BeeSewcial 2019 Blocks

2019 Blocks

I've compiled the entire year into one post this time.  Yes, every single one of the BeeSewcial blocks deserves to be featured (and some have) but it just feels like making this happen now - before more time goes by - is the best  and most realistic approach to documenting them.

Energy for Leanne

17”x21” “Energy “ for @shecanquilt Dark blue background with a palette that I’ve grown to identify with.  I was able to hand deliver the block to Leanne in person at QuiltCon last week.

Enthusiasm and excitement is infectious and when we surround ourselves with good vibes, great people and positive energy, it’s pretty awesome.  For me, Creative energy is also a balancing act that has an ebb and flow, requiring a recharge to avoid burnout. 

Style of Sonia Delaunay for Ken

For @thekingslacker.  It measures 13”x27” with three sides trimmed and one left for him to puzzle. Fantastic time expressing myself in the style of Sonia Delaunay, an artist who I was not familiar with but certainly can relate to and appreciate. The colors are so "me".   Like many of the bee blocks that i make and mail off, this is one that I would like to supersize and make into a larger quilt.  Not an exact replicate but in the spirit of. 

Inspired by Roberto Burle Max landscapes for Sylvia 

16”x23”  block inspired by the art and landscape architecture of Roberto Burle Marx for @astrangerview .  This one was interesting with a palette so different for me. Working with a 3D subject matter to translate to 2D was also facinating.   I really loved trying to capture shadow and am pleased with the graphic design that i ended up with.  There was quite a lot of cropping and decision making along the way. 

Maxi Scrappy Stripes for M-R

15”x27” August block for @quiltmatters Improv stripes prompt, varied widths, warm with extra orange and a 1/2” edge-to-edge light gray. The end result reminded me of a strip of juicy fruit gum.  There were comments from my local guild mates about how they were inspired by the block and thought " hey, I could do that" which I think is great.  It doesn't have to be complicated to be appealing. 

Modular for Debbie

Composing and constructing the Modular block for @aquilterstable BeeSewcial prompt was the biggest creative challenge in 2019.  I enjoyed the process and the results but haven’t struggled getting to the finish line that much in a while-looks innocent enough which I suppose is a good thing.  Trying to include subtle color variations and sew in the curved pairs tucked around one another just right with the negative spaces visually pleasing was a rough road.  A quilting journey with a happy ending though.  I'm please so report that Debbie has finished the quilt. 

Portraits for Felicity 

Introducing “Nat”, short for Natalie (or short for NATional Quilting Day when  she was born). She’s sporting a new hairdo with a streak of gray as a nod to transitioning to my natural color. #beesewcial March prompt Humanoid number 2.  I gotta say, she’s a sassy fun one and I had a blast creating her for you @felicityquilts 

Portraits for Felicity 

Meet Marley , 15”x17.5” humanoid number one for @felicityquilts He was created while on retreat and has a sort of cat like vibe.  The palette however brings to mind "Don't worry be happy" so that is how he got his name. 

Improv Play for Marci 

#BeeSewcial blocks for @marci_girl 2.5” 3.5” 4.5” Improv play . These were fun to make creating a bite here and there. As you can see I gravitate to a “bigger” canvas to compose on so there’s fewer tiny ones.  Making these "nibbles" was a nice change up from the large ones that are more commonly made. 

Bee Counted for Stephanie

2019 #beesewcial kicks off with a finished 13.5”x25” block for Stephanie @spontaneousthreads “Be (Bee)Counted” tally marks of our choice.  I love that our members are from all over.  It’s pretty much the only time I visit the post office to mail my blocks each month. Mine represent the five digit zip code for Capitola, using spacing for the zeros 95010 and the significance of the red diagonal dash on the five is in honor of our 5th year as a bee.  Freehand rotary and scissor cut for the sections with rulers used to true up. My poor penmanship extends itself to hashtags so they aren’t neat. Intentional irregularity was tricky but fun.

2019 Recap and My Best Of

It's that time of year again believe it or not.  Pulling together a recap is always a challenge in itself but I am glad to be participating in the BEST OF 2019 linky party with Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.  

I'm choosing these Best Five for 2019  EYES, Portraits, Temperature Quilt, Capitola Coral  and Dedicated to Design    Here's my blog post from last years linky party  Top Five 2018 .

Finished quilts

With lightning speed another twelve months has flown by and since a new decade is upon us it feels even more notable.  The finished mosaic above features   1. QuiltCon Mini swap which I'm assuming was my first of the year made in January and swapped in Nashville in person 2. Surface Stripes, this one I love, love, love and will lead to more exploration for sure.  It is among the many wonderful quilts that are (affectionately) hash tagged #QuiltConRejects  3. "Abstract Whimsy" was beautifully quilted by my sister and unfortunately won't be showing at QuiltCon either.  4.  "Solo Choke" 20x20 challenge mini won a ribbon at local(ish) Artichoke Festival 5. "Eyes" BeeSewcial was juried into the QuiltCon Group/Bee category and will be seen in Austin in February 6. Wedding quilt, started in a workshop with Sujata Shaw and happily finished and gifted. 7. Baby quilt, started in a workshop with Kathy Doughty and happily finished and gifted 8. "Nat's cousin Mini" Curated Quilts applique portrait challenge will be published in their mini gallery - it is a nod to my bee block from earlier and my final finish of the year. 9. " Oppostripes" also juried in to QuiltCon, the challenge category - you guessed it - Stripes!

Finishes (other than quilts)

There was some sewing done that did not involve quilts as shown in the mosaic above.  The eight bags were made for our first ever BeeSewcial Retreat in June and it was fun to make the same thing but different for each person.  I also received a bunch of great handmade gifts.  The skirts were an impromptu make collaborated with my granddaughter who had a sleepover and wanted something new to wear.  She picked all of the fabrics and helped sew.  You can see her here with the pillow case she made for a friend's birthday party.  Lastly, the machine cover/sewing pad that I created for our guilds secret partner swap.

New and Progress made WIPS

Last year I had a ton of new WIPS and I'm happy to say that isn't the case for 2019.  1. The Temperature Quilt is obviously not done and shouldn't be because the year still has a few days left to go!  I am happy to say that I am totally caught up to date and have very high expectations to finish it in 2020.  2. "Pantone color of the year Living Coral" was entered into the Top Only category of the challenge.  It's a favorite make, both the process/experience and the end result.  3.  "Maximalist, BeeSewcial prompt 2018" this one was on my WIPS list from last year but I made enough progress puzzling it all - and leaving it in my sister's capable hands that I anticipate it becoming a 2020 finish.

2019 BeeSewcial Prompt "Triptych" 

As usual, much of what I create has to do with BeeSewcial and that's okay with me.  We are heading into our sixth year and I am still pushing myself creatively as well as technique.  My Triptych blocks are not quite together but the vision is close.

made by me Bee Blocks 2019 

With a little luck, I'll get to blogging about the blocks even if it's after the fact as they should get the attention (and explanation) they deserve.  I would also like to make a post about 2019 Highlights because there truly were many to share.


Check out the other bloggers at the linky party:

Wishing you all a Happy New Year,  Karen

2019 BeeSewcial "Portraits" - March Prompt

Two Humanoids

Nat 

Felicity requested that we make two Portrait blocks for our March BeeSewcial Prompt and name them.  They could be realistic or abstract, they just needed to read as Humanoids.  As someone who always cringed when it was time to draw faces in art class because I found it intimidating, I was both excited and nervous about the challenge.  

My local guild had a sew day on NATional Quilting Day so NATurally, I named her NAT.   She was actually the second block to be made but I wanted to share her first because I'm so smitten I can't stand it.  She's sporting a new hairdo with a streak of gray as a nod to transitioning to my own natural color although she's in no way a self portrait.  I had a blast bringing her to life and immediately wanted to make one to keep.

Marley

So here's my first block made while at retreat and a few process shots to see how he evolved.   The hair bits were left over from a previous challenge and they jumped right out.  I wanted him to have attitude and the eyebrows are another favorite feature.

Auditioning parts

Laying parts on before cutting and stitching them into place gives me a general idea and is useful.  In the end he gives off a Cheshire Cat vibe, probably because of the pupils.

I named him Marley.  He's laid back, not a care in the world with a life philosophy we could all use at times, "Don't worry, be happy".   I almost named him Dude.

Back to Nat

Curved left overs

The very first thing to be sewn was her lips.  So tricky but they gave me a direction of personality right away.  I had made a bunch of quarter circles for another project that left me with some great cut offs in solid that I pulled from the scrap bin.

You can see the "notch" where the concave and convex template positioned in the photo above.  That "flip" was originally going to be preserved but I liked the balance of the purple and what happens with the part in her hair.  With improv, I typically do ruler free work until trim up so I thought these might be too uniform at first but I think the contrast is successful.

Here's hoping your day is filled with a little bit of Nat's badass sassiness and Marley's kick back joy.

Happy Stitching, Karen

2019 BeeSewcial - Triptych Jewels February Prompt

As queen bee for February 2019, this is what I wrote as a guideline for my be mates to help them create a "Triptych Jewels“ block for me:

Blocks Received (not final layout)

"When choosing my prompt, I kept coming back to the concept of stages: Past-Present-Future, Birth-Life-Death, Before-During-After. I’m curious to see your interpretation of this idea with three segments that differ – they do not need to be equal portions and can transition subtly or abruptly with changes in design elements like scale, shape, value and color for example. .

Size: ONE Block equal to the usual size 12.5x24.5 The actual dimension is makers’ choice (long and thin, square, whatever fits with your composition) Puzzling together has become an enjoyable step in the process for me so don’t feel constrained and do not trim down. "

Prompt Logo

Palette: Think emerald, topaz, sapphire and amethyst etc. Use three or more colors in as many shades as you like. Bright and happy. Think less primary than my previous “Freeform Connection 2018 “ and less pastel than “Reflections 2015”.

Makers Tagged on IG

from Wikipedia “Despite its connection to an art format, the term is sometimes used more generally to connote anything with three parts, particularly if they are integrated into a single unit” 

The definition seems appropriate with a nod to collaboration - the individuals each have their own story and it will be interesting to put the chapters together.  I want to share a little more about what each maker referring to the tagged image above:

Stephanie (spontaneousthreads)  Fabric Pull/Sewing together/Finished composition. She felt the prompt reminded her of the quilt process:
Leanne (shecanquilt) : Seed/Leave-Stems/Flowers She included tourmaline for the palette with garnet, citrine and sapphire.
Felicity (felicityquilts): Triangle/Square/Circle shapes of A B C.  Her jewels are amethyst, emerald and ruby.
Debbie (aquilterstable): Water in three forms Solid (ice)/Liquid (an ocean wave)/Gas (steam). Her focus was amethyst, sapphire and emerald with a hint of topaz
M-R (quiltmatters): An emphasis on getting different facets in the jewels to pop. Amethyst, sapphire and aquamarine.
Ken (thekingslacker): "The Birth of Enlightenment" in jewel tones
Marci (marcigirl): "The evolution of Improv" HST and a homage to our BeeSewcial roots
Silvia (astrangerview): Lion/Witch/Wardrobe Narnia, Citrine eye, nose and mane, Aquamarine ice castle or crown, Ruby door slightly open and drawers at the bottom.  She also chose the theme for the spiritual representation.

So much meaning in the blocks and I love them all.  
Happy Stitching, Karen 

2019 BeeSewcial "Be (Bee) Counted" January Prompt

Made and mailed by deadline, I'm realizing that my 2019 BeeSewcial blocks aren't anywhere to be found on the blog.  So,  better late than never - I present 2019 prompt for January "Be (Bee) Counted" for Stephanie.

Be (Bee) Counted block 13.5" x25"

Stephanie wrote the following instructions on her  Instagram post : "in anticipation of the 2020 census I’d like for us to count and to be counted. I have always loved the simplicity of Tally Marks. 

As a method of counting they have been around for a very long time and appear in slightly differing variations in many cultures. My vision is a quilt of tally marks: bold ones, skinny ones, all improvisationally pieced"

process detail

The prompt immediately made me think of the score pad for bunko (I was in a group for ten years) and how easy it was to identify which player was tracking by how orderly the marks were. Mine were the messy ones. Deciding on what my number would be was immediately apparent. 

process detail

I love that our members are from all over. It’s pretty much the only time I visit the post office to mail my blocks each month. Mine represent the five digit zip code for Capitola, using spacing for the zeros 95010 and the significance of the red diagonal dash on the five is in honor of our 5th year as a bee.

the underside

Five with a red slash

Freehand rotary and scissor cut for the sections with rulers used to true up. My poor penmanship extends itself to hashtags so they aren’t neat. Intentional irregularity was tricky but fun. 

Check back for blog posts catching up with the February (my month), March and April BeeSewcial prompts.  Happy Stitching, Karen

October and November BeeSewcial Blocks: Pooled and Doodle

Pooled Color 

Pooled Color for Kari 15"x25.5"

Posting two at a time seems  to be the norm so here are my latest BeeSewcial blocks, Pooled and Doodle".  First off, who among us did not not immediately picture a Poodle when reading that?!? Am I right?   You might also be wondering how we got to December already because i know that's what I'm thinking.

Finished and mailed on time (pause for a pat on the back) these wrap up 2018.  I'm excited to be heading into my SIXTH year with this amazingly talented group of makers and am committed to sewing up the quilts in the new year.  

Scissors vs Rotary

More often than not I've been choosing my Scissors over the Rotary while improv piecing.  Ruler free  (until cropping to size) has been the norm. 

Auditioning Parts

Kari provided a gorguous palette a bit off the trendy path (which I appreciated) and some great samples for inspiration of what "Pooled Color" meant to her on this Pinterest Board along with this explanation to guide us:  

"It's organic shapes that are irregular and contain all or almost all of a particular color in one area. The composition is formed from intersections of organically-shaped blocks of color. There is some fluidity to how they join, sometimes creeping into each other. "

My creative sidekick

Since I don't have a permanently installed design wall, the portable one I use on retreat has become a somewhat regular feature in our living room.  Above I am auditioning color choices and placement options.

The upside of having the wall up is that when my granddaughter is over we can share it.  She amazes me with the level of creativity and skill when it comes to scissors, fabric and storyboard making.  Aside from not wanting to take her treasures down, it's a win win.

Process shot

This style of make is right up my wheelhouse so I thought it would be a breeze.  Well that wasn't the case.  I really struggled to control the pool and got all caught up in my head for the most part.  It took forever to rework the composition until I was happy.  Bottom line is that I am happy and so is Kari and that's what matters.

Doodle (Framed)

Doodle 12.5"x 24.5"

Leanne asked us to doodle with fabric for her November prompt. The colors were to be happy and saturated with the "drawn line" distinguishable. Brilliantly, she also requested a frame and uniform size.  Mine turned out fairly minimalistic and with a bit of an areal map vibe.    

Puzzling was puzzling

I could have used all one color for the orange but wanted to add a bit of variety. The poor lighting makes these process shots look strange but you can see the true colors in the finished block.

Oversized and cropped

It has been a long time since I've had set parameters and found myself oversized for the target dimension.  Even though I knew in my head that I had to leave room for the frame, it still grew out of control.

My Birthday New Best Friend

My birthday was in November so I had a great excuse to splurge on a new pressing mat.  I had borrowed one from my table mate the month prior at our guild's retreat and was itching to get my own (pun intended, no I'm not allergic).

Close Up

#BeeSewcial Article 

If you haven't discovered the quarterly quilty publication "Curated Quilts", hop on over to their website HERE.  I've mentioned it on the blog many times and my local guild mates get an ear full just about every meeting!  The mini challenge gallery is a favorite but the article by Stephanie and Leanne in the Improv edition is going to be an all time highlight for me.  I'm thrilled to have "Reflections" included and the opportunity for so many makers to learn more about our bee.

Reflections

The two blocks that I contributed to Diane's quilt shown below are really special and sentimental because they are the earliest examples of how far outside my comfort zone I would go for these gals.

I can still feel the excitement I had while making the block and having it come together as if it had a life of its own.  One day I should make a full size version of my own to have as a reminder of that pivotal point in my journey. 

BeeSewcial x3: Rooted, Code, Homage

Every single one of my BeeSewcial blocks is deserving of their own post but that hasn't been happening lately so get ready for a blast of beauty.   All very different, all very special and happily now in the hands of my beemates.

Rooted:  Touch Up and Entangled

"Touch Up" 14.5"x16" Rooted Block One

The prompt “Rooted” April’s #beesewcial theme for Felicity @felicityquilts immediately made me think of my hairline as I am constantly trying to keep the grey at bay and periodically reevaluate the decision to continue to dye my hair. Seeing the personal interpretation of the word by bee mates encouraged me to bring to fabric the concept in my head (pun intended). I’m calling it “Touch Up”. It’s kinda big, 14.5”x16” 

Fabric Pull

The purple background is a bit of humor as a nod to the color of rinse water. She asked for a variety of shades/value for the roots portion and one color for the background with a palette of our choosing.

Auditioning 

 This process photo is at the stage of auditioning for the center hairline.  Keep in mind that this isn't meant to be a literal representation.  I decided to go for a darker sliver surrounded by lighter.

the Second Stitch Pass

I enjoy the trial and error approach that I typically take with improv and it's no big deal to get it "wrong" the first attempt.  Figuring out the solution or alternative to get where you're headed is part of the journey.  In this case, the center was distractingly wide and not in the proportion I wanted so I simply took a second pass at the seem (shown here) and trimmed.  Process shots help me remember what to do next time I find myself in a similar situation and give me the ability to share details here on the blog.

"Entangled" 10.5"x11.5" Rooted Block Two

Block two is a bit smaller measuring and came together like a dream.  Using my go to color Teal for the background the pink ranges from powder to hot and I really love the way it turned out.  Inspired by the task of pulling weeds - which I do not love, unlike the first block there isn't a single process photo to share.

Code: Hand in Hand

Next up is CODE in red and white on black was the #beesewcial May prompt for M-R and I’m happy to complete “hand-in-hand”  15”x26”. The words BEE SEWCIAL written in shorthand.  

"Hand-in-Hand" BeeSewcial Shorthand

Because it’s important to me that my contribution to a collaborative quilt reflects something personal, I went low tech and tapped into a fond memory of when I aced  the class in High School.  Of course I had to google images to find the words I wanted because it's been a very long time and I haven't used it since. 

Research - and Coffee

To get the proportions somewhat accurate I kept enlarging and enlarging making it all and thin.  Having the block visually pleasing was more important than accurately placed side by side and also kept the width more of what I was after.

I had a moment during this artistic freedom phase of the layout where I worried that I was spelling out something totally different than the words Bee and Social.  Hopefully not.  Trust me it would have been a much easier construction if I had separated them rather than nesting. 

Positioning the two together

I thought it would be an odd block out visually because of the others had less curves but I think it blends just fine.  M-R posted several together on Instagram 

I wanted to incorporate both colors so I added the drop shadow complicating things a bit.  

Machine pieced, Improv and ruler fee in solids.

Reverse appliqué would have been quicker and possibly more successful a technique to construct it but I wanted to challenge myself as I had done with the Graffiti EFFORT block blogged HERE.   For this block I did much more "winging it" but used the same basic concept and freezer paper to get started. 

Homage: Sketch in Red

"Sketch in Red" 19"x24" Homage

For June, Debbie @aquilterstable had a wonderful theme that you can read about on her blog post.  What a great idea to pay Homage to Gwen Marsden and her Liberated Patchwork aesthetic.   Listening to Crafty Planners podcast while I sewed made the perfect setting for this block.

I've never taken a workshop from Gwen but enjoyed attending her lecture as the Keynote Speaker at QuiltCon 2016  and listing to Freddy Moran tell stories of their collaboration and friendship during a recent collage class (which I still need to blog about!!!).

There is a lot going on in this block and I'll admit it took - a very,very long time to create.  The expression time flies when you're having fun couldn't be more true and I hope the Playful Freedom translates in the end.  

Building Out and Over

Using all of my FQs and scraps there's probably 8+ different reds included.  Hard to photograph and difficult to distinguish with indoor night lighting with some second guessing what's what.

Close Up

Ruler free and mat cut until the final square up.  

Well there you have it.  All caught up showing off my #BeeSewcial blocks and on track to work on my July prompt Underground Maps for Sylvia at A Stranger View.  I'm leaning towards using one from San Francisco BART since that's pretty much the only one I've been on. 

Happy Stitching, Karen