Scrap-bee quilt update

Hello everyone!  I was so lucky this week, I received more blocks from the Scrap-Bee players.  Not only is it fun to receive these blocks in the mail, I enjoy seeing what fabric everyone used.  I received a block with a patch of sock monkey fabric...it made me laugh out loud!

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances




Here are some of the blocks I received this week.  These are from Glen.



Sandra



Melinda

 

San-Dee (see the sock monkey on the pogo stick?  Love it!)



Jorie

 

All the blocks up on my design wall - Option 1 (which is my favourite)



And Option 2.  I still have a few more blocks to receive and then I can get started putting this together.



A little work done this week

Hello Everyone!  Not much happened in the way of quilting this week, but did manage to add a little more to my breakup quilt.  I'm heading out of town this weekend, a welcome respite from the daily grind, and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter.


Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



Work-in-progress, trying out spikes and scrappy squares.




My photography leaves much to be desired.  altghough this is meant to use dull/flat colours, the spikes do show up when you see the quilt in person.  I've used burgundy, brown, dark green, medium grey and a red print for the spikes. I'm not sure if I just need better lighting, a better camera or perhaps a photography class! :-) 
Time for the next round..




A wider border is needed now, but don't have much of that purple-grey fabric left.  Time to hit the stash and see what I can find.



fabric folding

Hello everyone!  I've been doing a little fabric folding, thanks to my most recent book purchase, Rebecca Wat's aply named 'Fabric Folding.'  It was a great deal of fun and not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be.  I also indulged in fabric folding of a different sort as I finally managed to get my fabric stash organized.  Everything is neatly folded and stored on one shelf, which means I don't have nearly as much fabric as I had orginally thought!  :-)

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



I really liked the flowers shown on the book's cover and thought I'd give them a try.




My fabric choices, I used a 6 inch batik square for each flower.  Once folded they measured 3 inches with seam allowance.

 

This is the only photo I thought to take...this is after the first few folds are done, just before the fabric ends up looking like this...

 

All done, pretty impressive I think.



Another example of fabric folding, displayed at my LQS.



Here's my whole stash, looking very organized and well, not all that big really.  I really do think a shop hop is in order!



Stitch'n Bitch

Hello everyone!  Last Thursday a few of us gathered together to do a little stitchin' and a little bitchin'.  We also celebrated two birthdays as well even though I'm the one who wound up with a present!

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



The birthday cake for the "kids".




It had little chocolate hedgehogs on it.




Birthday girl #1





and Birthday Girl #2.




Blowing out the candles.




The present I received...we got a good laugh over this.



More blocks for my red and white goddess quilt

Hello everyone!  I received more goodies in the mail this week, with LeeAnn and Alexis's blocks arriving on Friday.  What a great way to end the week.

Now I can begin to play and see how I want this quilt to take shape.

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



Three blocks from Alexis and a treat for me, some fabulous red circle fabric.

 

LeeAnn sent four blocks and a great card.



Here's one possible layout for the quilt.

 

Part of the fun of the quilting bee is getting to see all the different fabric people use.



The Breakup Quilt

Hello everyone!  As some of you may know, my husband and I are now separated.  Yup, it's a crappy time in my life right now, but what can you do, life happens.  A few weeks ago, I found some fabric that really spoke to me...namely my skull and crossbone and black chain fabric.  Both of these fabrics are out of my comfort zone and not the sort of things I'm usually drawn to, but right now, they are perfect for me.  I've made mourning quilts and joyful quilts and quilts for babies and just because quilts and everything in between, so I thought why not channel all the emotions I'm feeling into a breakup quilt?  I'm not following a pattern, I'm just doing whatever feels right...an intuitive quilt I guess.  The colours are dull, the symbolism is pretty obvious, nothing subtle here, but that's fine...I've never claimed to be an artist, so this isn't art by any means, I'm just doing what feels right and seeing where it takes me.

Mary-Frances



I made this block a few days ago and it's been sitting on my floor, waiting for the next step in the process.




Time to make the first cut.



Four triangles ready to go...

 

Auditioning grey fabric to tie the pieces together...I like this, but it's perhaps too busy...I'm looking for something dull.




This one is better, it has a very subtle pattern that I prefer even though the colour is a little lighter than I wanted.



Time to make some random cuts in each triangle.



More auditions...love the orange, but again, not the right place for this, need something darker, more sombre.

 

Ok, I like this greyish purple.

 

Start sewing the pieces together randomly without worrying about placement or width of the fabric.



Triangles are done and ready to put together.



Done and ready to be trimmed down.



What began as a 12 x 12 inch block is now an 10.5 x 11 inch block.

 

First border around it.  It's on my design wall now and I'm mulling over what needs to be done next.  I'm not sure if I want this to become a centre medallion in my quilt or if I want to make a number of different blocks and then tie them together with one fabric...mmmh, decisions, decisions.



Design wall and more bee blocks

Hello everyone!  I did a little rearranging in my sewing room, moved my old Singer sewing machine and computer desk and now have a design wall.  What a difference it makes to be able to sit at my sewing machine and view my blocks across the room.  I don't have to leave the blocks in a pile then place them on the floor every now and again in order to see how the quilt is coming along.  I know many quilters use batting on their walls but I bought a vinyl tablecloth and am using the flannel backing as my design wall.  Works just fine so far!

I also received two more blocks for my red and white "Goddess" quilt - thanks BeeBee!

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



My Singer in its new home - tucked in against the wall.



Moved some of my shelves down to make room for the sewing machine...I still have to get my fabric organized, maybe next week sometime.




My new design wall - finally!



Two more blocks for my red and white quilt.



The work in progress.



The piece of selvage that inspired the name for the quilt.  We should all have goddess quilts I think.



Goodies in the mail

Hello everyone!  Look at the lovely things that arrived in the post this week.  My first bee blocks arrived all the way from New York City, from Victoria and BumbleBeans.  Just what I needed to cheer me up.  Thanks V!

And, I also received two cards from my daughter who is currently studying at Birmingham.  Early Mother's Day and birthday cards.  They didn't take long to arrive, as a matter of fact they only took three weeks to get here...not bad at all.

Oh yes, there's more.  I also received three books I ordered from Chapters on-line.  What a nice change from the usual bills and flyers!

Enjoy!
Mary-Frances



Victoria's bee blocks

 

All my blocks so far.  Will have to get my design wall ready so  I figure out how I want this quilt to take shape!

 

Can't wait to take a look at these fabulous books.

 

Nice surprise from my daughter - email is great, but I must say there's nothing like getting a letter or card in the mail.