Busy busy busy

It looks like June will prove to be a busy month for me. I am sure that I am not alone in working better under a deadline and with specific goals, right? 

​restocking some pot holder inventory

Last week received an order to restock some pot holders and coasters at Storeroom Vintage. I have to admit it came kind of out of the blue, but I was glad to get the text.  I had posted a little bit about this venture back in early February here, and after taking the first group over there neither of us really followed up after that. Until now. And this time I'm going into it with a little more direction, which I think is helpful. There will be more of these popping up in the next week or so!

​still considering some rearranging - be warned

And though it may not seem like it, I've been working bit by bit on the strip quilt. Making a few new strip sets each week, adding the triangle units to what is already up on the wall and then spending another few days pondering. I got a really good suggestion for a way to alter this minimally, but hopefully with maximum impact. I hope to have this top pieced by the beginning of July. The quilting will be a whole other bridge to cross!

​Blocks from the April round of do. good stitches Bliss circle.

And of course the quilt bees! The photo above is for the Bliss circle of do. Good Stitches, which has been undergoing some changes. I have been a member of the Bliss circle since I joined do. Good Stitches a little over 2 years ago. There have been 2 hosts for the circle in that time, the latest of whom chose to take some time away as of early May. Was it compulsion that prompted me to volunteer for the position of host, or simply a desire to see the circle continue and thrive and come back together? I think it's fair to say it was a little of both. But yes, this means I am now host and moderator for the Bliss circle, and happy to be doing it! It's been fun to really touch base and communicate with my fellow bee-mates in this, and I seem to have gotten an overwhelmingly positive and energized response from most of the group, which helps SO MUCH! Amy is getting us started out again this month with her own Flock of HSTs block and tutorial on her blog, 13spools. Amy has chosen the perfect type of block to get us running again, and I'm super appreciative! And in the mean time I'll be putting more of the HST blocks shown above together (and I've collected a few more from members of the group since that photo was taken) and hope to get that quilt top finished by mid-June.

Of course there are also still the Friends + Fabric bee and the Simply Solids bee, marching ahead beautifully to keep in mind!

And now for the non-quilting-related stuff... J and I have finally gotten started on one of the home improvement projects that's been on the list for a little while now. We marched on down to the big Depot store and placed an order for 2 pallets of bricks, sand and gravel to be delivered to the house this week. We're (okay, so far it's really been just J) rebuilding and widening a walkway from the driveway past the veggie garden area (which has yet to be planted this year) to the backyard, as well as laying a new patio in the backyard. 

BEFORE

GOING WIDER

ON ITS WAY!

BEFORE

EXCAVATION BEGINS

AND CONTINUES

AND CONTINUES STILL (of course I had to include a picture of me helping out at least SOME)

There are a couple more collaborations that are only just beyond the "discussion" stage, but I don't foresee a whole lot of movement on those in the next month. You know what that means, though... Stay tuned!

And though I am sure other things will be popping into the mix over the next few weeks, I feel good about what's on the table, both literally and figuratively! So, enjoy the journey, and if I maybe don't post quite as often as I sometimes do, just imagine that I'm dutifully at work on one of these fun, gratifying projects (and if it's the outdoor one, that image should include a margarita!)

The bee blocks are back!

Thursday was a good day in the sewing room. Got a lot done. Too bad it started out with a 2.5 liter jug of water spilling out in the back of my car on my way to the studio. But, at least that gave me a reason to use the towel from my gym bag!

My main objective was bee blocks. This year I am participating in 4 online bees (though one finishes in a couple of months): Friends + Fabric round 2, do. Good Stitches Bliss Circle, Design Camp 2 [Think outside the block} and the new Simply Solids. Wowzers!

Yesterday I was able to get 2 1/2 of those checked off.

F+F2 - Cross / Plus Blocks

There was a little confusion at first as to what scale we were supposed to make our 12.5" blocks. I went with my gut, which as it turns out was not what our queen bee this month had in mind. However, apparently due to the discussion this brought up, she showed immense adaptability and openmindedness and said she'd be happy with either scale.

Being that what she initially had had in mind were single 12.5" blocks with a single plus / cross, I decided to go ahead and make 2 of those guys as well - easy peasy!

Now, her color choices were interesting to me - she requested "low volume" prints with just a splash of color. This was the first of two times this week I've read the term "low volume" in the context of quilting, and honestly it's the first I've ever heard at all in that context. Am I out of a trend loop or something?? (it certainly wouldn't be the first time!)

do. Good Stitches - Bliss - US Flag blocks

Chris posted these AWESOME hand-drawn instructions on our group page, and though I'm not too into the representational blocks, I have to give her props for this one! I did kind of take the easy road and use star fabric in the corner instead of making a star block at that scale (4"), and as you can see, I decided to go a little more modern and whimsical on one while going not-quite-traditional on the other. Hope these work for her!

Design Camp 2 - Scrappy Stripes

Shelley selected and sent out the background fabrics and asked us to use scraps for the pieced parts without taking into account the background colors. And let me tell you, she chose some GORGEOUS and RICH colors for this quilt! Looks like I'll be redoing that blue one soon, but wanted to check in with Shelley first, since it sounded like she was hoping to keep the size of the background pieces pretty consistent, so I might be in a pickle. But other than that little blip, these guys were definitely a fun excercise and a great way to make a dimple in the basket of my teeny scraps.

I am still waiting for the fabric bundle for the Simply Solids bee, but technically that doesn't start until February, so the fact that so many of the groups are posting projects already just shows how excited we all are for this new bee!!

I guess that pretty much sums things up for now. Next step is to pack up and send off the ones that are complete and then I'll REALLY feel like I've accomplished something! So here's a question for you all - with all of the great tutorials out there on the internet, and the fact that so many of the quilters who do the online bees tend to take part in multiple ones, do you ever get tired of any of the requested blocks? This is something I'm struggling with right now as I think about what quilts I want to request when my turn is up as "queen bee" in my respective groups. Food for thought.

A do. Good Celebration

Rachel Hauser, who blogs at Stitched in Color, began an amazing group over 2 years ago. She created a group on Flickr for modern quilters who are interested in lending their talent, time and resources toward making quilts to be donated to a variety of charities. There are now 21 "circles" of 10 stitchers and quilters each contributing blocks and finished quilts monthly to the selected organizations. I have been fortunate to be part of the Bliss Circle of do. good stitches since the beginning of 2011. 

About a month or so ago Rachel announced on her blog that she would be hosting a celebration for all of the people who have participated in the efforts of do. Good Stitches throughout the year. Her generous sponsors will be providing gifts and giveaways for dozens of lucky and talented quilters. For the details of the celebration and the prizes, please visit Rachel's blog posts, beginning here.

Within each of the circles there are a number of designated "quilters" who are responsible in a particular month for choosing block designs, collecting the blocks from the other members of the circle and piecing them together to make the quilt top, then must quilt and bind it all before sending it along to the chosen charity for that group. Those of us who are not "quilters" per se, are considered "stitchers," piecing blocks each month to send to the quilter. I am a "stitcher" where this group is concerned, however I did get ONE opportunity to be at the helm, just over a year ago when our circle needed a substitute quilter to step in for the month of November. And the quilt pictured above is the result of that venture.

It was finished this past March and sent along to our circle's designated charity, Wrap Them in Love. What Rachel and her sponsors are doing is super sweet and thoughtful, but I am sure that most of the other members of this group would agree with me that just getting to take part and give such a little bit of time and inspiration toward something that can offer so much to so many others is celebration enough. 

Most of the blocks I've made for the group over the last year or so... Those of you who have been following my blog had no doubt seen these in various stages of completion over time, but as the year draws to a close it's kind of nice to throw it all together in one eyeful. Thanks to all who have helped provide me with inspiration and motivation throughout this year. These celebrate you all as well!