WiP Wednesday

I rarely do WiP Wednesday but have decided to start on the basis that it might focus my mind now that I'm going to have other commitments.

So keeping it real, I shall list only a couple of things.

First up are my blocks for the City Sampler. Since starting these last Friday I have made the first 15 blocks, which are all crosses. These blocks come together so easily and I am loving the combination of different Tula Pink lines and Oakshott. I have a way to catch up with the sewalong, which are at the mid fifties but who knows, I might do!

Second up is my gorgeous Stitch Tease quilt top, the theme for which was curves.

I have the batting and I'm going to do a pieced back...just need to decide on the fabrics. The only thing is that I left a lot of my basting pins at my mum's and so energy is required to face basting it with thread...and if I do that then I'm quite tempted to hand quilt it on my big hoop! Am I mad?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

Stitch Tease Blocks Revealed

Photo Credits Top Row (Di, Susan, Danny, Helen)
                                 Bottom Row (Dianne, Hadley, Katy, me)

Yesterday I shared with you the gorgeous quilt top I received in the Stitch Tease bee.  Today, I'm revealing the bee blocks that I made for the 7 other bee members. I shall try and whizz through these as quickly as possible as after a year of teasing, you are getting Stitch Tease overload.

Having said that, the first does need a little explaining.

Bee mama Di asked for strips with words on them.  This was easy for me - Di often refers to her husband as Mr.Romance and this was my inspiration photo. Yep, he really is Mr.Romance!

Photo Credit - Diane Stanley

...and here's the strip I made for Di. It's a biggie at 72" long!

12.5" x 72"

So my words for Di were 'I LOVE US # MR ROMANCE'.  I appliqued one of Di's favourite flowers and the one in the photo, a sunflower, pieced a heart and as Di and her husband were learning Country & Western dancing this time last year I appliqued Mr.Romance in a cowboy hat. You can see the whole of Di's quilt top here.

Next up was Susan - Susan's block was a quick and easy make.  She asked for white wonky stars in amongst bright and scrappy squares and rectangles. You can see Susan's whole quilt top here.

20" x 30"

Danny was next.  I dithered and procrastinated over this one.  Danny gave us free reign to make what our heart desired but with so much choice it was tough to decide exactly what to make.  Eventually I made a strip of different blocks and incorporated a few of my favourites. You can see Danny's quilt top here.

12" x 70"

Helen's was a lot easier for me.  She asked for bright wonky stars against a background of Kona Ash.  Easy peasy. You can see Helen's quilt top here.

24" x 24"

Dianne asked for pinwheels - any pinwheels, any shape or size.  Now I had never made pinwheels before but after a perusal of flickr and pinterest I learned that there were many types.  I decided to include a Dutch pinwheel (far left) which I really love. She can see Dianne's quilt top here.

16" x 32"

Next up was Hadley - she asked for squares and rectangles of fabric in teals, aquas, oranges, greens, blues and greys.  By her won admission, she was quite specific about what she wanted in her block. There would also be a few white blocks randomly placed.  Now this block was simple but fabric choice had to be considered carefully.  You can see Hadley's quilt top here.

10" x 60"

Last up was Katy's block.  Katy asked us to replicate characters from her focus fabric.  I made the last option available - an appliqued space rocket! After this photo was taken I realized I hadn't finished the legs properly so I changed them but don't have another photo. You can see Katy's quilt here.

24" x 24"

So Round 1 is over and Round 2 kicks off next month. Big strips and blocks are gone and in comes more manageable 12.5" blocks!

The Grand Stitch Tease Reveal!

For the last year we've teased you, we've been coy and dare I say a little coquettish but today...at last...we can reveal our Stitch Tease quilt tops!

At the beginning of 2012, I received an email inviting me to join a mystery round robin bee.  The sender was bloggy pal Di.  She also sent the email to a few other bloggy friends and resistance was futile.  After a few emails ironing out the details it was agreed that we would make 2 starter blocks and post them to the person assigned to eventually making up our quilt tops which in my case was bee mama Di. The blocks we made for each other would remain secret until we received the assembled top!

I uhmmed and I ahhed about the theme for my quilt and eventually decided on curves.  This was my inspiration mosaic.

1. single girl - it's a wrap!, 2. Pear Blossom 4, 3. Detail of "Spot On" Circle Quilt, 4. asterisk detail, 5. For Quilt around the block, 6. Drunkard's path clamshells, 7. Drunkard's Path QAL, 8. Color Study: Drunkard's Path ~ 2009, 48"X52", 9. detail shot of the modern drunkard's path, 10. yellow drunkard's path block, 11. Not so little hint..., 12. Improv curve notecards, 13. FTLOS, 14. Squiggle pillow, 15. Baby Girl Quilt, 16. Drunkards Path for Amber aka One Shabby Chic - PTS 6, 17. anjas_amybutlerquilt_detail, 18. New Block Design :: Half Moon Rising, 19. Oregon born, NC bound, 20. Camera Roll-1097, 21.Sonnenschein lieblingsdecke krabbeldecke quilt frankfurt, 22. Retro Flowers Quilt, 23. retro flowers no. 3, 24. Neighbours, 25. Drunkard's Path Quilt

I asked for blocks measuring 24" x 24" and made my starter blocks.

Clamshells

Beads using Jenny's curved ruler

Each of us bought a yard of fabric which we would use in all the quilts - I used this Cloud 9 fabric.

In hindsight I realize that my theme was a little unfair but you know what, the girls did an amazing job!

So without further ado, here it is...!!

...yup, the wrong way round! You can probably just make out the puzzled expression on hubby's face? As I was walking down the steps, I heard my husband say, "Shouldn't it be the other...?" "What did you say?" I asked. "Oh nothing..." he replied. Yes my clamshells and beads are the wrong way round but never mind!

Just look what everyone made.

Top Middle Susan has such a distinct style colourwise - just like her, it's always bright and cheerful.

Susan is the only member of the bee I have met (so far) - here she is sitting in her home at her favourite spot last 'summer'. I could have picked her block out blindfolded (well almost).  She made some super cute pieced balls which look like juggling balls and cleverly used Lu Summer's portholes technique for the rings at the top!

Top Right So Di assembled the quilt top and did a wonderful job and had to deal with the fact that I had asked for Kona white to be used but made my own blocks using Kona snow...go figure! She knows how much I love the Drunkard's Path block and made me some beauties using some of her gorgeous fabrics.

Middle Left Danny made me a beautiful block of appliqued pebbles - the prettiest pebbles you could imagine finding. I have made a small block of these myself and appliqueing them is not that easy but I love the effect and they bring beautiful movement to the quilt!

Middle This stunning Dresden was made by Helen in Switzerland and is a perfect centerpiece for the quilt.  It's bold and beautiful and uses some gorgous fabrics.

Middle Right This very cool block was made by Katy and uses the most beautiful palette of aqua, greys and yellows. I love its originality - it reminds me of a branch of beautiful blossom.

Bottom Left Hadley paper pieced this utterly gorgeous New York Beauty for me and boy is it beautifully pieced and Hadley used such lovely fabrics!

Bottom Middle We have 2 'Di's' in the group and this Di made me this stunning 'lemons & limes' block. I know Di doesn't like curves but these are so beautifully made and sounding like a broken record made in the most beautiful fabrics.

And I rotated the photo so you can see the quilt top the right way round!

Isn't it wonderful?  Thank you so much to my friends in this group - Susan, Hadley, Helen, Di, Katy, Danny and last but not least, our wonderful bee mama Di. I couldn't be happier. Round 2 starts next month.  We're sadly losing Danny but gaining 5 new members to bring the tally to 12.  I can't wait!

Do check out the other blogs today as the grand reveal continues!