May Bee Blessed

Just a quickish update on what happened last time we met.  All photographs have been taken now and there is lots to show you.

But first and foremost Bee Blessed want to say this...

When we send the quilts to their new homes we get some amazing feedback and hear some humbling stories but unfortunately it's not always appropriate to share it online, as it may become obvious who the recipient is and they may not want to be exposed in that way.  We wish we could share all the lovely stories with you, to show you the difference you collectively make to peoples' lives by being part of Bee Blessed; by offering your support in whatever way, either by making blocks, coming to our group meetings, donating fabric, or in any other way. We want people to realise they are not alone in whatever their circumstances and somehow receiving a quilt seems to sum that up. We love being able to tell you real life stories but for now can we just say thank you!!

Remember the Churn Dash blocks?  Hard to beat a Churn Dash! This is just one of the completed quilts which will be delivered to a most deserving home tomorrow. The other one is almost ready and I'll show you it next month. Once again we had exactly the number of blocks required. I have to say this is one of my favourite blocks and I'd like to make myself a similar quilt one day but I know I'd take forever trying to choose suitable fabrics to meld together, whereas you guys get it right every time. It just 'works'!!!

You sent us sufficient Rail Fence blocks for two quilts.  Thank you!!! They are being quilted and bound at present and we have new homes in mind.  I'll show you them completed and fill you in when I next blog.  We're busy bees right now and I must say what a blessing it is to see them come together.  We really have the nicest job ever...you lovely people do the hard work and we get to put them together and drool over them!!!

A wee word - We love to acknowledge and thank you for your blocks but sometimes we get one with no 'sender'.  We would love you to include your name/blogger name/email address, whatever,  so that I can thank you and let you know that they have arrived safely.

A few of you wanted to put a face to our names so here come a couple of reluctant photographs...

This is Ros. When Judith and Sarah  felt that their time at Bee Blessed had come to an end, Ros agreed to take the reins and I said I'd give her a hand.  Those of you who kindly send your blocks to us monthly, will recognise her name.  Ros is the administrator and the CEO hahaha...she'll have my life for saying that but she doesn't know how to access the blog to change it!!!!!  

This is me...I'm Lorraine and I write the blog, do other techy bits and pieces, Instagram, emails, set the blocks etc.  We work well together and thankfully what one can't or doesn't want to do, the other one can and will.

Here is the group hard at work.  I'll take a better photograph of the lovely ladies next month and put some more names to faces.

Now that I've put that to bed here's what else we got up to.

Our Modified Bento blocks continued to come in and were so pretty that we pondered...to cut into quarters or not...

...we decided to go for it and they were 'in for the chop'.  Once again we received the perfect number for two quilts..Wow isn't that amazing.  I dread ever having to leave out one of your lovely blocks. DO NOT PANIC IF YOUR BLOCK IS NOT THERE ;-).  It will be in the other quilt.

This is just a little glimpse.  We don't want to spoil the surprise too much and look forward to showing them closer to their completed loveliness, in our next blog.

This quilt, which was donated (thank you), is now completed and making its way to its new home today.  We trust it will covey our best wishes to its new owner. 

 Well, I could ramble on but I've said enough for now and look forward to chatting again.

Happy Sewing!

A rather late May block - Frame Box Blocks

I've just made the quickest block I've ever made and even better, I made it from some left over binding strips.  Really...I picked some 2 1/2 inch leftover binding strips out of my stash, measured to check I had sufficient fabric, sewed them together according to Sarah's great tutorial (I'll tell you all about it below) and -  Bob's your uncle - two blocks made in minutes!!!

I do admit mine are rather bright but those of you who follow our blog and are familiar with our quilts will know that when we sew scrappy blocks together it works!!!!!!  It never fails to amaze me what we create thanks to your support and your fab taste in fabric.

More now about this month's easy, fun, economical, modern, addictive etc etc, scrappy block.
It comes curtesy of Sarah, whose blog you will find here.  Sarah originally designed this block for Siblings Together Quilt Group and you can read all about them here. We were kindly given permission to use the tutorial and having quickly made the block I thought it would be ideal this month.  Thank you Sarah and Siblings Together.

So this is where you will find the tutorial. We are going scrappy once again and give you free rein regarding fabric choice.  We can't wait to see what you come up with.

Sarah has laid out some of her blocks and her photograph above is the result.  You can pop over here to see what she has to say about making her blocks.

We would like the blocks by the 18th June, please, and you can drop us an email if you need the address or any other information.  I hope you have fun whizzing through the block and thank you, thank you, thank you in advance.  I'll post the update on this month's Bee Blessed early next week.  I just need to take a wee photo or two!!!

Happy Sewing

Modified Bento Box Block

When I saw this block online and the effect it creates when sewn together I couldn't wait to try it.  It is such a funky block, curtesy of filminthefridge and you will find the tutorial here.

My finished, untrimmed block was 16 inches.  The pattern shows the block being finally divided into quartered squares but we would like the block sent to us untrimmed and not quartered, please. It will be much easier for us to trim them before they are quartered.

We are leaving the colour choice to you once again and only ask that one of your colours is either white, cream or low volume of some sort, as above, so that it 'pops'.  Just like this.

Thank you in advance.  We don't need them until Friday 13th May so there's lots of time.  Here's hoping none of you are superstitious.

Happy Sewing 

April Bee Blessed

I'm almost a week late with this as life got very busy and number two son made me a granny, whoop whoop!! I'm so excited and hope to fly off to see the new little family asap!!!  He's cute as a button.

We met on 2nd April and were so busy that it was only in the last few minutes that I remembered I hadn't taken any photographs, so what I have to show you was taken very quickly.  Dratt!!! I just love being able to show you what we were up to.

Would you believe that we were able to use every single Churn Dash block which you lovely people posted, within the two quilts below.  Imagine, we had the perfect number to complete two quilts.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kindness.  I know I keep saying that it's much appreciated but...we couldn't bless others without your support.  We know exactly who these will be going to and are eager to get them quilted and bound.

Excuse the lighting.  I'll show you a better photograph when it's finished.  It's much more cheery than the photograph suggests...

..It's as bright as this one, actually...so pretty.  My spare room is a sunny spot this morning and my other half can take a much better photograph than me.  I'm looking forward to quilting this next week.

We were able to hand over this quilt to be gifted to a sick little baby.  It will whizz its way off to him this week hopefully.

We worked on some more of this month's block and have received some beauties but if you have a few spare moments and want to reduce your scraps the pattern for the Scrappy Rail Fence is here.  It's curtesy of Sarah and a quick, fun block to make. You have another week before we need them so there's time to make one if you can. 

And finally.  I said I'd show you a picture of what was donated last month.

Thanks once again.

Apologies to Jenny.  I said I'd take a few photographs of us this month but I totally forgot.  I will next month and I'll post this month's (late) block today so keep an eye out!!!

Happy Sewing

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Giving and Receiving

Two of our members, Judith and Marion, also support a fantastic charity group called Siblings Together Quilting Group, which you can read about here. Their aim is to collect 100 quilts in 2016.  In support of their work we have donated the two quilts below to this worthy cause and hope they bring a smile to the kids' faces when they receive them. Why not pop over to their blog or visit them on Instagram here.

As well as giving we also did some receiving this month.

I'm sorry I can't show you a photograph of what was donated to us last Saturday as I didn't take one!!! Oh how I wish I had a photograph of the lovely blocks and fabrics we received. My fault completely.  I will show them to you at a later date...I promise.

It doesn't mean I can't pass on our thanks.

Firstly there is Lucy who blogs here.  Go and read her blog. I assure you it would be very easy to spend an afternoon absorbed in her sewing and quilting loveliness. Thank you Lucy. We greatly appreciate your kindness.

Secondly there is Rita, whom we haven't met but hope to one day.  Thank you so much.  Your goodies will be put to good use.

Thirdly,  Marion donated and made something which I can show you a photograph of -

Whoop whoop another 'man quilt'.  Thanks Marion.  It will go to a good home.

Happy Easter 

How many times have I used the word quilt/quilts/quilted/quilting??????

We had so many quilts in need of quilting that we decided to focus on doing just that last Saturday.  Not everyone is enamoured with quilting but most of us had a go and everything that needed quilting was quilted. This is what we achieved:

The Friendship Star quilt was quilted, binding was attached and it was taken home to be finished and sent off to its new home, this week hopefully.

Our girly quilt - another one which was kindly donated last month - was quilted and is now ready for binding. Soooooo pretty and some little girl is going to love it.

Another donated quilt had some free motion quilting finished by one of our talented ladies ;-)

There are another couple of quilts - also quilted - which I forgot to photograph but they will keep for another day.

Karen made a start on a new quilt. We're making it from some more of last month's donated cache. It will look really good when it's finished.

We sorted through the beautiful Churn Dash blocks....more on them another day...

...and smiled for the camera

Happy Sewing 

What it's all about...two stories

I've been posting photographs of our latest 'man quilt' in its various forms for a while now and on Sunday it made its way to its new home.  We loved this quilt and want to show it off once again and say thanks to everyone...for the lovely blocks you made at Bee Blessed...and the lovely blocks you posted to us.  Some photographs...

Firstly, this is it over my banister

On my floorboards lol

And most importantly, here it is in its new home

Isn't it amazing how it looks 'at home'.  It's such an encouragement when we hear that it is exactly to the recipient's taste. The gentleman who received it has been having a difficult time health-wise recently and we wanted to bless and encourage him.  Both he and his wife are artistic, creative people, as is evident from their beautiful home, and the quilt hopefully reflects this. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they enjoy it. They are happy for us to use these photographs as they also want to pass on their thanks to everyone involved.  This is from their email:

'We were so touched and overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity I felt compelled to write. I used to make quilts years ago and I am very aware of the hours of work and love that goes into them. The quilt  is truly magnificent and as you can see from the pictures tailor made for our sitting room. It will be a constant reminder to us of God's love. 

May God bless your little group and the fantastic witness you give out through your creative talents. We are honoured to have received such a perfect gift, thank you so,so much.'

What can I say...their words say it all.  Thank you everyone!

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We were contacted about a quilt for a little boy called Joseph who has had a difficult year with health problems and hospital visits.  We didn't have anything we felt was appropriate at the time, and had been pondering and looking at various options, but last month what we felt was the perfect quilt top was kindly donated to us.  Thank you again, Irene. Having a grandson of a similar age I know how much he would love it...so it was a no brainer!!!

TADA!

It's so cute, which is good, but what is great is that Joseph loved it.  His mum very kindly contacted us and said we could show you all these lovely photographs of her son.  I quote from her email:

'I would like to say a huge thankyou for the beautiful quilt you made for my son, Joseph.  He loves Noah's ark as he has a jigsaw of it and it put a smile on his face as it did ours. Thankyou for thinking of him, he has been very unwell for the best part of a year and little things like this make all the difference to us as a family. I have attached a few photos.'

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, Joseph, and we hope this year will be better than last.

And the photographs:

I can hear you all saying 'AW'!!!  

That's what the general response was from the ladies who saw the photographs when we met last Saturday.

SO...

HAPPY SEWING AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE

THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

March Block - Scrappy Rail Fence

This month's block comes courtesy of Sarah and you'll find the pattern here.  We've already used a few of Sarah's blocks and find them really easy to follow and this one is no different.  It was designed as a scrap buster for Siblings Together and you can pop over here to read all about them.  Thanks to both of them for allowing us to use it this month.

Please construct your block following the layout above/Sarah's layout (below) with the top left quarter in horizontal stripes.

Sarah constructed her block in quadrants of single colour ways in varying widths, taking inspiration from this quilt. I think it's very effective and a great way to use up those scraps which have been lurking, unwanted, in the midst of our stashes.

We'd love you to help us out with a block this month.  Once you've decided on your fabric it comes together very quickly.

We would like the blocks to be with us by the 15th April, if possible.  I know Easter is in the midst of this and people have plans so here's hoping some of you can squeeze in a few minutes to make us one and, as always, we thank you in advance for your continued support.

Check out our next blog for some feedback regarding the fruits of your labour.  It is such an encouragement to hear that someone's life has been touched through what you all help us do.

If you've landed on this page for the first time and want to send us a block, our email address is here and if you drop us a line I'll give you the address for the blocks.  We meet here and you are more than welcome to join us if you can sew.  Just drop us a line if you've any queries.

I'm off to bed now to try and shake of this 'dreaded lurgy' and I'll blog the update asap.

Happy Sewing and Many Thanks

Thank you!!!!

We were truly blessed on Saturday. A lovely lady called Irene arrived to see us with a bag full of goodies.  Irene belonged to a group of ladies who decided to get together and make some quilts for charity.  Not only did we receive quilts, but other fabricy goodness as well. We have a wee bit of work to do on some of the quilts, some in need of quilting or binding etc, but we couldn't be more pleased.  Unfortunately, in our excitement, we didn't get a photograph of Irene, so if you're reading this Irene, whoops, my mistake!!!

A few photographs of some of those goodies.....

Male quilts, female quilts, quilts for young and old, just what we needed.

Thanks again ladies. I hope you are truly blessed in return.

HAPPY SEWING...

Great day at Bee Blessed

We had such a productive day at Bee Blessed.  Everyone was doing something different, new skills were learnt and we had a ball.  Lots of photographs to follow.

This is how we spent yesterday!

The Wheel of Time quilt has turned out even better than we expected and is basted and ready for quilting.  I love how the different shades of navy and grey make it so interesting and I could look at this all day.  Thanks for the blocks you sent to us. We are like kids in a sweet shop checking them out.

Last month we set The Churn Dash block and whoop! whoop! they have been arriving with us throughout the month.

So....this month we made a start on the reverse Churn Dash which we will alternate with last month's blocks. The pattern is here.

 Thanks Ceri for donating this stunning quilt top, which is much appreciated and will soon be ready for a new home. 

Another kiddie quilt is almost complete...

...as is our New Orleans Star Quilt, which still gets referred to as the Trudi Quilt.  Just the borders to add and it will be ready for basting and quilting.

Someone, before my time (lol I mean before I became involved),  kindly donated some fabric to Bee Blessed amongst which was this cute jelly roll. The pattern is Hopscotch by Thimble Blossoms and it will definitely bring a smile to its new owner with its cheery brightness.

Last, but not least, another quilt top from a donated Layer Cake was sewn together and is now ready for borders, basting and quilting.  

So I can safely say we were productive in between the chat and catch ups.  

We too at Bee Blessed were blessed with a donation and I'll post that tomorrow.  

We loved and appreciated it!!!

Happy Sewing...