Thursday, March 11, 2010

A quilt every few days or so #5



Sometimes I make blocks - for a test to see if I want to make a quilt of that block, for a special swap with friends or just because I like the block and want to see how it will come out.


This little bee is paper pieced. The whole block is only 3" square. The head was supposed to be paper pieced too, but the corners pieces in that section were so tiny that I couldn't get a seam to fit, so the head is appliqued. I haven't done anything with this block - waiting for the right place to use it.


This is a block I designed for a swap I have been in for about 10 years. This is Bellingham, from Lummi Peninsula, with Mt. Baker in the background. I made 30 of this block.

Everyone in the group makes blocks that remind them of something about Washington, and then we send in our blocks to a central locationa and several ladies get together and swap out the blocks. You can send in anywhere from 5 to 35 blocks, and you get back the same number you send in. I've done this swap with two different groups and have gotten some really great blocks.


This is a birdhouse I made for a private swap with an internet friend. She suddenly disappeared and we never finished the swap. The theme was "In My Garden". One of us would make a block depicting whatever we thought looked like it went in a garden. When our block was finished we sent it to the other person and then it was their turn to make a block. We made two of each block - one for us and one to swap. There was no time limit - you had as long as you wanted to make the block and when you were done it was then the other person's turn. Wish I knew what happened to her - I would have liked to finish this swap.

9 comments:

Crispy said...

Great blocks Jo (you know how I felt about the apple block, since I begged for the pattern LOL), though I didn't realize you made 30 of them!!

Isn't it sad when an on-line friend just disappears with no hint as to why?

Crispy

Pat said...

Since I recently had a blogging friend die suddenly, it has made me realize I really need to make sure my hubby or someone else knows how to get on my blog and my facebook page and let people know if something happens to me. In the case of my blogging friend, her daughter was able to get on her blog and let us know....or else I'd have been puzzled by her "disappearance", too. I hope nothing like that happened to your friend, but it is possible. I love the blocks you made for all those swaps as well as the bee...which will be cute in a quilt someday.

Barb said...

Those blocks are awesome!!

Lili said...

That bee is so cute. And how clever that apple one is. Maybe I should try to make 1 block, when you break it down like that it does sound a little more doable for me (all except for the part where you make 30 of them!).

Lila Rostenberg said...

Great blocks!I especially like the bee!

Teresa said...

A cute bumble bee, and I have a friend who collects bumblebees. Is this patter available on the net somewhere - I would like to make one for her. Your birdhouse is so pretty, and I love the way your swap was working. No stress..just fun and it had to be a pleasant surprise when the blocks would show up unexpectedly.

JoyceAnn said...

Wonderful blocks , very cute bee. Makes me want to start sewing :0)

~ Bee Blessed ~

~~Sew Happy Designs~~ said...

Love your blocks Jo. Sorry to hear about your block swap partner. If you are interested in a new partner, perhaps I could fill in? I loved the fact that there was no pressure or timeframe! Sounds like my kind of swap. If you are doing more swapping than you can handle, no problem.

Always love to read another quilter's blog and see their creations.

Blessings and hugs~
Cindy

Sunny said...

I love the different blocks you girls made, especially the birdhouse one. The bee is cute too. I have wanted to make a quilt that had to do with bee keeping as we were involved in that business for about 20+ years. Just haven't got it together yet ...