A Spider Bee

How gorgeous are these?

2010-04-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

I'd say pretty GORGEOUS!!!

I am not particularly a fan of batiks, green or purple but look at how stunning this combo is! GENIUS I'd say!

I changed up the way i did these. Previously when i sewed on each and every strip i sewed though the paper foundation too, but not this time.
The only time i sewed through the paper this time was when sewing the first strip on. I then folded the paper back and sewed each new strip to the last using the foundation paper as a guide for placement. A bit like this tute:
http://quilt-it.blogspot.com/2009/01/tutorial-spiderweb.html

It worked really well and make the process a whole lot speedier as i could keep my stitch length at 2.6mm and it made it TONS easier to remove the papers. Yay!

April Webs

2010-03-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

I have the fabric for April cut and ready to go. I was able to find what I wanted at the Lancaster Quilt show with some help and advice from Heidi. Thanks Bee Bud!!!

Here is half a block done.

I wanted to make sure that I liked it before I cut up all the fabric and sent it out.

And I LOVE IT!!!!!

I don't mind if you add to the blocks from your stash as long as you are adding green and purple batiks.

Use the Quiltville Tutorial and go ahead and join the parts to make 2 complete blocks.

Also, be sure to notice that there is a definite right and wrong side to the triangle. It is Basic Grey and the variegated look is the top.

Thanks!
Tracy

I'm a very happy bunny!

2010-03-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

I've finally got the bee blocks up on my design was and all i can say is WOW!!

(please excuse the bad pic!!!)

If you notice, the green on the fussy cut centres is slightly different. When i sent the fabrics out i sent the ones with less green to some, and the ones with more green to others.
The blocks will alternate - which is why they are spaced out like they are.

I am THRILLED with how it looks and when i start to be spread less thin (and have made a few more blocks!) I'll start joining them.

A HUGE thanks to all of you clever girlies!!

March Spiderweb Bee Blocks

2010-03-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is it! The packets I have sent out are starting to be received. Here is the look I am going for in my blocks.

Please use the earth tones included in the fabrics sent. I like the look of the very thin black. It feels like the web of the spiderweb to me. The accent colors sent are more for an idea of what I am looking for and do not necessarily need to be used. Please combine your own fabrics to give the quilt a wonderful scrappy look!

I like stripes in the wedges as well.
Here are the accent colors..
Yellow for Sunshine
Blue for the sky and water
Green for grass
Red for fire
Brown and Blacks and all the shades of the earth.
A good mix of lights and darks make the sparkle. The blocks will need light fabrics to counter the dark brown kites.

I was thinking today it would be nice to have a signature from each of you on one of the strings. You can embroider it on or just use a permanent marker.

Thanks everyone for being a part of this bee. It has been so much fun.

February blocks...

2010-03-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

which went in the mail March 1 (my apologies--February is always gone before I know it, and it ended on a Sunday this year!)--

My only regret is that the dots/lines in the centers don't piece together perfectly...hopefully it won't be noticeable once everything is pieced and quilted.

This is going to be a beautiful quilt!

Blocks for Brioni

2010-02-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

I never posted my blocks here. They are on flikr, but I wanted to put them here as well.
What an amazing work this will be when it is all done.

Spiderweb Bee February Block

2010-02-21T12:37:00.001-08:00

A floral delight. This pic gives it a citrus feel! I have thoroughly enjoyed working with these fabrics. Wow! What a quilt this is going to be.

Brioni's beautiful blocks

2010-02-14T04:42:00.000-08:00

How's that for a little alliteration to start the post??? :) But seriously, Brioni's fabrics are beautiful and the fussy cut centers something I never would have thought of. The individual webs sewed up quickly and I was humming through putting the blocks together when I thought maybe I had better check the line up of the center flower. Yup- you guessed it - totally off base, so out came the seam ripper- a little ripping apart - then my bobbin ran out and it took awhile before I noticed.. Anyway- all was fixed- the blocks are sewn together- the flowers line up reasonably well- and before I could mess up anything else I packaged them up and they are on their way over the pond. Can't wait to see your end result Brioni!! It's going to be gorgeous!!

Blocks for Anna--finished!

2010-01-27T19:39:00.000-08:00

Here they are...

Making these was so much fun; good thing, I guess, since we all get to do it ten more times! :) Anna, I hope you like them; can't wait to see how the whole quilt comes together.

Feb blocks from Anna

2010-01-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

ok, I just got the fabric today and I couldn't wait to dive in! This is going to be a beautiful quilt! I hope this is what you had in mind Brioni:)

Blocks for Anna

2010-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here are my blocks for Anna- I have always liked spiderweb blocks but not made any until now. (I did make a test one first before daring to use Anna's fabrics.) I have to say I really enjoy making these blocks- once you have your scraps cut into varying widths it is fun to just chain piece away. And Anna- I really liked the tea stained muslin you sent along. You're quilt is going to be so beautiful. Hope you like these

Blocks for Anna!

2010-01-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

Here are my blocks for Anna! I had a lot of fun making them - I alternated my scraps with Anna's, so I think there is a good mix.

Here's a look before I started sewing. I had everything laid out on the ironing board, then had to move everything so I could iron. :)

Anna's Blocks for January

2010-01-17T17:00:00.001-08:00

I should be able to get these in the mail tomorrow :)

my first "block" for Anna

2010-01-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

I just had to post it because it was so much fun to make!

Can't wait to do the rest...

squeal ....Nearly my month.....

2010-01-16T03:19:00.000-08:00

...not that i'm excited or anything :-)

Since i signed up this Bee i've been obsessing about my quilt.
I reall REALLY wanted fussy cut centres but i've never fussy cut any fabric before - because the thought of having a ton of waste just didn't sit very well with my OCD tendencies.

I already had a bit of Pop Garden fabric and was thrilled when this size of print worked (after spending hours and hours on the interweb with my face practically pressed against the monitor - trying to figure out how big the print on various fabrics was!).

I can even get some squares out of the waste and i'm planning on adding a border with these.

Heather Bailey is probably my most favouritist designer.
Her Freshcut fabric was the first set of fabric i bought from the US and I think all in all i single handedly kept her going with the amount of Freshcut i bought. Acres and acres of the stuff.
I was less thrilled with her Pop Garden and Bijoux ranges but you would never have guessed it I still bought enough of it to sink a battleship!
I'm not very good at being able to cut into fabric once i have it so this idea has been the perfect opportunity to chop it all up and put it all to good use.

I would like you all to use the Quiltville Tutorial.
The centres have already been cut for you and I would like you to only use the fabric i have sent. There should be enough but if you run out please give me a shout.

It's entirely up to you what you do with any scraps left (although it probably won't be much). If you have more scraps that you know what to do with and the last thing you need is someone elses, then send them back. If not then feel free to use them for your own or someone elses.
I hope you have fun and if you have any questions then give me a shout on Flickr.

As i'm in the UK i will be putting little packages in the post next week so please let me know on my Flickr thread when they arrive.

Thanks ladies!

I had a dream last night.....

2010-01-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

That my Spiderweb blocks had all kinds of little narrow strings in them...

like a real spiderweb!

Even thinner than in this photo.

I woke up thinking....what if....these narrow strings were in black...or a very deep brown....and some deep greys....earth tones!

More Blocks for Anna

2010-01-14T16:03:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoy these!

Blocks for Anna

2010-01-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Another Tutorial

2010-01-10T13:19:00.001-08:00

Here is another tutorial for the block.
She has more pictures here to give a better idea of the piecing

getting ready

2009-12-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

Hi spider bees!
I am in the process of getting my fabric ready to send out and I thought I would post my requests.
I am going to go with:
2. Send my fabric out and request that you each add to what I have sent from your own stash.
Also:
Please feel free to do whatever you like with the scraps I send to you. You can use them in my block, or keep them for your self if you like and use other fabric in my blocks. Please don't send the scraps back to me, I am trying to use them up and I have plenty to go around:)
I found some tea stained muslin that I am going to use as a base for my blocks.
I am also requesting that everyone use the Quiltville tutorial. I have been using it and it is pretty easy to follow.
That is all I can think of for now. I plan on going to the post office on Monday to mail everyone's envelope out.
Personally, I am declaring 2010 a year of getting rid of the excess in my life. Excess fabric, debt, weight, to name a few. Anybody with me???

Guidelines and a Question

2009-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

Here are the guidelines for the bee. These are certainly open to change, but I want to make sure that we are on all the same page before we get started.

When it is your month you can do one of the following:
1. Send your fabric out and request that only that fabric be used.
2. Send your fabric out and request that we each add to what you have sent from our own stash
3. Send nothing and request that we all use our own stash and what you get back is potluck.

Regardless of which of the three options you choose, it would be wise to request the same color be used as the base star.

When it is your month have your fabric in the mail by the first or within a day or two of the first depending on when the first happens to fall.

If you are creating, have your finished squares in the mail by the 30th of the month, again with a day or two cushion on either side.

If you choose option 1 or 2 you can let us know if you want your scraps back or if you are ok with us keeping them.

Anna - beautiful block!!!! I think the second one is the one the one that we want. It will make piecing all of our blocks easier.

What did I miss?

Here's a question for you to comment on:
shall we make the same size square every month or let the "quilter-of-the-month" decide?

Monthly Assignments

2009-11-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Anna January-10
Briono February-10
Theresa March-10
Melissa April-10
Greta May-10
Rebecca June-10
Tracy July-10
Heidi August-10
Jessica September-10
Marie October-10
Sudi-Laura November-10
Rachel December-10

guidelines?

2009-11-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hi Spider Bees!
It looks like I'm first up and before I start getting my fabric ready I was wondering if there are any specific guidelines that we are following. From what I understand it looks like we are making two blocks for each other, right? If so, what is considered a block? I looked at both tutorials and each one has a different idea as to what a block is consisted of. Here is what I came up with from the second tutorial.

Is this a block?

Or is this a block?

Do we have any set requirements on fabric either?
Personally, I wouldn't mind sending out enough base fabric for consistency, and adding some strips from my scrap stash, but I would really love to have all of you add some of your own scraps to make it even more scrappy. I also wouldn't mind if you kept all the strips I send and just use strips from your stash. Whatever works!
Thanks in advance!
Anna

I am really looking forward to this quilting bee this year. I can't wait to start using up my scraps!

Tutorials

2009-11-27T18:44:00.001-08:00

Hi fellow Spider Bee Members,

I have been looking for some tutorials for our blocks.
Here are two really good ones that I have run across. There are also many beautiful pictures on these sights of completed Spider Webs.

The first one is by Marica Hohn over at QuiltersCache.

The second one is at Quiltville.

They both seem very user friendly. I am going to try to make some time this weekend and see if one is easier to follow than the other.

UPDATE
Here is a third option. Thanks to Greta for finding it. You can also follow the thread over on flikr.

A Spider Bee

How gorgeous are these?

April Webs

I'm a very happy bunny!

March Spiderweb Bee Blocks

February blocks...

Blocks for Brioni

Spiderweb Bee February Block

Brioni's beautiful blocks

Blocks for Anna--finished!

Feb blocks from Anna

Blocks for Anna

Blocks for Anna!

Anna's Blocks for January

my first "block" for Anna

*squeal* ....Nearly my month.....

I had a dream last night.....

More Blocks for Anna

Blocks for Anna

Another Tutorial

getting ready

Guidelines and a Question

Monthly Assignments

guidelines?

Tutorials

squeal ....Nearly my month.....