Bee Block Bonanza

Okay maybe bonanza is a bit overkill but I have been working really hard to try and get all of my bee blocks caught up. I've finished 3 sets in the last few days with many more to go but since I haven't updated in a while I thought I'd give you all a peek at what I've been working on. First up for the Spider Web Bee Becca asked for Liberated Spider Webs. These were different from what we've been doing in the group and so it was a nice change of pace.

She asked us not to trim them up so she could square everything up to the same size. I have to admitted I have these all finished except for the corners some time ago. I just wasn't sure about those corners but now they are done and I can check them off the list and get these in the mail. Good thing seeing as how they were June's blocks and it is almost August.

The next blocks I worked on were for the Fussy Cut Bee and Donna asked us to make wonky stars. These aren't technically done yet because I have to take them apart to fix the middles. We were suppose to use a specific fabric for the middle and lets just say I somehow missed that step in the instructions. So I guess these don't really count but they were done, and if I hadn't reread the instructions looking for an address they would be going out wrong. I guess it was a good catch and hopefully a small mistake that won't take to long to correct.



And last but not least Kim asked for pinwheel blocks. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by this at first. Don't get me wrong I love making pinwheel blocks but having just finished up the pinwheel quilt along with Rachel I was a little afraid I wouldn't be able to come up with something creative. I was browsing through flickr for inspiration and came across a block I really liked that was actually in Rachel's original quilt. I followed the link and found another block I liked but it was paper pieced. Well I don't paper piece. I'm scared of it and I have a block I have to do for a bee that I've been putting off FOREVER because of it. In my mind it was easier to do the math and rework the block a little than try to paper piece. That's where the blue and green block came from. The other block came about much in the same way but I'm not sure where the inspiration for that one came from. Kim sent along so many beautiful fabrics and a ton of them so I am planning to make a few more blocks for her.

Too Hot

Last weekend was a super busy weekend which left no time for sewing. Friday night we went to a Toby Keith concert and didn't get home until after midnight. Followed up on Saturday with dinner at a new friends house. I made black bean and corn salsa and this banana pudding.

I've been trying to watch what I eat so since I don't like bananas this was not tempting to me but it is one of my husbands favorites so it was a win win. And yes I made the custard and all from scratch even though I thought it would never thicken up it got good reviews so I must not have done to bad. Then on Sunday we took a trip to the local zoo with a different set of friends and their kids. Not all that impressive. I forgot how few animals the Norfolk Zoo actually has and the layout makes it almost impossible to get a good view when they are hiding out on super hot days like we've been having here.

And since it has been a while since I posted you guys missed out on my fishing trip on the Monday after July 4th. The husband and I went but I have to say I caught the monster that day. Sorry for the bad iphone photo but here's a look at my second catch of the day.

That heat has had me struggling for the last few weeks to do any sewing at all. I have however been continuing progress on the hexagons and I have just under 500 of them done. I haven't started sewing them together yet because I haven't decided on a layout. I'm thinking I'd like to just keep it totally random but I'm not sure if my desire for controlled chaos will allow me to do such a thing. What about you, is it to hot to sew? I'd love to hear about the projects you are currently working on. Okay well while I have a little momentum I'm gonna go spend some time cutting for my next project. Happy summer everyone.

Cast your Vote

Okay I don't usually tell you guys about things I run across online that I vote on or enter to win but my friend Melanie entered her fabric in the contest going on at Spoonflower this week. Check out her print, designed specifically for those hexagon obsessed folks like me. Then again I wouldn't be on this train if not for Melanie, humm. Anyway here's a peak at her fabric, if you like it as much as I do follow the link and give her a vote.



When you click on her design, a green box will appear around it. Then, you have to click through to the last page and click the box to cast your vote. If you don't click the cast your vote button on the last page, your vote won't count.

The Devil's in the Details

Why is it always the little projects that go awry and take F-O-R-E-V-E-R to finish. When I signed up for the scrappy pincushion swap a few weeks ago I thought the short turn around time would be no big deal because I thought it would be an easy swap and something small should be pretty fun and quick to finish, right? Boy was I wrong. My partner doesn't have the pincushion yet so I don't want to give to much away but she/he asked for a Heather Bailey type pincushion in either red and aqua or pink and they really wanted it stuffed with Lizard Litter. Here's what I came up with:

















At first I was really stumped by how I was going to get pink to go together with red and aqua but then I figured out I could just make it reversible. On days when you want red and aqua you can have that side up and when you get tired of it or want to mix it up a bit flip it over to the pink side. I personally like the red and aqua side better but I think it's because my hand stitching is on the pink side and I think the ribbon is a little tight on one corner of the pink side and makes it a little bunchy. I used gray for the sides because well if you've been by here before you know I love gray. I was considering white for that part originally but I thought with the white ribbon it might be to much so I decided to throw just a tad bit of me in there and go for the gray. I used lizard litter for the stuffing which is really just crushed walnut shells. My only question on that is the smallest bag I could find was 9lbs and well it took less that 1/2 of 1 to fill this little pincushion. What am I going to do with almost 9lbs of crushed walnut shells? And no I'm not going to get a lizard. The fabric is Bliss by Camille and it is my new favorite. Of course the fabric won't be available until September but if you can't wait like me there is a small sampling of it in Moda's new Candy Bar. That's where I got mine, the other 1/2 will be made into hexagons of course. Okay so a few more things I learned along the way, Lizard Litter leaves a brownish dust on anything it touches so I had to take a damp cloth to the finished pincushion. Ribbon is not the easiest thing to sew with. I broke three doll makers needles trying to put that ribbon through the pincushion. Okay one was a tapestry needle but still. It was difficult to say the least. This little guy is going in the mail tomorrow and hopefully my partner will enjoy it.