Compass Quilters Queen Bee for August - Hummingbird block

If you're one of my loyal lovely readers and not a Compass Quilter's Member and think I'm barking mad just mark this post as Read...I won't know ;)....or you could make me a block!!!

http://grannymaudsgirl.wordpress.com/compass-quilters/

Hi my little Worker Bees!

I put my hand up straight away to kick off our little International Bee as I have been wanting my very own quilt of the block I chose since I made this quilt

 Yes disaster with the iron...I still loved it

 It's a perfect opportunity for fussy cutting

And although Rita doesn't think it's suitable for beginners as an introduction into paper piecing I think it's great, especially if you only have to do a few.....the precision is very satisfying!

So this is what I'm asking for my lovelies, two 10 1/2" blocks, that's 8 hummingbird blocks put together in fours like this one

To avoid the difficulty of all using a matching background fabric I would love you to go low volume, restricting it only by using black, grey, dark brown, dark navy etc on a white or cream background.

Then for the kites anything that has great contrast against the low volume background prints.

Fill your boots!.... bright?..... great! saturated?..... very cool, solids?......rocking.....fussy cut........,now you're just showing off!!

I'm putting this in Red so you will learn from my mistakes...mwahahaha!

1. Follow the order of the numbers DO NOT put the kite down first.....I did this on the first quilt for about 6 blocks and then AGAIN on this sample! It will not affect the construction but alters the natural pressing order for nesting seams....I struggle to follow instructions!

2. Do what Rita says and make a kite template with a 1/2" seam allowance so you KNOW your fabric is big enough....it will save you many bad bad bad words when you try to wing it!

3. Do not talk on the phone while sewing your halves together and screw up the orientation

  

4. Do print off one extra copy and make one block from beginning to end following Rita's instructions which are clear and concise, that way you will get a handle on what your doing and can work out your own way of speed piecing 

5. HAVE FUN! HAVE FUN! HAVE FUN! 

Since I first made this Quilt the pattern has now gone from being free on Craftsy to a nominal fee of $2, as I didn't want you to incur any extra cost on top of International postage I asked Rita to charge me for 7 copies....she has VERY generously sent me a link for free!

Please do not share this pattern ( I'm sure you won't ) and keep it for personal use, I don't want the Quilt Karma Fairies tempted! 

Here is the link below for the tutorial ( I will email the Pattern)

http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2013/10/hummingbird-quilt-block-tutorial.html

Now go to it my little minions....insert "evil laugh" 

Sunday Stash # 11 - Bits and Bobs

Hello Sunday! 

How's your week been my lovely peeps? Mine are continuing to whiz past me at a freakish rate but that means we are definitely getting closer to Summer and longer evenings, YAY!

OK onto the fabric yumminess.One of the many things I love about the online community is the willingness of people to share a bargain or sale.

Jess at Elven Garden Quilts is one such lovely ( pop on over and check out the FMQ tutorials she has going on amaze-a-balls). 

A couple of weeks back she let everyone know that Becca from Sew Me A Song was having a $12 flat rate shipping sale......I had to come back to Jess's post as I was gonskey...

Here are the results

On the left  Diamonds from Colour Basics Plus by Lecien

and on the right Squared Elements by Art Gallery Fabrics, new colours

I love both these stacks simply for the bright contrast in colour against the white backgrounds, so crisp!

Surprise surprise, more LV prints and a couple of text prints that I couldn't resist

Top to bottom Ribbit, Newspaper, Alphabet and Pam Kitty's Recipe in Yellow and Red.

Becca has since sold out of a few of these prints but I have provided links to other shops should you feel that you must have some!

 Oh Minimalista why did I resist you for so long??

Confetti in Watermelon, Noir and Turquoise....cute,cute,cute

Why does Black sound so much sexier as Noir?

Script in Turquoise, Honeycomb, Watermelon and Noir

Flora also in Watermelon, Turquoise, Honeycomb and Noir, no real plan for these yet but I really want to have something done for Summer, with these in mind....hmmmm

Now Chicopee? How did I not appreciate the deliciousness of these prints before? I really like alot of DS Prints and have quite a range in my stash....I still have some Katie Jump Rope left over from this quilt...should I be offering some up as a giveaway maybe?

Anywhoooo I cut into this group for Tina's blocks before I could even photograph them as the saturation was perfect for her needs.

This little stack was on sale so is no longer available but Becca does still have these prints

Last but not least this darling grey Floral Print from Studio E ....I may have enough LV prints now?

Linking up with the Divine Molli Sparkles, try not to giggle at his David quotes!

Stuff Done - Bee Houses & Teeny Houses

* WARNING *

lots of pictures to follow...just saying...

Here are my teeny tiny houses for the International Patchwork House Block Swap, organised by Angie of Gnome Angel and here is the Flickr Group.

It's run through SwapBot which is quite nifty and something I'd never heard of before, but it's been fun and really mental piecing such teeny bits....many, many, many bad words were said

But I did learn something interesting about myself?

Hi my name is Rebecca and I struggle with Improv Sewing, I have not been able to just go with the flow since I first started quilting and when I have to do Improv for Stash Bee etc I freak out and try to figure out a non pattern or plan in my head.

It's really hampered my ability to hang with the cool Improv crowd cause I really really like it but I'm a secret planner and need a little direction just so I can then veer off course and feel like a rebel.

BUT

I CAN IMPROV TEENY HOUSES???

Don't ask me what the method  is in the madness of  being able to just "wing it" when it comes to doors that are 1/2" x 5/8", but I could not follow Angie's example. I just cut and sewed little bits until a house appeared

The fabric choices and fussy cuts took waaaayyy longer than the actual sewing

And I ridiculously thought in my head the house couldn't be taller than the gnome, but his head is never going to fit through that door

Love the itsy toadstools

And of course a rabbit lives here....

Some of the houses are 2 1/2" wide...crazy...a whole quilt of these blocks would be insanely cute

Not enough room for all 3 ducks sothe two I cut off  were left to fend for themselves

Once again I used this tutorial for easy drawstring bags to pop the blocks and some goodies into

 I really need to sit down and make a few of these to have on hand, great for using up fabrics you still love but have a selvedge date of 2008??? and 2009?...come on who am I saving these fabrics for???

These blocks below are for Tina who is July's Queen Bee for Stash Bee.

Tina sent out all her fabric for her worker Bees and requested this House Block, mine was a little slow in arriving Down Under so I improvised the first two blocks, using the only??? AMH fabric I had..

I had no idea that I'm not a Anna Maria Horner admirer, I really thought I was but I only had one fabric....that I could find.... in my stash

When Tina's fabric did arrive I unpicked a roof and added her fabric choice in from a left over scrap, I could've done more but as I was sewing late at night I screwed up the cutting and didn't have enough to use one cohesive scrap....grrrrr

Hopefully I captured the saturation of colour enough with the other two to make up for only one block of her fabric choice?

linking up with these lovely ladies

Alyce, Blossom Heart Quilts for Sew Cute Tuesday

Heather and Megan for Fabric Tuesday

Fabric Tuesday - Flying Straight And True

Have you guys heard of the  Play Crafts blog? Or the Palette Builder?

If you haven't click on the links above and pop on over and check it out.....I'll wait.........

 

Very cool place isn't it!! The Palette Builder is a whole day of playing and uploading and playing and taking more photos and playing...anywhooo Anne is the crazy clever mastermind behind Quilt Design A Day

That is where I saw this beauty, Dessert Hues, and I had to stop everything else and email Anne to ask if I could buy the pattern, she responded kindly and said there is no pattern so fill your boots (my words not hers) 

image source http://www.play-crafts.com/blog/quilt-design-a-day-5/

So fill my boots I did! I worked out the Math, then...... you would be so proud my peeps, I also worked out if I had enough background white BEFORE I started cutting!! I KNOW, crazytown!!

It  was not cooperating weatherwise all week last week so just deal with the shadows, I did LOL

I really love the simplicity of the colours and design ( smooth out the wrinkles in your mind and on my forehead too please )

Confession...I did use alot of really bad words when pressing as I used a gorgeous silver crossweave for the grey and it sheds like a Yeti in the Bahamas!!

You do not want dark threads showing under your white people, it's like a pantyline,no no no

I really wanted to put another chenille backing on it, in White, so that means it's off to the longarmers again! I really will have to sell a child soon....or maybe she'll take one as payment??

Linking up with the ever lovely Heather & Megan of Quilt Story Fame for Fabric Tuesday

 

And also Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts for Sew Cute Tuesday

 

Sunday Stash # 10 - I Am Still Breathing

Yes I am still very much alive and breathing even after fighting off the lurgy's that the big and small birdies insist on bringing home and sharing with anyone who comes too close!

The smallest OWB is the most efficient carrier since she loooves to kiss and cuddle her big brothers, but you have to be better than that to bring down the Mother Bird!

Before we get on to fabricky goodness......four parcels this week...so so bad...I thought I'd better show a quick pic of  On A Whim before she gets quilted, it's only been a year or so since I finished it!

I'm very excited to see it come back from the longarmer especially with the soft pink backing...mmm

Ok...fabric, here we go

Hoodwinked by Dear Stella , it's Owls people, and mushrooms and Deer frolicking in the woods, I just like them ...Ok?

More low volume, yes I know I have quite alot now but it's always good to have variety, and I do have a couple of scrappy quilts planned that need lots of low volume variety.
Top to bottom we have Sweet Things Tossed Blossoms  which is now sold out at FS, but it was only $4.98/yard!,Botanics in Charcoal  and Everyday Favourites by Robert Kaufman also on sale and still in stock!

 I never got around to buying any Sprout from the Madrona Road line so I grabbed myself some Peony , Bright Zucchini and Pomegranate all only $3.98 per yard people!! Bargain!

Just to fill the parcel I rounded it out with  Happy Ever After  and Avalon in Turquoise and Red, which I thought would make great bindings.These are also sold out as they were on sale but they still have a little yardage left in Light Mustard & White

This I just thought was a great LV print with a sewing theme and possibly should have bought a little more....Draw Near 

The next few lovelies all come courtesy of Hawthorne Threads and their fabulous ability to flatten out fat quarter bundles......however the first pick is a half yard stack that I first saw here , I removed a couple and added a couple and voila!

 Lizzy House Pearl Bracelet Peach
Emmy Grace Little Town In Glee
Denyse Schmidt Ansonia Fine Stripe Onyx
Zig Zag in Shell by Dear Stella
Elizabeth Olwen Grey Abbey Deco Floral Grey ORGANIC
Rae Hoekstra Lotus Pond Fluttering Fields ORGANIC

Art Gallery fabric just has the most divine feel and this bundle was calling my name ..... NouvElle ...well not exactly my name but you get the gist, that Emmy Grace print seems to go with everything!
I love the Spring feel of this print...probably because it's been so damp here!

Emmy Grace is also an Art Gallery range and I really like the Boho Chic girliness of the prints

Stitched Road in Granite, Ripples in Sea and Rose

Fawn Day in Murk , don't you just love the name?

Below is the reason for purchasing in the first place, more Heath was needed for another project but I ordered the Home Dec weight instead of quilting cotton, bad, bad words were said but it just meant i had to order more and fill another parcel....woe is me

And because I feel sorry for you guys here is a random picture of some funky looking orange funghi growing on some lichen at my friends house ....

I promise to show you some actual sewing this week, cross my heart and hope not to be smothered in fabric mwahaha...linking up with Molli