

I decided to sign up for the Winter 2014 4×5 Modern Quilt Bee this round. I chose the January 2013 paper pieced block from the 2013 Lucky Stars BOM. This is also what I spent most of February doing, thus most of my entry to Fresh Sewing Day!

My color scheme is red and tan, with some brown. It’s adjusted some as I make more blocks for this sampler quilt. I decided it’s best described as a real life red and white quilt. I love red and white quilts, but it’s just not realistic for everyday use with a daughter and a dog. So, by adding tan and brown, I think it’s more realistic for everyday use in my life.

Philippa asked for aqua/teal, pink/purple, grey and a touch of mustard with a white/grey/black low volume background.

Kendra asked for any shade of blue with a white background.

Maureen asked for blues and greens, “ocean” colors, with a white background.

Jodi asked for rainbow blocks with any kind of a neutral text print background.

Jennifer asked for pink, yellow, grey with a white, light grey, or low volume background.

Also, in case you were wondering what the papers from 5 paper pieced blocks looks like, see below!

I also made another block for my “Real World Red & White” quilt sampler. This one is the February 2013 block from the Lucky Stars BOM club. I’m caught up – just a year later than planned 🙂 I’m enjoying where this quilt is headed though. I still hope to finish 2-3 blocks a month to keep on track to finish this by the fall.

Since my contribution to this bee is finished, I’m linking up to Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts and TGIFF. It also counts as my WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced for the week, Anything Goes Monday, Paper Piecing Party @ Quiet Play, and Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts.

February 3, 2014May 29, 2014

Fresh Sewing Day – January Summary

January flew by! I can’t believe it’s already time to do a summary for Fresh Sewing Day and the Small Blog Meet. For those coming from the Small Blog Meet, I am a quilter that loves to piece and quilt, and sew clothes for my 1 year old daughter. Welcome, and please check out the other projects on my blog.

I joined two bees so far this year. I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s a lot of fun to do colors and blocks that I wouldn’t have thought of myself.

For the Stash Bee, I made this red and yellow block for Heather from Quilts in the Queue.

I made my test block for the 4×5 Modern Bee.

I also participated in Kids Clothes Week. Part 1 of my week can be found here. The pants were really the highlight of the week. I finished up the week by turning the Oliver and S Hopscotch Knit top into a onesie. The completed outfit is shown below.

She kept pulling on the neck, I think because it is much stretchier than the onesies she normally wears.

O+S Hopscotch knit onesie and Sandbox Pants

It’s such a soft knit, I kind of wish it was for me. However, I only had 1/2 a yard, so I managed to get a 12-18 month onesie and thought I was doing good.