HoneyBee Quilts

Though not blogging, I have been quilting.

2010-02-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have been working on my niece's quilt though I have not been taking pictures or posting. I actually have completed the last three blocks:

Peony

King's X

HoneyBee

I have also completed the "quilt sandwich" (front, batting, and backing fabric) and quilted 11 of the 15 blocks.

I added a strip of the other fabrics to the back of the quilt for interest.

This is the backing fabric, which is the same fabric I used for the stripping and edging on the quilt top.

I need to finish quilting the final 4 blocks and do some quilting on the border of the quilt top. I am looking for a swirly or scroll design.

Long time no see

2009-09-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

My progress has been hampered by a rotary cutter injury to the tip of my left index finger and general life business. Another block for my niece's quilt, Log Cabin:

Whoa the log cabin took a long time with all the seams and trying to get everything lined up straight.

I am also planning a new project. I recently purchased a selection of fabrics for a quilt for my brother and sister-in-law to be.

Blocks 11 and 12

2009-07-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Two more blocks for my niece's quilt:

Bright Hopes

Mexican Star

Completed wall hanging

2009-06-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here is the completed wall hanging for my niece, appropriately hanging, though a bit crookedly, on the wall of her bedroom.

Progress

2009-05-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been slacking lately! But, here is a new block for my niece's quilt called "Patience Corner"

Attic Window and Wheels

2009-04-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

The next two blocks for my niece's quilt:

Attic Window

Wheels

Two new blocks completed

2009-04-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here are the next two blocks for my niece's quilt.

54-40 or Fight

Dutchman's Puzzle

The next two

2009-03-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Here are the pieces cut for the next two blocks for my niece's quilt.

49-50 or Fight...

...and Dutchman's Puzzle

Drunkard's Path

2009-03-25T20:24:00.001-07:00

I finished the next block for my niece's twin size sampler quilt. Drunkard's Path turned out a lot straighter than the last time I tried this design.

Dresden Plate Completed

2009-03-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

It still needs ironed.

Dresden Plate

2009-03-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

The next block for my niece's quilt is Dresden plate. It is an applique block. Here are the pieces cut out and placed in position.

Here are the pieces after I hand sewed them together.

The next step will be to applique the center to the the flower shape after appliqueing the flower shape to the background fabric.

Card Trick completed

2009-02-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here is Card Trick, first sewn in rows.

Then all together.

Card Trick

2009-02-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

The next block for my niece's quilt is Card Trick.

The hardest part of quilting for me is choosing the fabrics for a particular block. Sometimes it helps to fold the fabric and place it in an approximation of the design to see how the fabrics look next to eachother.

Here are my pieces, cut out.

Beginners quilting guide

2009-02-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Start by selecting the quilt block designs you want to use. I use this book, which has some great patterns. I am going to be making a twin sized sampler quilt for my niece which will have 15 different blocks.

Next, you need to choose a selection of fabrics (pink is her favorite!). I probably won't use the paisley ones.

Trace and cut out the pattern pieces. I like to use this plastic so the pattern is reusable. I am going to start with Ohio Star.

Trace the pattern pieces onto your desired fabrics.

Mark a 1/4" seam allowance and cut out.

Here are all my pieces cut out.

To sew the pieces together, start by placing two pieces with right sides together, then pin through the two corner points, and along the seam allowance line.

Thread a needle with hand quilting thread knotted at one end. Place the needle through the corner points and make a single stitch .

Make a second stitch, and then continue in a running stitch across the seam line, making small even stitches.

Return several stitches and then clip the thread.

Iron the seam with the seam allowance to one side (toward the darker fabric usually). And then flip and iron the piece.

Sew the pieces together according to the order indicated in the pattern book.

The finished Ohio Star block.

New Applique

2009-02-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

Here is the Dresden Plate Fan block with the applique completed, front ....

....and back.

And, a close-up of the applique stitches on the back.

With the basting stitches removed and the excess fabric cut away from the back.

Completed Dresden Plate block.

Here is the Grandmother's Fan block with the applique completed, front ....

...and back.

And, a close-up of the applique stitches on the back.

With the basting stitches removed and the excess fabric cut away from the back.

Completed Grandmother's Fan block.

Making Changes

2009-01-30T18:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I finished quilting the Mexican star block, the Dresden plate block, and most of the Grandmother's fan block on my niece's wall hanging when I finally admitted to myself what I had been trying to ignore since Thanksgiving. The more I looked at my niece's wall hanging, the more dissatisfied I was with the background fabric on the two applique squares. I think the Pooh fabric was just too busy to be an effective background.

So, I removed all of the quilting from both the Dresden plate and Grandmother's fan blocks (I know, I know, it was depressing!) and then removed the two "offending" blocks.

Then I removed the appliques from the Pooh background fabric. I selected a pale pink background fabric to replace the Pooh fabric with and basted the applique pieces down again.

I hope to finish this project in the next 2-3 weeks because I will be starting another quilting class at that time and will want to work on the class project.

Christmas Gifts

2008-12-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

I was very happy that my mom really loved the quilt that I made her for Christmas. She loved it so much that she cried when she opened it, and of course that made me cry too. My Aunt also loved her pillow :)

Last Minute Christmas Gift

2008-12-23T21:11:00.000-08:00

I could not think of what to get my aunt for Christmas but I finally had an idea to make her a quilted pillow on Sunday evening. I have wanted to so something based on the four seasons for a while. That theme worked well for this pillow based on a double four patch square.

Here is the basted "quilt sandwich" prior to quilting

Here is the pillow top quilted with the basting stitches removed

Here is the winter square with a snowflake quilted on a blue field

Here is the spring square with quilting around the birds

This is the fall square with quilting around two leaves

This is the summer square with leaves quilted on the green field (chalk marks visible)

Here is the finished pillow sham from the front...

...and the back. I just doubled the fabric and positioned it to overlap about 3 inches to allow the pillow form to be inserted and removed for washing. I then sewed the wrong sides of the pillow top and back together and turned it right side out.

The finished pillow.
I am very happy with how this turned out :) This is what I love so much about quilting and other hand crafts, the finished product. I hope my aunt likes it.

Almost Finished!

2008-12-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

I am almost finished with the lap quilt I am making for my Mom. I basted the edge of the quilt to bind it.

I then used a hem stitch to bind the edge and mitre the corners.

Then I quilted along the bound edge.

I removed the basting stitches and here it is, almost ready to give my Mom for Christmas!

I still need to remove the quilting line marks from the red chalk pencil.

Preparing to Quilt

2008-11-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

I took apart my niece's wall hanging and sewed it together straight (or at least straighter!). Then I placed it on some thin cotton quilt batting with at least 3"-4" of batting extending beyond the edge of the quilt top.

Then I cut the batting so that there is a even 3"-4" border of the batting around the quilt top.

Next I placed it on the fabric I want to use for my backing with the backing fabric extending at least an inch beyond the edge of the batting. The backing fabric is face up. I like to select the same fabric for the backing and the stripping.

Then I baste the three layers of the quilt top, batting, and backing fabric, together using contrasting thread. I baste it to stabilize it for quilting.

Here is a closer view of the basting stitches...

...and the back of the "quilt sandwich".

Crooked!

2008-11-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

I finished all four blocks for my niece's quilted wall hanging. So, I sewed the stripping on using my machine. Unfortunately it turned out a bit crooked, so I'll need to take it apart to get it straight. Even though it is crooked now, I still think it turned out cute.

Prepping for Applique

2008-11-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

In order to stiffen the fabric to applique it, I ironed freezer paper with the waxed side down on to the outer edges of the fabric pieces.

Here are the applique pieces for Grandmother's Fan.

It will look something like this when finished with the addition of some lace at the edge of the fan.

Here are the applique pieces for Dresden Plate.

It will look something like this when finished.

Dresden Plate

2008-11-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't finished the Grandmother's Fan block yet because I need to get some freezer paper to stiffen the fan to applique it, so I have moved on to the next and final block. The next block for my niece's wall hanging is Dresden Plate. It is also an applique block and the background and center will also be the Pooh fabric.

Starting Grandmother's Fan

2008-11-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

I started the block "Grandmother's fan" tonight for my niece's quilted wall hanging. It is an applique block and the background fabric will be Pooh.

Mexican Star Completed

2008-11-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

I have been working on the Mexican Star block for my niece the past several days and taking pictures of the various stages.

Completed Mexican Star block

Mexican Star Deconstructed

2008-10-28T20:02:00.001-07:00

The next block for my sweet niece's wall hanging is called Mexican Star.

Step 1. I trace the pattern pieces from the pattern book onto some thin plastic.

Step 2. Trace the pattern pieces onto the fabric.

Step 3. Mark a 1/4" seam allowance using the quilting stick.

I then cut out all of the pieces. Here they are arranged in their final position. The angles are off because of the seam allowance. When I sew it together the corners will meet. I fussy cut Pooh so he would be right side up.

Bright Hopes Completed

2008-10-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the completed "bright hopes" block for my niece's wall hanging. I am really happy with how it turned out.

Lap Quilt

2008-10-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

This is the other project I have been working on. It is a 12 block sampler lap quilt for my mother. It is all hand pieced and hand quilted (at least the part that I have finished quilting). It still needs some quilting completed and the edges bound. I hope to finish it for Christmas...we'll see.

Grandmother's Fan

Jacob's Ladder

Dutchman's Puzzle

Log Cabin

Drunkard's Path

Honey Bee (one of my favorites)

Dresden Plate

54-40 or Fight

Rail Fence

King's X

Ohio Star

Card Trick

Bright Hopes

2008-10-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

This is one part of the four patch block called "bright hopes". Each of the four blocks is identical and when sewn together create a sort of lattice effect. The block will be part of a sampler wall hanging for my niece's Winnie the Pooh themed bedroom.

My First Quilting Project

2008-10-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

Four block sampler wall-hanging

Fall 2007

Bottom row (l-r) "baby bud" and "patience corner", top row (l-r) "churn dash" and "four patch"

"Baby bud"

"patience corner"

"four patch"

"churn dash"

quilting detail