Here's to a Happy New Year!

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas season filled with loved ones and great times.  And, even more, I hope this coming year is better than the last.  Happy New Year!

All Finished!

Well, I finally caught up and finished off the last of the bee blocks--whew!  Then it was straight into Christmas presents and holiday celebrations.  So, the photos have piled up in the last few months.  Here are the last of the bee blocks (in no particular order) along with my mini quilt from the STUD (Swap Til You Drop) Disney themed swap.  I've tried to put links to any tutorials or patterns just in case you want to give one of these blocks a try.

First up is a modified bento block or quartered squares for Bee Scrappy member Meg_kay77.  We were asked to make the square in primary or bright colors and then we could cut it into quarters or ship it and then she would cut it.  The group followed this tutorial from Film in the Fridge.

This one was actually my last one finished for Sew Buzzy member Patchwork Queen.  She sent all these fun fabrics and a list of books for her "library" and we created the books and embroidered the authors and titles on.  I tried to match up fabrics with titles when possible--I just love the alligator fabric!  Here are her basic instructions for the block.

Moody Blues member Lindseykron asked for an asterick block using this tutorial from Lollyquiltz. 

Another Moody Blues member, Susanpiluk, also wanted an asterick block.  She sent patriotic fabrics to everyone.  These asterick blocks are very easy and have been quite popular this year.  If you haven't tried one yet, you should give it a go.

Bee White Black member Lollydo asked for blocks using curves or circles.  This one here is the Chubby Dresdan designed by Lily's Quilts.  This block went together quickly and is not a bad one for those just trying out circle blocks.  I will be making this one again.

Here's Lollydo's second block.  I used the Rubber Band Ball block pattern out of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 3.  It's a great block for using up those strips and scraps sitting in the pile.

This wonky star went to Moody Blues member SeaSteph.  I used the Silly Boodilly tutorial as usual.

Brakmack, another Moody Blues member, asked for wonky log cabins using these fabrics for a quilt for her father-in-law.  We could choose between curvy or straight wonky log cabins.  Here's a tutorial for sewing wavy seams and one for wonky log cabins.

JodiLynn85 had the same month for both my Bee Scrappy and Scrap Happy bee groups and asked for the Oh, Fransson! Mod Mosaic block for both.  That meant four blocks (two for each group) of mosaics.

Linda (November's member for Moody Blues) asked for the jewel box--also known as a square-in-square--block in these fabrics.  For those who've never seen a finished one, here's one to give you an idea of how they can look.

Sew Buzzy's member InnerPiece asked for house blocks of either our house or a place we'd like to live.  Obviously, the blocks are heavily stylized--I mean, who actually has a floral roof--but the first one is of one of my grandparents' house.  They had a big two story white house with columns, a balcony and tiered steps out front.

This one is my home, only I forgot to flip the design for paper piecing so it's backwards.  I'm thinkin' it might be cool to have a star studded roof with a polka dot chimney.

These last two are BOMs (block of the month) designed by Carol Doak.  She designs gorgeous paper pieced quilt blocks and offered these free to her yahoo group members.  However, using them for Bee White Black member Sew Vivid, they are done up in solid black and white.

And finally...a swap.  The last swap I participated in was for the STUD (Swap Til You Drop) group and the theme was Disney.  My partner LOVES the Disney parks.  She actually went to one for her honeymoon and she and her sweetheart like to visit the various parks (I hope she gets to go to the Shanghai one someday).  She also loves classic Mickey Mouse.  Well, when I think of Disneyland, I think of those images of the castle with fireworks shooting off, so I designed this quilt to imitate that scene.  I also included some little Mickey bandaids and a Pez ('cause who doesn't love Pez) along with some fabric.

This was my first time using those metallic mylar type threads which actually worked out pretty well in giving a sparkling firework effect.  I also echo quilted the fireworks and appliqued castle.  I used Kona for the solids and a marbled green for the bushes.  The bushes have an extra layer of batting to help them stick out from the castle and keep the whole image from looking flat.

I had this fun fabric in my stash which always made me think of fireworks, so, of course, I had to use it for the back with my Mickey Mouse label.

Here is the finished quilt complete with dimensional bushes, sparkling fireworks and of course, one magical castle!