summery Bee Blocks
Today I spent an hour or so sewing some deliciously simple blocks for the Comfort circle of do. Good Stitches. Eva-Marie @ZusJeb, our queen bee this month, has asked for simple cross blocks in clear, summery colors.
Clear, summery colors aren’t my forte, but I did find some good candidates in my scrap drawers. You can always count on orange to make things feel fresh and summery.
So, that was quick! The main fabric pieces are cut (4) 3.5” x 6.5”, the cross pieces are (2) 1.5” x 3.5” and (2) 1.5” x 6.5”. Then you finish it off with a 1.5” square at center. If you’re looking for a quick and beginner-friendly scrap quilt, this may be just your ticket.
The only thing to watch out for is to create enough contrast between the cross fabrics and the center square. On my blue block, the center square disappears into the cross fabric, mainly because the cross fabric has a large-scale pattern, which obscures the patchwork itself. If I had used a much darker red for the center square, that would have showed up better. Actually, I’ll fix that before I send them. It’s so easy to make that change, after all.
This afternoon I will drop my blocks in the mail to join the others at Eva-Marie’s. Her photo above shows how far she’s gotten already with our quilting bee’s simple, scrappy, summery quilt. I think my blocks will play happily with the rest!
This month with do. Good Stitches our charity bee quilt block is the wonky star. That’s always fun! I have a whole scrap bin full of triangle scraps. Wonky stars are the ideal quilt block for using up triangle scraps. Each of the eight star points will use a triangle scrap.
Today I spent an hour or so sewing some deliciously simple blocks for the Comfort circle of do. Good Stitches. Eva-Marie @ZusJeb, our queen bee this month, has asked for simple cross blocks in clear, summery colors. Though such colors aren’t my forte, I did find some good candidates in my scrap drawers. You can always count on orange to make things feel fresh and summery.
The happy, sunny vibe of our this charity bee quilt is just perfect for this moment! After the most amazing, unusually warm weekend, it feels like everyone is smiling in The Netherlands.
I am a member of the European/Dutch circle of do. Good Stitches. We collaborate on charity quilts throughout the year and donate them to various good causes. Now we’re starting a new quilt again after the summer break. The assignment? Improv Floating Squares blocks, as inspired by the first score of The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters.
Our prompt this April comes from Eva-Maria @Zusjeb. We’re to make orange and blue blocks in any classic patchwork style. We should make one 12” finish block and a few smaller blocks in increments of 3”, 6” or 12”. Eva-Marie will puzzle the resulting blocks together to make a totally unique patchwork sampler.
Next month is my turn to lead the collaborative charity quilt for Comfort Circle of do. Good Stitches. A rainbow-blend Bear Tracks quilt is the project that I have chosen, inspired by the quilt I made for my book. Time to get things rolling with a few blocks!
Thanks to Comfort circle of do. Good Stitches, I am totally convinced that a flower-themed Disappearing Nine Patch quilt is a genius way to turn your random flower scraps into a pretty quilt a flash. Come see how it works!
Let’s take a little break from all things Wild Oranges, shall we? Since 2010 I’ve been an active member of do. Good Stitches, which is an online quilting bee that collaboratively makes quilts for charity. In the Comfort circle we’re making house blocks this month, inspired by this Kaffe Fasset book.
It can all feel a little chaotic, until you start sewing. Soon enough the tidy matched squares and pointy half square triangle blocks bring everything into focus. Ta da! These three butterflies are of the Super Scrappy variety. Aren’t they merry?
One thing I love about being part of a quilting bee is the way it utilizes my scraps. Each month I sew 2-3 blocks from a specific prompt solely from scrap fabrics. It feels amazing to be able to contribute in such an economical, convenient way.
Time for a Fair Isle update. With the help of the members of Comfort circle, do. Good Stitches, I’m sewing a child-sized Fair Isle quilt made up of Penny Sampler blocks. Only a few more blocks to go!
Hello friends! Guess what? January is my turn to lead the collaborative quilt for the local do. Good Stitches charity quilting bee. Yay! I’m adapting one of the Penny Sampler alternative quilt layouts for our group quilt. Come see!
Sometimes it’s hard to select fabrics when the parameters are so wide open. We were allowed to use any “fresh colors”, so I just let my scraps guide me. I started by choosing a few multi-colored scraps that I thought would be fun to us.
A finished quilt! Now off it goes to Wrap Them in Love, where I hope some special little one will enjoy imagining the stories behind these pages or creating her own in the clouds, as they drift by.
While the end of things is sad, it's also bright with possibility. What will come next? What goodness will fill this newly-created space? As it turns out, I have a few ideas...
Would you like to see my book collection? Hehe. Those are book blocks I'm collecting from my bee mates. In July it was my turn to lead the collaborative quilt for Love circle of do. Good Stitches.
It's time for another round up of lovely charity quilt finishes! do. Good Stitches is a modern online community that quilts for good. Find out how you can get involved...
I planned to puzzle together all the greens in a vibrant ode to spring! Green is spring and butterflies are such a spring joy. The idea felt perfect in April.
It's time for another round up of lovely charity quilt finishes! do. Good Stitches is a modern online community that quilts for good.
a new quilty adventure