Monday, September 25, 2017

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




Monday, September 18, 2017

Bee Happy Sew Along - Week Four!!


Hello again:)
It's time for another episode of the 



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 
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 
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 

This jar contains 400 buttons 
that are 
all the same style but
 different colors and sizes.


I also used the new
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.


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