Bee Happy Sew Along - Week Five!

YaY!

It's week five in our sew along:)

If you are just getting started...

remember that there is

 a link to each and every blog post 

of this sew along...

right here on my blog.

Simply look on the right side bar

 and scroll down to find the 

Bee Happy Sew Along...

 and  click on the post 

that you would like to read!

So far I have given the tutorials for 

all of the blocks in Row One and Row Two.

Today I'll start on the Row Three tutorials...

and first up are the Flower Pot Blocks!

The Sew Simple Shapes needed 

for this block are

D1 - D5 - D8 - D13

Run the green stem strips through 

the 1/4" bias tape maker...

After that... 

cut each about 3" long.

Run the Peacock strips through 

the 1/2" bias tape maker 

to use for the top 

of the flower pots.

After that...

cut them about 4" long.

You know all the rest 

of the steps by now...right?

***NOTE***

There are 4 cleavage areas

on each flower 

that will need to 

be clipped before turning:)

After turning...

shape and press:)

Separate them into these 

3 blocks to prepare for appliqué:)

Press your 3 background fabrics in half

 so that you can center the pieces.

I'm going to pin baste 

all of the blocks 

to show you placement...

but keep in mind that 

at this point is where

 I would normally 

do the embroidery first. 

 (center block leaves and flower centers)

Place the pot 1" up 

from the bottom and 

in the center and pin.

Glue baste the stem.

Place the flower 1" down 

from the top 

and glue the trim across

 the top of the pot.

I just placed mine on the center like this:)

Glue baste the ends under as well.

Pin the leaves and the flower center too.

All ready for appliqué!

(except for the embroidery)

Each block should measure

 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" 

at this point...

 which is the size I had you cut them.

They are ready to sew into the quilt!

I love these cute little blocks.

 I could make these little cuties

 all day long and be super happy!

Wouldn't a bunch of these blocks

 be just adorable in a quilt

 all by themselves?

I think sew:)

Now let's do the 

Pear and the Peach block.

You will need 

D2 - D15 - and D16

Sew Simple Shapes

Run the Nutmeg and the Cinnamon 

strips through the 1/4" bias tape 

maker for the stems.

Of course you will have extra...

 just store them in your 

leftover bias strips container

 and use them on another block:)

These are super easy blocks to do.

Just sew...trim...turn...shape and press.

Embroider the leaves 

before pinning for appliqué.

Press under one end of each stem strip...

And tuck under...

then glue into place.

After applique...

trim both blocks down to

 4 1/2" square:)

Fun and Done!!

YaY!

Now you can sew these blocks together:)

Let's move on to the Thermos Block:)

Grab your block bag labeled 

"Thermos Block" 

and let's get started! 

Run the two 1 1/4" x 10" strips

 through the

 3/4" bias tape maker 

to use for the handles.

For this one...

we are going to 

draw a rectangle onto the 

Sew-In Interfacing 

to get the thermos shape.

Cut 2 pieces of interfacing 

2" x 5"

Using a ruler...

draw a rectangle measuring

 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" like this.

Repeat for the other thermos.

Cut a piece measuring 

2" x 3 1/2"

from each of these gingham squares

 for the thermos body.

Sew the 1 3/4" x 2" pieces 

to the tops 

and the 1" x 2" pieces 

to the bottom like this.

Press the seams open:)

Now pin the interfacing onto the 

thermos with the top edges even.

Some fabric will stick out 

from the bottom like this.

Sew and trim.

You can also cut

 a little bit off of 

the corners if you want:)

Cut the interfacing...

Turn...shape and press!

Press your background in half 

and place each thermos 3/4" 

from both the top and bottom edges

 and pin into place.

They are about 1" apart.

Cut a 1 1/2" long piece from 

each handle strip and press in half.

Tuck the raw edges 

under each thermos side...

leaving about 3/8" - 1/2" 

sticking out for the handle.

Glue them into place.

Ready for applique!

The Thermos block should measure 

6" x 7 1/2"

at this point and is ready 

to be sewn into 

Row Three...

After next weeks tutorials:)

Yippee!

Until next week...

BEE HAPPY

xx

Lori

Bee Happy Sew Along - Week Four!!

Hello again:)

It's time for another episode of the 

Bee Happy Sew Along

Last weeks tutorials 

finished up the first row in the 

Bee Happy Quilt...

And guess what?

 After this weeks tutorials...

 we can sew together Row Two.

Yippee!!

I'll be showing you how to make the 

Truck and Trailer Block

 and the 

Bee Happy Block:)

Grab your bag labeled Truck and Trailer and lets get started!

You will need 

Sew Simple Shapes 

D1-D2-D6-D7

D16 (the dog body)

D22-D23-D29-D30-D31

Make the decorative strip for the trailer

 (1 7/8" x 9" Teal Text)

 by running it through the 

1" bias tape maker

Run the Cayenne Solid 1" x 15" 

through the 1/2" bias tape maker

Run the Denim...Cinnamon 

and Riley Gray strips 

through the 1/4" bias tape maker.

The Cinnamon strip is for

the dog and the tail

 is a little bit curved 

so I pressed the end that way...

even though I did not have you

 cut it on the bias...

it's such a short slight

 curve so it works:)

Sew the appliqué pieces just as usual...

with the exception of 3 pieces 

which I will explain changes on next.

First one is the window for the truck.

Measure 2 3/4" from the bottom

 of the traced line like this.

Your newly traced line is your sewing line.

Place the bias trim for the trailer

 1 1/2" up from the bottom of

 the trailer fabric rectangle.

Glue baste it into place 

before you pin the 

Sew-In Interfacing 

on top for stitching like this.

That way...

it will be sewn into the trailer

 just like I showed you 

last week for the 

aqua mason jar and the

 bee blocks last month:)

Sew the 1" x 2" plaid on 

top of the trailer window square.

Use a 1/4" seam allowance 

and press seam open.

Now pin on the traced interfacing like this.

Sew and trim.

Now your window blind is sewn in!

These two appliqué pieces 

each have one cleavage clip:)

After all is sewn...

clip the interfacing...

turn...shape and press.

Now onto preparing for appliqué!

***NOTE***

Because this is a rectangle block...

I had you cut it the exact size needed for sewing into the quilt.

If you are worried about fraying the edges during the appliqué process...

you can (carefully) use a little Fray Check on the very edges.

I did not use it on any of my blocks

 in this quilt but I have used it before:)

Start on the left side by pinning and placing the trailer like this:)

Add the door...the window...the tire pieces.

I did embroidery first....

except for the french knots 

on the bottom of the blind because 

I didn't know that's

 what I was going to do yet:)

Cute trailer!!

Now place and pin the front

 and bed of the truck like this.

Add the Cayenne bias strip on the bottom. 

Don't forget to glue 

the edges under

 like I showed you during week one.

Add the pieces behind the tires

and then the tires on top.

Place the window...do all embroidery first.

Cute truck!!!

Place and pin the banner here.

Add the Riley Gray bias strip 

to the bottom of the banner 

 and then hook the 

truck and trailer together:)

YaY!!!

Let's get the dog in

 the back for a fun ride!

Embroider his face using 

the pattern on 

page 9 of the 

Sew Along Guide:)

Press and glue the ends 

of the bias strips under.

Glue baste each of them into place.

You can trim some of the 

tucked under dog body 

off if you want:)

Now it's time for appliqué!!

Your block should measure 8 1/2" x 20 1/2"

 before and after appliqué...

 and will be ready to sew into the quilt without trimming:)

YaY!!!

I loved preparing this happy block:)

Let's "move on" to the buttons!

You can decide when you sew on the buttons...

either before or after quilting.

It really depends on how

 you will quilt it

 or what your quilters preference is.

I sewed mine on before:)

I sewed a button on for the doggies ID tag:)

***NOTE***

The 3 buttons in this block came from the 

Cute Little Buttons

 Jar #1 (red lid)

This jar contains 400 buttons 

that are 

all the same style but

 different colors and sizes.

I also used the new

Cute Little Buttons Jar #2 

(aqua lid)

in several blocks that 

we haven't done yet.

This jar has 500 buttons and new shapes 

(styled after vintage buttons 

from my collection) 

 from my and new colors that 

match all of the 

additional colors in my 

Bee Basics fabrics

 that aren't in jar #1.

Jar #3 (Pink Lid)

is now available as well...

And has even more 

vintage shapes and colors:)

These are embellishments 

that I think 

make the quilt even cuter...

but of course...

 are your choice to use or not:)

YaY!

Applique and embroidery completed

 on the Truck and Trailer...

buttons are on...

now lets do the 

Bee Happy Block!

Cut your strips 5/8" wide  

ON THE BIAS

Start with 7-8 strips and 

you can always cut more if needed:)

All you need for this block 

are your strips and your background 

(cut 4 1/2" x 20 1/2")

Center and trace the pattern

 from pages 21...22 and 23 

onto your background fabric.

Just trace one thin line 

down the center of each letter

 like my photo above. 

Your Sue Daley Glue and the 

1/4" bias tape maker 

are your best friends

 for making the letters

 and is surprisingly a lot easier

 than you may think!

Run your strips through the maker. 

Remember that you can 

press each strip 

into a curve when needed...

just like I showed you

 in the video tutorial 

during week one.

Many of the strips need to stay straight...

even though you cut them on the bias:)

When glue basting...

be careful to keep your background 

nice and flat...

and use small dots of glue

directly

 on the marked line 

so that it stays in the 

center of the bias strip...

making the edges easy to

 appliqué by hand or machine.

I've taken LOTS and LOTS 

of step by step photos 

to show you how I make my letters...

scroll down to see each step:)

YaY!

It's all ready for appliqué ) 

I used a button from Jar #1 

do dot the exclamation point.

Your block should still measure

 4 1/2" x 20 1/2"

 and will not need to be trimmed

 before sewing into the quilt.

Bee Happy!!

Next week we will 

start on row 3 tutorials:)

xx

Lori