NYC Metro Modern Quilters Guild: Quilting Bee

Showing posts with label Quilting Bee. Show all posts

Saturday, April 19, 2014

A look back....

I absolutely LOVE being in this quilting bee. It's amazing to have the opportunity to connect with such talented and creative quilters. Here's a look back at this past year's blocks:

May 2013 through October 2013

November 2013 through April 2014

Dutch Rose

These are the blocks from my queen month. I really like the look of the vintage sheets.

I'm looking forward to putting these incredible blocks together soon.

If you would like to see more, I have pictures of every block I've made for this bee (going back to the beginning) in this album.

Now, I'm looking forward to the next year!

Friday, September 30, 2011

October Bee Block: Monkeying Around

After a very busy summer, October snuck up on me. When we started the bee, I was planning and plotting and browsing fabric, but then life caught up with me, and I still didn't have a concrete plan. I looked at my stash, saw all the solids, and saw the traditional sampler quilt I was working on that's made up of all green solids, and I realized I wanted to combine these ideas.

Based on a piece by the amazing Sherri Lynn Wood of daintytime.net, I'd like you guys to help me make a loose and free quilt made up of blocks that are an improvisation of the Monkey Wrench, or Hole in the Barn Door, or Churn Dash (anything else?) quilt block.

I'm going to provide you with a selection of solid pieces, and if you'd like to or need to add some of your own fabric, please feel free to add anything--solids, patterns, textures, any fabric content, whatever.

If you can make a block that's around 12 inches square, that's cool. Bigger, smaller, that's fine too. Don't bother squaring the edges--I'll add pieces as necessary to make all the blocks work together. If you have some usable pieces left over from the fabric I send, please send those back so that I can work them into the final quilt.

The block I made that's pictured at the top of this post is just an example. I made it quickly, without much thought, and I hope you do the same for yours. Just grab some fabric and go! Make one big crazy off-kilter Monkey Wrench, or several smaller ones that make up one block. Close your eyes and grab the next available piece. Everything and anything is going to work.

Do whatever, but don't do it the way you've done before. Monkey around, my friends!

Wagon Wheel for Nicole

I had a tough time deciding between Dresden Plate designs. Love the spokes, love the scallops, love the plain circle. So after seeing all the blocks you guys were coming up with, I finally made a decision that only Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary could make--I picked a block nobody else had made yet!

It was a HUGE thrill for the machine-pieced wheel to come out in an actual circle! The wheel and the center are hand-appliqued, which I thought might be more precise than machine, but it's harder than it looks. And I have a lot to learn about ironing with starch! I'm hoping it will be an interesting addition to all the wonderful blocks you guys have already made.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

41 Symbols of Life for David...41..oops 38....ahhh 41 for david

41..oops 38....ahhh 41 for David...okay so as you see from the title...I was all finished, excited and ready to post. Then when the picture loaded, I did a quick count to double check...and yikes it was only 38...

Then I had to go back...and my printer stopped working, then I finally got a much needed new printer...and sooooo...
(Original Post) David...I hope you like em...

Okay David's challenge was for his 41st birthday. So, we had to come up with something that would symbolize 41.

I thought, and thought, and thought. I thought some more...and I thought about quotes, and words with 41 letters (there are not any in the english language). I thought and thought even more...and then I thought of one of my favorite symbols (which oddly is not included in his piece...How did I miss that.). It is an Adinkra symbol that means "Gods Time is the Best Time." Then I said to myself...self...wouldn't it be great to give him symbols that have meanings that are related to life. Something for reflection, a bit of learning, a bit of culture (although it is not mine, per se, but a beautiful one indeed). There are more than 41 symbols, I just picked the ones that I thought would be interesting, inspiring, and empowering...and so for you...David...

41 Adinkra Symbols and there meanings. (it is a bit larger than 12" x 12", but you did not specify a size...smiles) You can not see the one on top in this picture. Yes its 41. whew..David I hope you like it..

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Prime and Centered

For David's 41 block, I was stumped. All I could think was that it's a prime number, so I did a little googling to see what else I could come up with.

Turns out 41 is also a centered square number, which means "the sum of two consecutive square numbers and are congruent to 1 (mod 4)." Yeah, mathy, but the way it is graphed out is beautiful. The dots in the square keep radiating out (there are only 13 here, the next round would be 25, then 41, and so on), which is kind of like a birthday--with each round, or year, you gain so many more dots of experience. Then how the number is a sum of two consecutive square numbers--so 41 is the sum of 16 and 25--is also a nice way to think of birthdays. You reflect on the past, on your 16th and 25th birthdays and the years that followed, and how added together, that's how you got to where you are now, at 41.

A lot of math has gotten you to this age, but it's not without even more nuance and art. Happy birthday, David, and here's to many more centered square ones!

Lisa's Triangles

I tried to get in as many triangles as possible--though stepping back to look at it, clearly I could have packed in some more! Hope you like it, Lisa! Can you see where I snuck in some of your own fabrics, which I ended up with from the scrap bag swap a few meetings ago?

I'm really looking forward to seeing this one come together!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

August Bee Block - Tally Ho!

David requested something involving 41 for his birthday block, so I decided to make a visual representation of the number. I included groups of tallies of 5 to add up to 40, plus a candle in the middle to represent 41!

Hey Mister tally man, tally me bananas...

I had fun making the block, and it came out rather large (about 14 inches by 16 inches). Happy birthday!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

41 for David

I was especially excited about this challenge, which may explain why I started on it right away. I’ve seen the circular flying geese blocks on several blogs, but this is my first attempt. I really like how it turned out. I got the paper-piecing template here. It says that it will finish as a 12 inch block, but it actually finishes 10 inches.

Now for the explanation of my block - I have Grapheme Synesthesia. It essentially means that my brain “sees” each number (and some letters) as a different color. The number/color equivalents have always been the same since I was a little kid. My earliest number memories include their corresponding colors. I'm not really sure about the eye/brain specifics. I've read that researchers think that when a synesthete sees a number or letter which would elicit a response from the left side of the brain, then the message first takes a detour through the other side of the brain picking up the color. Essentially, in my brain the number 4 is blue and the number 1 is light gray (lighter than the gray I used, but it’s all I had). This is the first time I’ve expressed my synesthesia in quilt form!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

July Block - Flock of Geese!

For this month's Bee, I decided to practice my paper piecing skills. Accordingly, I made a block with tons of flying geese! Big geese, little geese, all flying in all different directions. The red "flying goose" at the top-left side is the granddaddy of them all! I had a lot of fun making this colorful block, and I hope Lisa enjoys it!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Block for Queen Lisa of the July Bee

I call this one..."Which Way Do I Go"...I did not know what to do, How to do, Should I do, Not to do...so I just Did....I hope you like it lisa...it was a cool challenge. I initially thought about a block comprise of all triangles...however, then it would look like "broken dishes" or some other random geese traditional type block. So, I went for the abstract...and just let the scissors and the rotary cutter have its way with the fabric...chop chop chop...and voila...I hope you like.Smiles...it was indeed a hoot...(don't you see it, can't you tell, a real Hoot...smiles.)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Triangles for Lisa

I made several sizes of HSTs (half bright/half black-and-white) with a few rectangles to make the size work out. I hope the Queen Bee is happy with all the triangles. :)

Monday, July 11, 2011

June Bee

These are the blocks that other participants made, if they hadn't already posted pictures to the blog. I want everyone to see and enjoy ALL the blocks. You have to take your time looking at each of these blocks. The texture I wanted is present in each one. I look forward to putting this together in a quilt as I am now challenged to add more texture in the sashing and borders.

Most important, I want to thank all of the bee participants for doing such an excellent job with my texture challenge. I liked seeing that what some thought was going to be difficult (zippers) became very rewarding. It was also neat that some people were able to learn new quilt texture tricks (prairie points) that I hope will be used in their future sewing.

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed being the Queen Bee during June. Each time I went to the mailbox and got a special block, it just made my day! :) This is the block I made.

Ruffles for Kimberly

Late again! somebody needs to ground me and not let me out of the sewing room until I finish some more blocks..
Anyway, this is my attempt at "texture" for Kimberly. I didn't know where the block was going until I looked down at what I was wearing and noticed the ruffles on the front of my sundress.

I hope it works in your quilt, Kimberly!! It will go in today's mail.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Texture for Kimberly

Squeaking in just under (okay, over) the wire, here's my block for Kimberly for June!

How could I keep from making the spider the center of attention? The rick rack was a fun addition--they're just attached down the middle, because there was something satisfying in letting the edges be flippy. And like E, this was my first experience with prairie points. I could see incorporating them to a larger degree in a whole quilt.

But then when I finished sewing, stood back and looked, it didn't seem done.

Ah, a heart-shaped button on the spider's butt, of course!

Hope you like it, Kim!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

June Bee Block for Kimberly

Zippers and Rick Rack ends up on some prairie points...Kimberly, I Hope you like it...Boy what a challenge...I was a bit intimidated by the zipper, and then even more in awe at all that came to mind. Then, I breathed and let the fabric be still...and then everytime i came back to it, I was seeing a flower bloom...and I thought about the prairie...and open fields...and lovely butterflies. Now, prior to this challenge/bee block request, I did not know what a prairie point was, nor did I have the faintest idea how to make them...

Thanks to the lovely internet, I discovered two types of prairie points, and chose the ones that nestled within each other. and Voila...

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Group Quilts June Update

Every quilt we make as a group is more amazing than the last.

These reworked traditional blocks are going to look great when they're sashed.

This stripes quilt top is my new favorite, but that's only because it's the one most recently completed.

And my favorite most-recently-quilted quilt is this cheddar challenge!

Finally, here are the first bunch of blocks for the our Mod Bee, for Earamichia. Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

Bee Block for Kim

I finished my bee block for Kim today.

Yes, I got a zipper!

I was intimidated for sure,

but decided the best way in was to jump!

I did add some other fabrics and I think they work really well.

After I took the first picture, I decided to add snaps for bug eyes.

Kim, I hope you like this one!

It was really fun.

You can read about the whole thing here.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

June Bee

Hello, I’m Kimberly! This is my first time to participate in a Quilting Bee. I was a bit nervous, but the first month went very well. I’m super excited about being the Queen Bee this month. I’m a teacher, so I do a lot of sewing during breaks and our school year just ended on May 19^th!

I bought the inspiration fabric on sale and thought this would be the perfect opportunity for very creative quilters to make fabulous blocks for an unbelievable finished product. I like the strong graphic elements, but I’m especially looking for texture. I have provided each participant with my inspiration fabric, coordinating fabrics, and a texture element. I have fussy-cut the main fabric, and no two people received exactly the same block ingredients. Here is a list of some texture ideas I brainstormed:

Selvage Piping Zippers

Hexagons Chenille Cathedral windows

Yo-yos Buttons

Rick rack Prairie points

Rules

12.5” block please

Use the fabric provided

Feel free to add more texture or fabric from your stash as long as it coordinates with the inspiration or coordinating fabrics

Add some texture

Have FUN…I can’t wait to see what each of you creates!!! J

NYC Mod Bee - June Block

For Kimberly's month of the NYC Mod Bee, she asked us to make a 12.5 inch block that featured interesting textures. I received some selvedge fabric and giant rickrack in my fabric package, and suggestions to use prairie points, hexagons, etc.

I ended up handpiecing large hexagons for the block. I included rickrack, selvedges, lace overlay and pintucked fabric for a lot of interesting texture elements. After I handpieced the hexagons, I machine-sewed the blocks to some plain white fabric. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

May Bee Block for E.

I used Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass as the inspiration for my block. This hopefully shows that the elements are truly interconnected.