Modern Instabee - July

This Modern Instabee has been so much fun.

We follow each other on Instagram, and see everyone's blocks each month.

I love the book too, I highly recommend it!

This month, Patrina requested the Triple Star block.

It has been the most popular block so far.

Everyone has chosen it, except for two people.

Often, we fussy cut the center block but I think that Denyse Schmidt's fabric doesn't lend itself to that, so I chose a simple black dot.

Patrina wanted saturated colors, no reds, pinks or yellows.

One of her favorite designers is Denyse S., so I went with that.

I hope she likes the rust and black colors together.

I will gladly make another block if these aren't the colors she had in mind.

Patrina also wanted a signature block, so here it is.

I'll add a goodie or two and the block will be ready to put in the mail today :)

Modern Instabee 2014, June

I've posted about this before, but I belong to Hive 11 of the Modern Instabee.
I found out about the group on Instagram.

There are 13 quilts or quilt blocks in this book.

There are 12 members in the hive.

Each member chooses a month, mine is October.

You tell the hive which block you want and what colors.

Sometimes one of the members will send us a square to use for the center of the triple star block.

The triple star block has been the most popular so far.

This hive member wanted her block in orange, yellow and a mossy green.

I made the block a little differently this time, I hope she likes it :)

Usually, you rotate the colors.

I made each layer of points the same color.

The finished block, the triple star.

Modern Instabee 2014 (May)

Another month, another block!

I was worried that I wouldn't have May's block done in time, but I'll mail it  today and will just make the deadline :)

Christen wanted the "triple star" block, in pink, aqua and yellow, with the background black and white, or grey and white low volume prints.

I chose really bright colors for the block, so I thought the grey "crossword puzzle" fabric would work well for the background.

I fussy cut a pretty pink flower for the center of the block.

This block is easy to sew, and it's really easy to square up because it is much larger to begin with.

My points are perfect!

A treat after I butchered the friendship stars on my mini medallion! 

Here's the first star.

Now there are two stars.

The triple star quilt block, I hope Christen likes it :)

It would be nice to have different shades of each color for variation in her quilt.

I really love the background in this block!

I never heard from Karen, I sent her the "Painter's Palette" block over a month ago, you can read about it here.
I emailed her to see if she received it and she hadn't!
Oh great, back to the drawing board.

I like the look of the colored squares with their background corners, they look like little crosses.

Luckily, it was a really fast and easy block to sew.

The colors are arranged in a different order, and I think I like this block better than the original one!

You can look on Instagram for photos of everyone else's quilt blocks. 

#moderninstabee2014

#moderninstabee2014hive11

#moderninstabeehive11

Have a great weekend :)

Modern Instabee 2014 (April)

I've told you before that I joined the 2014 Modern Instabee.

Our group is hive 11, there are a lot of quilters participating.

This is the book that we are choosing our blocks from.

It's a great book, I would recommend it to anyone.

There are 13 blocks, and they are in 3 different categories.

Beginner blocks, confident blocks, and intermediate blocks.

The quilter who chose the month of April, also chose the Painter's Palette, a beginner block. 

She wanted solid colors only, with a white background.

I don't have very much of a selection in solid colors, but luckily I had some that went well together, in a rainbow assortment.

I think the block turned out really well :)

Won't it make a cute quilt to have these blocks with many different colors?

I searched the internet to find a finished quilt using the "painter's palette" block and couldn't find one.

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished quilt, I think it will be very original.

It was a great block to sew, very easy and quick!

 

If you're interested in seeing more of these finished blocks or any other from Hive 11, go to Instagram and look up #moderninstabeehive11.

If you want to see all of the hives, look up #moderninstabee2014.

Have a great weekend!

Modern Instabee 2014 (March)

I wrote about the Modern Bee I joined, last Monday.

Nancy chose the Triple Star block for March.

She wanted 2 complimentary colors and a white background.

She preferred pinks, yellows and greens.

She wanted us to use a little bumblebee from Heather Ross's Briar Rose line of fabric.

Nancy sent me a piece, enough so I could use some on one of the stars.

I chose the rest of the fabrics to compliment the little bee, in pinks and yellows.

Isn't she adorable with her little kerchief and apron?

This is the second layer of the star.  

The third layer...

I love the triple star block!  

It was great fun choosing the prints :)

Go to Instagram and look up #moderninstabee2014 and #moderninstabeehive11 for more photos.

Modern Instabee 2014 (February)

A great advantage to following quilters on Instagram, is that you are made aware of online sewing bees :)

I joined this one called Modern Instabee.

I belong to Hive 11. 

You have to buy this book to participate, but I love the book so that wasn't a problem.

You can watch a short video about the book here.

If you want to see the blocks all the hives are creating for the bee, go to Instagram and look for #moderninstabee2014 and #moderninstabeehive11.
If you are interested in joining, follow Lindsaysews (Lindsay Conner), she is the author of the book and the queen bee :)

Each of the quilters involved in the bee chooses a month,

mine's October :)

You then choose the block you would like the other quilters in your hive to make for you.

You tell them what colors, or send them fabric to make it if you are very particular.

February's block was the Stacked Windmills block, for Sarah.

You can display a photo of the fabrics you are going to use in the block and have them approved first, if you want to.

It's not necessary though.

Look at this different method of making half square triangles.

Sew around two pieces of fabric, using a l/4" S/A.

Then you cut 2 lines diagonally with your rotary cutter.

Then you simply press the half square triangles open.

It's amazing all the techniques there are in quilting!

We're not quite finished.....each square needs to be squared up.

Look at all the trimmings!

Make sure all of your half square triangles are all in the right order.

Sarah requested bright spring colors such as orange, blue, green, yellow, red and a hint of pink.

We could only choose 4 prints for this block, with a white background.

Here is the completed block, I think it looks really pretty!
The stacked windmill blocks look really different when they are placed side by side in a quilt.
I'm thinking about choosing this block for my month :)