Saturday Lists, Stash, & 150 Canadian Women

The Day of Big Lists 

and Why You Should Have One

More than any other time of year, this is the Craziest (with a capital "C") for most of us. There would be no other opportune moment for me to plug the value of making lists than today, one week before Christmas and Hanukkah. My current lists are:

Santa's List

Shopping

Home and Holiday Budgets

Calendars: His, Hers, Theirs, Yours

Menus

Travel Itineraries

Studio Work/ Holiday Sewing

Mini Round Robin: Round 3

Our Round Robin Continues

This project among friends has given me a chance to to work out of my comfort zone--something I encourage everyone to do. It's a little intimidating receiving a block where you truly believe you will have a hard time following the person who pieced just before you. It's caused me to do some research into Round Robins, and I'll share what I've learned today.

But first, this is my block for the month started by Sandra of mmm! quilts, who began with the house motif, white background, and batik stripes. Tish of Tish's Adventures in Wonderland add the spinning stars border, and three cheers to her for accurate piecing because I had to sew against all those star points. She's good! (Cindy of Stichin At Home is the fourth participant, but she will be adding the last round to this block.)

My Bee Hive Block Collection from May

Chainlink: A block from the Bee Hive

at Blossom Heart Quilts

May was my month to be the queen bee for my bee hive. I have written before about my brand new experience of joining a bee where blocks are exchanged each month. Twelve participants each have a month, take their turn at determining which block they would like made for them, the colors, and some other determining factors.

Mini Round Robin Round #2

Tish's Beautiful Block!

This is round #2 of our 2016 Round Robin with Sandra of mmm! Quilts, Cindy of Stitchin At Home, myself, and the original creator of this block center, Tish of Tish's Adventures in Wonderland. 

2016 Mini Round Robin

      

Friends, my bucket list has gotten a real workout this year. Yet another adventure begins today as I join a few friends in both the U.S. and Canada for a Round Robin. This idea started as a block swap, turned into a Mini Round Robin, and then I had to ask, "What's THAT?"

Bee Hive Blocks & My Month Arrives

Tic Tac Toe Block

April's block was the Tic Tac Toe, and the Queen Bee requested an orange center with blue or turquoise corners. I think this is going to make a beautiful quilt from the pictures I've seen so far. 

Improv Art Quilt Progress

I thought I should show you some progress after a design wall stall. I jumped ship on this project to work on the Naked Ladies quilt, but I'm back. 

This particular project has taken a lot of my time just standing and staring. Rarely have I ever made anything like this, and it has taken a while to adjust to. First was the color, width, and variety of the strips. 

Hazel and Hank Hedgehogs

Hazel the Hedgehog
Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman
"Fabrics and Fibs" print by Anna Marie Horner

'Hank the Hedgehog'
So named because I'm partial to the name Hank, and 
this was meant for a little boy.
Print fabric by Birch Organic

New Quilt Blocks and Weekly Plan

Groovy Solids

Do you remember this Sesame Street song?

"One of these things is not like the other,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell me which thing is not like the others
Before I finish this song?"

Pressing Perfect Edges with Aluminum Foil

Did you ever find something so simple 
you were almost silly about it?

Oh, to Be In a Bee Hive! A Quilty One!

Wanta Fanta Block requested by the March Queen

For nearly a year, I listened to friends and bloggers drone on about their Bees and Bee Blocks. Some were part of local quilt bees where the whole group made one block in a selected palette, brought them in to a meeting, and they would draw lots for the blocks. 

Others, like my friend, Beth, from Cooking Up Quilts, were part of online virtual bees. Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts hosts Bee Hive Swarms on her site by organizing those quilters who sign up, and she also hosts the tutorials for 25 blocks ideal for any bee.

For those who are unfamiliar, let me give you a quick lay of the land. The Hive I'm in consists of 12 people with one of them acting as the overall organizer. Each person has the chance to be Queen one month, and choose a block from those posted on Blossom Heart's site. She or he may request certain colors or style of prints for various parts of the block, and each of the members of the hive do their best to please the reigning Queen. By the end of the month, all blocks are expected to be in the mail. 

Often the blocks are mailed with other goodies or such, but it's not a requirement. I have to honestly admit I'm lucky to have gotten the past two blocks out on time so there were no extras. I'm trying very hard to do better and prioritize.

The Quatrefoil Block done for last month's Queen.

My friend, Irene, asked me what drew me to do this. There were two reasons. One, I wanted to meet other quilters, and spend some time getting to know them. Not all Hive members are bloggers, and I wouldn't have met them otherwise. Two, I wanted to stretch myself with trying new blocks. Don't let the simplicity of some of these fool you! The top block, Wanta Fanta, has paper pieced X's, and you should have heard me groaning. But guess what? They came out beautifully, even though that's not my first love. The instructions were spot on, and I experienced success. I grew as a quilter today.

Bee Hive sign ups usually happen the last few months of the year so if you're interested be on the watch. You could also organize your own hive with local quilting friends, or with online friends. Nothing says you have to start in January. You could do a summer block swap with just a handful of friends and each wind up with a throw for fall. Just an idea I might be throwing around myself.

Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's run this to the mailbox.

 

Linking up with~
Midweek Makers
Building Block Tuesday
Fiber Tuesday
Stitch All the Things
Quilt Story
Freemotion by the River
Blossom Heart Quilts

January Bee Blocks

Checker Block

Last year I watched as many fellow bloggers here in QBL talked up the blocks they were making for their Hive. Hives are online quilting bees where members take turns each month as the Queen Bee, directing the others to make the block she or he has selected. As each quilter finishes the block, they are mailed off to the Queen, and she then assembles them into her quilt. You can see why these are called hives, can't you?

The Farmer's Wife 1930s: Week 9: Blocks 2, 39, 46, 57, 62, 76, 79, 80, 90,

#90 Sara

Early this month I fell behind in my blocks for the 1930's Farmer's Wife. All it takes is one good cold, and everything goes on the back burner. If you remember, I cut out two blocks with the wrong size template, and had sewn one together without realizing it was a 4" block! 6.5" are small enough, but geez! All that work gone to waste.

Uppsala Stars Pattern & Christmas In My Heart Day# 5

Uppsala Stars

SALE! 8/17/2020-8/21/2020

Contact me directly to purchase.

julie@pinkdoxies.com

Without further ado, allow me to present 'Uppsala Stars'. Just short of a drum roll and some tap dancing, here it is! Months of planning, and weeks of writing--I feel like I've given birth again.

Christmas In My Heart #3 & Giveaways

How FUN is this traditional block done up in 
Cotton+Steel prints?

I'm meeting myself coming and going this week! Every spare minute is spent writing or quilting, and sometimes both at the same time. It's all good, and very exciting, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm going to make my deadlines. My day to post for Christmas In My Heart is Wednesday, and is also the lauch for Uppsala Stars. 

The Farmer's Wife 1930s: Week 6: Blocks 1,57: & Christmas in My Heart Blog Hop with Giveaways

Addie, #1

This week we got a bonus block to finish. Three instead of two, and a Bingo game to link up to. Angie at Gnome Angel picked 5 of the blocks sewn so far to creat a Bingo game. Snap your photo, link it up, and you're entered. I'm a suck for games and gimmicks. Why does a link up make it more fun?

The Farmer's Wife 1930s: Week 5: Blocks 41, 45

Jenny #45

I've begun to really look forward to my Sunday sewing. I try to take the day a little easier, and enjoy the time I work on my Farmer's Wife blocks. Maybe in part because I love the fabric, but also because they frequently put my skills to the test. This week I printed off the templates, and cut all the pieces of both blocks from paper templates. 

1930's Farmer's Wife: Week 4: Blocks 49, 78, 94,

#78 Old Maid

I've settled into a routine of making my Farmer's Wife blocks on Sunday. I have my spare sewing machine at the house, and I like being able to spend time with the family when they're all home. The only downside of sewing at the kitchen table is having snacks nearby.

The Farmer's Wife 1930s: Week 3: Blocks 13, 24

Belle

Week 3 of 1930's Farmer's Wife Sew-along is over, and I barely slid in on (my imposed) schedule by sewing 2 blocks Sunday afternoon. Belle, #13, and Coral, #24 were Week 3 blocks, and we encountered our first Y seam block with Belle. I was super excited, and I know a few of you are cringing, but I like Y seam sewing. No, not all the time or every seam, but it's a little bit of a challenge, and that makes things more interesting. I like to have to work at it a bit. 

Eye Spy #01: Four Patch & Cross/Plus Blocks

Cross Block

There is something organic that draws modern and traditional quilters alike to the simple cross block. Beginners are attracted because they see a block made entirely of straight seams, and advanced sewists because they know it also has great graphic impact. Craftsy has an article HERE on cross block patterns and variations. There are both free downloads, and others for purchase. Pinterest has many excellent boards, but here is one in particular I follow: PLUS/CROSS QUILTS