Monday, December 03, 2018

Save the Bees!


Today is the day for the reveal of Save the Bees! You can read all about it and find out how to get your copy of the free pattern over at Jacquelynne Steeves' blog.
This has been such a fun project to work on. I have enjoyed every step from collecting the fabrics, sewing the blocks using various techniques, and putting the whole top together.




This gold honeycomb fabric is one of my favourites in this quilt. It's called "Bee Creative" by Deb Strain.  It is the fabric that I bought for the large border.




I took this picture while attaching the side honeycomb border because I noticed that during my sewing time I had somehow managed to nick my thumb and two fingers by the knuckles. 
Can you see that?!?
Quilting is a dangerous sport!!
LOL




The hardest part of sewing the inside of the quilt together  was picking which fabrics to use for the HST blocks. I put a dark bumblebee square in the centre instead of a QST block. And I put the QSTs in the centre of the borders (instead of the corners) because I only had a small piece of the white fabric left and due to the vertical lines on the fabric, it would have been challenging to piece together long border pieces. So I used smaller border strips with the HSTs in the middle.
I loved how it was coming together.


This next step involved working with fusible applique, which I haven't done for quite a while so it was a bit of a challenge for me. I felt happy tracing and cutting the letters as the activity felt similar to playing with paper dolls when I was a child.

Here are the steps:
trace the letters onto fusible web, peel off one side of the paper, stick letter to wrong side of fabric, cut out shape following your traced lines, peel off other side of paper (this step was not included on the fusible directions so took me a while to remember!) and lay on the border. Then iron letter to border using a hot iron for 10 seconds. 
Here is my ironing board work surface. I use a mylar non stick pressing sheet so that my iron doesn't get sticky from the fusible. You only get one chance to get each letter attached correctly, and if you screw it up, you have to start the border all over again! So I recommend working slowly and carefully in order to get each letter fused just right. 


And here is my finished quilt top which measures 40.5" x 56.5". I didn't add the last pieced border as the pattern shows, and went with a narrow yellow one instead. I can't wait to get quilting and finish the quilt for the wrap up post in January. I'll be adding some hand and machine quilting, stitching around the letters to make sure they stay put, and adding the antenna to the pieced bee block. Also, I may add another appliqued bee in the borders too. SO FUN!


This month the draw prize giveaway is generously donated by Sarah J. Maxwell. You can win either a fat quarter bundle of Studio 37 fabrics for a US winner or a pattern collection for an International winner (one prize per person per month).  You can enter the draw by leaving a comment below. The draw will made next Sunday Dec. 9th.
The draw is now closed and the winner has been notified.

And be sure to visit all the featured bloggers and enter their draws too!
Hop over Jacquelynne's facebook group Sew Quilty Friends to see other Save the Bees projects being made.
Linking up to Small Quilts and Let's Bee Social.

85 comments:

Glenda X said...

I really like your honeycomb border! I wish that I would have purchased the honeycomb & some of the little bee prints for my quilt. Maybe next time...

Robin Harris said...

I love this Save the Bees quilt! Can't wait to finish mine!

Carol Andrews said...

The border print is so sweet and I love the Hst addition in your inner border. Thanks for being part of the hop and sharing your blog with us.

Carol said...

I have been enjoying making the Save the Bees quilt!

Lori Smanski said...

this is so pretty. i love the small changes on the borders that you made.

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Beautiful quilt Kathy!

Barb D said...

Each quilt I've seen is so pretty--different fabric choices, and quilting styles--love them all!

Sheree A. said...

Your quilt is so beautiful. . It's like looking at a jar of honey.

Lisa said...

I love the colors of your quilt! It is beautiful!

MastiffSue said...

I love the “Save the Bees” BOM and for me it was perfect timing! I work with a large nonprofit organization that literally did “save the bees” by raising funds to get 7 shipments of sugar syrup to Florida for the starving bees from Hurricane Michael to keep them sustained while natural bee forage material could regrow. Am working on a smaller version of this for the office!

Beth said...

I love your choice for the border fabric!

Janet O. said...

Excellent job, Kathy! And I do like the added touch your QST cornerstones give to the overall look. A bee in the borders would be very fun!

Barb said...

Your colors are great--really nice quilt!
barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

Susan Du said...

The honeycomb border is perfect for this project!

VA said...

This quilt looks so good! I'm really liking that gold!

JANET said...

Love your quilt. Great colors and perfect border fabric. Love it!

Christine said...

This looks great, Kathy. Good work.

Linda Eaves said...

Such a nice fabric selection and you can make changes as the need arises.

SandraC said...

Great job on your "Save the Bees"!!

Suzy said...

It's been a lot of fun and learning experience in seeing all the different fabric choices for the "Save The Bees" BOM challenge.

Sew Happy said...

It is fun the see how all are finishing their quilts.

The Cozy Quilter said...

The border fabric is perfect! Great project!

Anita Jackson @ Domestic Felicity said...

The honey comb fabric is gorgeous with the quilt!

GranChris said...

I love how this all came together.

katiedidit said...

What a fun pattern.

Unknown said...

This has been fun! It's great to see everyone's progress and finished quilts. Can't wait to do another BOM!

Carolee said...

This has been a fun BOM and I love all the different fabrics people choose

Jennifer said...

I really like the warm tones of your top. The tops I've seen have been so cute and different! Love all of them and need to get mine finished now!

Sharon Quaintance Treece said...

This has been a wonderful BOM and I have loved seeing everyones beautiful fabric choices. Sew inspirational. Such great talent we have out there. Thank you.

april dawn said...

This has been a fun BOM. I need to get mine done.

Darlene B said...

I love your finished quilt!

Unknown said...

I like your more limited color palette! It just seems more like bees and honeycomb!

Sarah said...

This has turned out great and it's true we need to save the bees!

Maas Madness said...

I love your color combinations!! Turned out great!

Unknown said...

I love the honey comb fabric and the colors are great for accenting the color of honey.

Lee said...

Love your blocks and the fabric you used!

Unknown said...

I LOVE THIS QUILT AND HAVE A GREAT NIECE WHO LOVES IT ALSO, WANT TO MAKE FOR HER IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Marlene said...

Your quilt is beautiful. Thank you for this great giveaway.

sgrehome said...

I love your honey colors!

Bette said...

I really like your colours - so honey like! I have some nice bee fabric that I hope will be similar to yiours.

Carol R said...

love bees

Linda said...

Love your fabrics! I used some of Deb Strain's fabric in mine, too!

Karen said...

I love your version of this quilt. Well done!

Lisa said...

I love this quilt and the honey comb fabric you uses!!

Chantal said...

I love your bee quilt. Very clever how you manage to use up the piece of white fabric even though it was on the smaller size. Excellent job with the lettering too. Yep, it does call for a few bees in the border. Gorgeous! Thanks for the chance of winning. ;^)

rosemaryschild said...

I love your earthy colors! So pretty! Thank you, Susan

47lilpolock said...

I think the Save the Bees quilt is just so cute.

Sharon Aurora said...

I love your fabric choices, especially the honeycomb fabric.

Kathy S. said...

I love your colors!!

Unknown said...

I love your colors!
quilter855@aol.com

Lisa England said...

Lovely! And the honeycomb fabric is perfect.

Susan said...

I love the colors/fabric choices you used in your quilt.

Kee said...

I love the colors that you chose! It has been so great learning how to machine piece with this project. Before this, I have only done hand piecing. I have loved seeing how each quilt look so different depending on the Fabrics people chose

lv said...

Beautiful colors

Susan said...

Love your quilt! Your colors are perfect!

Unknown said...

I love your color and fabric choices

dortha said...

Your quilt turned out very cute. We love things from our garden, fresh fruit and vegetables and bees are so vital to that.

Unknown said...

I love the addition of 'Save The Bees'!!

Unknown said...

This has been fun. Thank you.

Pam said...

Love your block --- it's beautiful

Pam said...

I did not leave my e-mail for above #60 - richards@ccrtc.com

Unknown said...

It is so much fun to see the different interpretations of the Save The Bee's Quilt. We should all be able to learn something from each others work!

Unknown said...

great fabric in the border! I always love seeing how different people make their version of the project. Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net

Jayne said...

I love your colours and your fabrics. I have really enjoyed watching your project grow

MissPat said...

Your honeycomb border is just perfect. I really like your version. It's nice that everyone playing along felt able to adapt and do their own thing for this project.
Pat

Judy1522 said...

Your honeycomb fabric is such a great addition to the quilt. You did a beautiful job on your quilt top.

Patty said...

Your quilt turned out very pretty.

Melanie said...

Love your blog and selection of fabrics you choose. I'm new, so enjoying it very much.

Liz Horgan said...

I love all the bee quilt finishes!!
Enjoy the holidays!

Knittingdancer on Ravelry said...

Love your bee quilt.

Lorna McMahon said...

This is BEE-utiful beyond BEE-lief! Your quilt is simply the SWEETEST!

Unknown said...

Love the colors in your Save the Bees quilt. This has been my first BOM project. It was a lot of fun seeing everyone's different color choices and I especially enjoyed seeing everyone's small changes they made to it. Very fun! Being introduced to so many new blogs has also been fun over the past few months.

Laurie said...

Ouch! I totally relate to the dangers of quilting. My first time doing free motion on a quilt I managed to get my thumb in the way of the needle and that hurt!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Your bee is sew cute!

Wilma said...

Oh, your colors are my favorite.

lattelover said...

Loving the different color choices.

tac73 said...

I love your variation of this project. It’s been great seeing all the different fabric choices.

Brenda @ Songbird Designs said...

Wow, don't you just hate it when you injury yourself doing something you love? Your quilt is really cu te! Great job!

cghundley said...

Lovely quilt and
the colors are so
fun!
Carla from Utah

Sheila R said...

Love your quilt, especially the honycomb border

Marlene said...

Beautiful quilt such beautiful work..

nicolesender said...

I love your version of this bee quilt!
nikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com

Mary Lou P. said...

Great finish! Love Deb Strain’s designs.

Sally H. said...

Love your honeycomb border fabric. What a great finish!

Rosemary B❤️ said...



Your quilt is beautiful
This is an adorable pattern
the fabric is gorgeous

Right now I am making cute sachets for lavender I have grown in my garden