~ Save the Bees BOM #5 ~ 2 GIVEAWAYS! ~

***Giveaway Closed***
This month it's all about finishing your Save the Bee's BOM.  After watching so many creative quilters come up with some amazing block ideas, I can't wait to see how everyone will finish their quilts.   Watching these inspiring quilters post their creations in the Facebook group Sew Quilty Friends is one of my favorite things to at the end of my day. That's what I love about Jacquelynne's yearly BOM, she encourages everyone to be creative. Follow her pattern exactly or by all means dress it up however you like, there's no rules!   Every month a block is published with several different options, a pieced or applique quilt block, an embroidery block or a plain block using our favorite fabric.  You're really getting several quilts with one BOM.   Don't forget to visit Jacquelynne's blog today to see her creative ideas for finishing up the BOM.

This year instead of making a large quilt my blocks each month were turned into mini quilts that will added to the mini quilt wall in my studio or new office.  With each block I tried to think outside the box by adding unique little touches to make them my own.  Block 1 I stuck exactly to the pattern as written but I did tons of fussy cutting to give the block a whimsy feel.

Block 2 was also made exactly as written.  Normally when I do applique I like for my thread to blend into a project.  With this block I decide go a little thread crazy and use a thread that was a few shades darker.  This makes the applique really pop out off the quilt. 

Block 3....Well.......I just jumped off the rails and did my own thing when I stumble across a cute panel print quite by accident.  The colors blended well with the previous blocks and it looks like I spent hours paper piecing hexies.  

Block 4......Since I jumped way off track last month, why not just get a little crazy, go wild and have fun designing my Baby Buzzy.   Baby Buzzy is FREE for you to use in your quilt.  You can find the templates and a description on how I made my Baby Buzzy mini quilt by clicking here.  Or you can download the templates in my Craftsy shop.

During this BOM I also designed a cute little pin cushion.  The pattern is FREE in my Craftsy shop.  You can read more about the pin cushion here.

For more chances to win, visit each of the blog listed below!  Each blog has there own set of rules for entering so read them carefully!

The Crafty Quilter

Podunk Pretties  - you are here

The Quilting Nook

The Sewing Loft

Flamingo Toes

Kathy's Quilts

Freemotion by the River

A Quilting Life

This month there's two giveaways.  One for U.S residents and one for International residents.  Both giveaways are being sponsored by Sarah J. Maxwell and Studio 37.  The U.S. winner will receive  a Fat quarter bundle of Pretty Little Posies and International winner will receive a bundle of printed patterns.

1.  One prize per person per month- you can't win on my blog and on another blog in the same month.

2.  You must enter by the end of the day December 9th.

3.  Winner will be chosen at Random, and must reply to the email within 24 hrs or a new winner will be chosen....NO EXCEPTIONS

4.  To enter on this blog you must do one or all of the following.  The more you complete the more chances you have to win.  Each is counted as one entry.

      - Like my Facebook page....click here = 1 giveaway entry

      - Follow my Facebook page = 1 giveaway entry

      - leave a comment below. + 1 giveaway entry....you don't need to go to Facebook to be entered.  In the same comment let me know if you did either or both of the previous entries on Facebook. Make sure I have a way to contact you by email, If you're unsure just leave your email in the comments.  After the giveaway has ended and the winner has been contacted I will erase all comments on this giveaway blog post.

 

I'd like to thank all you for visiting my blog over the last few months. I've enjoyed each comment and watching your creative minds make some amazing blocks.  I hope the end of this BOM does not mean this is the end of our time together.  Hopefully this was the start of many new friendships for years to come.  You're Welcome in Podunk anytime!  I'm looking forward to our visits and sharing our love of quilting together.  

#SaveTheBeesQuilt #SaveTheBeesBom #JacquelynneSteves #quiltalong #beequilt #podunkpretties

Pin It

~ Save the Bees ~ Block 4 ~ GIVEAWAY ~

Hello Sweet Friends!  Today I'm BUZZING with excitement, I can't wait to share my cute Block 4 of the FREE Save the Bees BOM by Jacquelynne Steves.  If this is the first you've heard of this BOM you can find all the details over at Jacquelynne's blog by CLICKING HERE.

The block for this month is the adorable bumble bee block in the bottom right corner of the image above.  I've been using the blocks to make small wall hangings for my mini quilts wall using only scraps from my Lakehouse Drygoods scrap bin.  Well I'm still working from those scraps but I'm adding other fabrics also.  With Jacquelynne's BOM's she always has several options for making the blocks.  Embroidery, applique or a plain block to showcase your favorite fabric.   She also encourages creativity and making the quilt your own. With each block I've tried to do something a little different.  Fussy cutting, different applique method or color placements.

So I wanted to keep the creativity going with Block 4.   Meet Baby Buzzy!

This sweet little wall hanging uses the directions from the pattern for a plain fabric block.  Then I added Baby Buzzy.  The idea came from these yellow and black 1" x 3" scraps.   

Card stock was used for my templates and a light box to trace my shapes.  A little bit of basting spray on the back of the template after is was cut held it in place while I cut the fabric.

The basting spray held my template in place while cutting and folding over the edges with starch and and iron.

The light box was used again to trace the face onto Buzzy.  He was so cute I had to make 2!  A little tip for turned edge applique:  Use applique basting glue or washable school glue to hold the pieces together before adding them to the background fabric.  I used washable school glue, just a few tiny drops and then I held them in place for about 20 seconds.  No iron is needed, unless you don't want to wait 20 seconds.

As with my previous blocks in this BOM gray thread and a small machine blanket stitch was used to hold the applique in place.  The antenna, face and flight lines were also machine stitches.

These two little Bug-gers look like they are having a good time collecting honey in Lakehouse Garden.

I'm sure you noticed the print out for Buzzy in the pictures above.   It's my FREE gift to you for visiting and following along in the fun.  Download and print it by clicking here. 

Don't forget to share your Save the Bees blocks once they are finished.  You can do that in the SewQuilty Facebook Group.  

If your posting on your own Facebook feed or other social media sites, Make sure to use #SaveTheBeesQuilt and #SaveTheBeesBOM.

This months Giveaway is sponsored by Olfa.  I only use Olfa rotary cutters. The first one I bought is still in use today even though I own 6.  What can I say...I love the new colors!  In the last year they have came out with new cutting mat colors.....SO CUTE!  Hop on over to Olfa  to view all their awesome products.   The image below shows what you COULD win.  Prizes may vary for each winner.  

Make sure you visit all the blogs participating in this blog hop for more chances to win.  

The Crafty Quilter

Podunk Pretties  

The Quilting Nook

The Sewing Loft

Flamingo Toes

Kathy's Quilts

Freemotion by the River

A Quilting Life

The rules for the giveaway are simple

1. One prize per person per month.

2.  If you are the winner you will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

3. Enter by the end of the day Sunday, November 11, 2018.

4. A winner will be chosen at Random.

5. All you need to is click the little blue button below at the bottom of this post.  It looks like this but smaller. Add your name and email address, leave all other fields blank. Then click submit.

Leaving a comment in the comments section of this post will not enter you in the giveaway but you can still comment!

 I use this method for the contest so I have a way to contact everyone who enters.  In the past winners could not be contacted.  This ensures you're entered and that your email is not out there for everyone to see.  Only I can see the email address.  I do not share them with anyone or use them for anything other than to contact you if you win.

Thank you for stopping by my little spot in Podunk....Good Luck!

Pin It

~ Save The Bee's ~ Block 3 ~ GIVEAWAY! ~

Hi Happy Quilters! Today I'll be sharing my block 3 for the Save the Bee's FREE Block of the Month.  There's still time to join in the fun if you haven't already.  Each month we also have a giveaway on each featured blog.  Details at the end of this post.

I'm having so much fun making each block into a small wall hanging for my mini's wall in the studio.   You can see my block 1 here and block 2 here.   My plan was to use only scraps from my Lakehouse Drygoods scrap bins.  The hexies were cut and ready. 

Then while online shopping for another project I stumbled upon the the cutest prints at
Janum Fabrics.  
In my defense, Janum has great sales often, and these were all at sweet prices.  The black stripe was the only one needed the rest was impulse buys.  Lecien fabrics play so well with Lakehouse Drygoods so I had to have it!

A little large scale fussy cutting to make the roses fit perfectly.  

There is so much going on in the fabric that very little quilting was needed.  The largest stitch on my sewing machine outlining a few of the hexie's added just the right amount of interest and enough to hold it all together.

Normally on small quilts like this a smaller binding looks great, but I felt the standard size quilt binding would give the wall hanging a nice frame.  The cute little gingham is a Lakehouse Drygoods print from the scrap bin.  The same large stitch on the binding to keep a uniform look.   As many of you know I'm no fabric snob.  If I can put a stitch in it, it can be in my quilts.   From designer fabrics, sheets and clothes to Walmart and Joann fabrics, I'll use them all!  The aqua dots used in the border and backing is from Walmart.  It's a great basic print by Waverly fabrics.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This months giveaway is a box of Aurifil 50 wt. thread, retail value $46.
Hop over to Aurifil. blog for loads of inspiration.

The rules for the giveaway are simple.

1. One prize per person per month ( in other words, the same person cannot win 2 prizes with in one month.)
2. You must enter by the end of the day October 7.
3. Winner is randomly chosen.
4. To enter the giveaway on this blog.  All you need to do is click on the blue button at the end of this post  that says "Add Your Link".  It will look like this but smaller.

 Just add your name and email address.  Leaving all other fields blank.   Your email will not be visible to anyone but me.  Leaving a comment in the comments section of this post will not enter you in the giveaway but you can still comment!  
~ ~ ~ ~

Make sure you visit all the featured talented bloggers.  Each blog is hosting a giveaway with different ways to enter on each blog.  Here's the list of the bloggers participating.

• The Crafty Quilter
• Podunk Pretties (you are here!)
• The Quilting Nook
• The Sewing Loft
• Flamingo Toes
• Kathy's Quilts
• Freemotion by the River
• A Quilting Life

Don't forget to share you blocks once they are finished.  You can do that in the SewQuilty Facebook Group.  

If your posting on your own Facebook feed or other social media sites, Make sure to use #SaveTheBeesQuilt and #SaveTheBeesBOM.

Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

~ Lea Anne ~

Patterns available in my Craftsy and Etsy shops.  

Pin It

~ Save the Bees ~ Block 2 ~ GIVEAWAY! ~

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Happy Monday Sweet Bee Lovers!  I'm super excited to share my Block 2 of the Save the Bees BOM.  Once again my fabrics are from my scrap box of Lakehouse Drygoods.  

This month I thought I would try something a little different with the stitching.  It's not a drastic change but it is out of my comfort zone a little bit.  On block 1, I used gray thread to stitch down and outline the bee.  The rest of block 1 I tried to match the thread to the fabric.  

Block one

This months bee is also outlined in gray.

But this month I decided to use a darker thread for ALL the applique instead of being so matchy-matchy.  The thread I choose for the flower and leaves isn't quite as bold as the gray around the bee but it is darker and stands out a bit more than my usual style.

It really makes the leaves and stems stand out.  All of my stitches are machine stitched.  A tear away sticky stabilizer was used on the back to reduce puckering.  If you don't have stabilizer you can use newspaper, tissue paper or copy paper.  If you have a little quilt basting spray it helps to hold in place but not necessary.

Now for a word of caution.   Even though I know how to make half  rectangles, I still made a biggie mistake.  I had the music blaring, just singing and stitching not paying attention and as soon as I made that first cut it hit me...UGG...I stitched them wrong....BOO-HOO-HOO.  Well at least it was only one cut, I picked out the stitches on the rest. 

If your just finding out about this BOM and would like to join you can find all the information you need to get started over at Jacquelynne's blog by clicking here.  Your blocks can be share on social media using #SaveTheBeesQuilt and #SaveTheBeesBOM  You can also join and share them in the Jacquelynne's Facebook Group here.

The prize for September will be a copy of the Carpenter's Apprentice pattern courtesy of EvaPaige Quilt Designs and Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmers courtesy of New Leaf Stitches.

Make sure you visit all the bloggers for block inspiration and to enter the giveaway on each blog.  That's right you have multiple chances to win this awesome giveaway!  GOOD LUCK!  Open to everyone from everywhere! Giveaway ends September 9th 10 A.M. EDT

 The Crafty Quilter

Podunk Pretties

The Quilting Nook

The Sewing Loft

Flamingo Toes

Kathy's Quilts

Freemotion by the River

A Quilting Life

To enter the giveaway on this blog.  All you need to do is click on the blue button at the end of this post  that says "Add Your Link".  It will look like this but smaller.

Just add your name and email address.  Leaving all other fields blank.   Your email not be visible to anyone but me.   

 Leaving a comment in the comments section of this post will not enter you in the giveaway but you can still comment!  

~ Lea Anne ~

Pin It