Saturday, August 16, 2014

Bee Blocks - August

As for the Stash Bee, Sarah Nunes, who blogs over at Berry Barn Designs, asked for a red, low-volume white, and blue half square triangle block for this month's Stash Bee Hive #3 block. It's still in four pieces because she wants to scatter all the members blocks for more evenly dispersed scrappiness. You can check out the other blocks created for the Stash Bee on Flickr.


I have joined a new bee formed from participants in the New Quilt Blogger's Hop at Plum and June.

Plum and June

Lin March over at Lin's Quilts is our queen this month. She requested 9" nine-patch blocks using white and brights.


Cath Hall, author of Wombat Quilts, asked for Arkansas Traveler blocks for this month's Hope Circle of Do. Good Stitches block. Lee, over at Freshly Pieced, gave a free pattern for this block as part of her Summer Sampler Series, which has a Flickr group.


I had been wanting to make this block for a while; it's so beautiful. Honestly, I think I've got that ambition fully out of my system. The instructions were clear, but the creation of these blocks requires many steps and a decent time investment. There are several opportunities within the process for things to go awry if you aren't careful. Many seams come together in the center of the block. I'm not certain of the best way to coerce this intersection to lay flat, but I suspect it involves a mallet and some extreme force. Cath's color choices were yellow, orange, and gold with a light gray, scrappy background. View more Hope Circle blocks on Flickr, if you so desire.



I'm off to the post office.
Update: Cath finished her quilt. Check it out!

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13 comments:

  1. You've been a busy bee this month! ; ) Love the blocks, Afton, and I can't even imagine the center point seams on that Arkansas Traveler block - yikes!

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    1. Yes, I'm hoping to get ahead of the game this month, so my bee buddies won't have to wait in anticipation too long. "Yikes!" is right about the Arkansas Traveler block, but it sure is pretty.

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  2. Wow, lots of bee blocks! I definitely get intimidated by thinking multiple fabric seams at the center of certain kinds of blocks and just tend to enjoy their beauty when done by someone else. Every so often I still make a block that has quite a few seam intersections at once, and I always wonder how quilting it will go (hint: skipped stitches and broken needles seem to be a commonality). It just impresses me that much more when I see one really well done and beautifully finished!

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    1. I think the best quilting approach for this type of situation might be to avoid the intersection, or else...the skipped stitches and broken needles you speak of.

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  3. Those Arkansas blocks are fabulous - lots of work but worth it.

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    1. I agree, at least in my instance. I think I'll abstain from making an entire quilt of Arkansas Traveler blocks, in spite of the loveliness.

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  4. Your Arkansas Traveler is so wonderful! Get out that mallet and give it a whack! LOL. Maybe if you press the seams in a spiral where they meet up in the center? It looks perfectly beautiful to me!

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    1. Harbor Freight Tools, here I come! Just kidding. I'm afraid the paper-piecing involved inhibits spiral pressing, but I'm thinking this may be the secret to success in many cases of points coming together. Thank you for visiting!

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  5. Your blocks look great, and I love the mallet comment, I've felt that way about blocks before.

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    1. Thank you! I appreciate you dropping by Quilting Mod.

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  6. Your blocks are looking great. The Arkansas Traveler block is amazing but I'd be very daunted about attempting one :)

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    1. Thank you. I'm glad I gave Arkansas Traveler a try, but I have no intentions of making an entire top composed of this block, regardless of it's splendor.

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  7. Great comment about the mallet. I'm sure we've all been there! I really like your Arkansas Traveler blocks. Very pretty, especially with such bright flame-like colors! Kudos for giving it a go! I have been maintaining the mindset that paper piecing looks very nice... in other people's quilts. ;) Nice work all around!

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