Sunday, September 25, 2011

Quilting along, and making bee blocks.

Across the Sea QAL quilt top

I have finished the quilt top for the Across the Sea QAL. The QAL quilt has 20 blocks and then a lovely border. I decided to add 10 blocks for a total of 30 blocks and skip the border. I think that the Kona Charcoal without a border with these very bright prints looks very modern and fresh.

Across the Sea QAL - quilt top done

Here it is on my floor. It was very hard to photograph this one today, the colour is truer in the shady part. I am going to try to get it sandwiched soon and start quilting it.

4 x 5 Modern Quilt Bee - Block for Christina, beehive 12

This block is for the 4 x 5 Modern Bee (people on flickr have already seen it but I did not get a chance to share it here yet). I have to make 6 blocks, one for each of my 5 bee mates and one for me, using everyone's colours and my own fabrics. I have been thinking of circles a lot lately and then when I saw Megan from Canoe Ridge Creations' tutorial, I decided to use and adapt it to make this block. I don't have a go cutter so I used Eliza's Backporch templates and then trimmed and sashed the block to get it all to work.

Design wall quilt - bits of blocks - what I did this weekend

Here is a work in progress shot. This wall quilt hangs right beside my sewing machine. You can see that it is turning into a design wall quilt. The three additional blocks still need sashing, and there are some bits from my colour palette hanging there too. I have two more blocks to make for this bee.

I was wondering, maybe I should do a video about how to sew these curves without pins or pain, maybe next weekend. Also, this block and the butterfly/flower is reminding me of the CBC logo. The CBC is Canada's national television/radio broadcasting corporation and we all grew up watching the CBC TV logo. The logo morphed into other variations on quarter circles so almost anything using pieced quarter circles reminds me of it too.

It has been busy at my work, and I am out of town a lot this coming week, so I am not sure there will be much more here till the weekend.

Enjoy your week.

Best,

Leanne


13 comments:

Joanna @ ShapeMoth said...

Amazing colours. Love your blog for all the links to QALs and inspirations (beside your quilts of course ;) ).

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts said...

Your blocks are lovely!

Poppyprint said...

Oh my gosh, you should totally make the CBC logo!!!! It would be so fun to make it colourful, instead of just red & white. The blocks are beautiful.

Sheila said...

I really like those bee blocks, what a super variation on a Drunkard's Path - I also like the drama of your ATS quilt and look forward to seeing how you will quilt it.

Judith, Belfast said...

Love your ATS quilt top - I think you're right, no border needed with that lucious grey. And I love those Modern Bee blocks. Even though curves are my nemesis I'd be tempted to try these, they look so beautiful. I especially like the aqua & orange ones. Don't work too hard! Jxo

Marg said...

I LOVE the bee blocks. What a great design. The ATS quilt looks superb, I agree it doesn't need a border, it's perfect as is.

Debbie said...

Oh, your Across the Sea top is fantastic! It is one of my favorites!! And I love your 4x5 block! I'd really like to try that sometime!! Very nice!

Manda said...

Love those bee blocks! And that quilt looks great with the bright colours against the dark!

Annabella said...

Your QAL top is looking wonderful but oh wow!! Those bee blocks are some of the most beautiful blocks I have ever seen. I`m off to check out your links!

Sarah said...

Your across the sea looks fabulous! Its nice to see one on a dark background, looks stunning :-)

Marci Girl said...

Oh yes, you should do a tutorial about how to sew those drunkard path blocks without pinning those arches! That would be great! Beautiful quilt and beautiful blocks!

Fiona @ Poppy Makes said...

I'm so late in commenting, but I had to tell you how much I love your Across the Sea quilt top! It's gorgeous! I've totally stalled on mine, and for some reason can't face doing the backing, but you're motivating me to get going again :)
Your Bee blocks are amazing too!

kate said...

Can you explain HOW you trimmed the blocks to modify? I *think* the white portions look smaller compared to the colored pies? but, I don't know for sure or how to do it, and want to!!!!!!!!!! I have lots of templates for DP - different sizes, and one or two are from Elisa
s
Thanks in advance,
KateLos@gmail.com