Sisters Quilt Block Challenge

I was on the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show site a couple of months ago, its a show I would like to go to one day.  All those quilts hanging from buildings, fences, windows, scrumptious viewing!  I noticed there were a couple of challenges, and one I decided I could handle.  The Westminster Fibers Quilt Block Challenge.  I bought the little kit, and in it were these 4 fabrics plus one more, you are limited to these fabrics to make a block, no additions, but you can take away.  I then promptly forgot all about the block challenge and the little kit I paid for.  I was doing some cleaning this weekend in the sewing room and came across the packet, just in time as the challenge block was due June 15.  

So, my idea was to make an owl on the block, machine applique, which was permitted as well as embellishments.  Because, really, these fabrics together?  It was a challenge to figure out how  time they could all go together,  I'm sure once I see all the other challenge blocks, I'll go, yeah, why couldn't I think of that?  Now, does this block look like an owl?  My idea morphed (see my previous post  about bee blocks morphing while in progress).  It was the fabric at the top of this elephant, while I was playing around with the fabrics, the curve reminded me of an elephants back.  My owl is now an elephant.  

Some fusing, some stitching, some embellishments, do I think the elephant is wearing a gold medal?  Or is it reins for a circus?  Maybe a fashionista elephant with a necklace?  I don't know, it is up to the viewer.  The block is 9 1/2" square.  The block won't be returned unless I'm a finalist and  I'm not sure if I'll know if I'm a finalist or not.  You didn't submit your phone # or email, just your address.  

I'm not expecting much from this block contest (I am keeping my fingers crossed, though), but I participated and that was the part that was important to me.  Too often I see challenges and contests, and I know it is something I can do, but I procrastinate (see above) and end up not having enough time to get my challenge finished.  This time I feel good about myself for being part of the event, even if I can't actually be there.    

Bee Blocks That Torture Me

I've been in too many to count a few Bees on Flickr now, and I am not an inexperienced quilter.  But there are Bee Blocks that just stump me.  IT IS NOT YOU - it is me, 100%.  Take this block for example.  I saw many blocks made by me Bee Mates, they did it, they even made two, I should be able to do it. There was a tutorial with lots of pictures.  I must have seam ripped this block enough times to shred the fabric.  It is a gorgeous block, I have conquered it, I will never make another because I want to stay sane and live to sew another day.  If someone else picks this block, the fabrics are going straight back.  

And this one, Easy-Peasy, loads of people pick it, there is a very good tutorial.  This is mine after I used up all most of the Queen Bee's fabrics and had to dig around to find ones that were the same/similar to use for her actual block.  I love a challenge, I want to make blocks I have never made before, I want to think outside the box.  These blocks pull me back down to Earth, I make mistakes, leagues of mistakes.  

This was my second or third attempt at this block, see any difference?  Yeah, this one was the block high on bath salts.  I also cut it wrong. Twice.  I can now actually construct this block without mistakes, so feel free to chose this one.  I actually kinda like it now.  

I love my Bees, and I love having freedom to improv the block.  But when someone says, I would like a circle and a vespa in my block, I'm like Yay!  I love this block,  and then it takes me two months to come up with an idea that sticks.  It was a good idea, and I had fun putting this together, but when you just hand over the reins, I go through forty-seven ideas before I can settle on one, and then it usually changes while I'm working on your block, so the block takes me an extra two days, when I post I'm working on your block tonight -that means and the next night and the next night.  Again, this isn't you, it is me, my slow thought process, so if you say, oh,  you just pick something fun, your block will may be late, and there may be crying and a bit of head banging on wall involved.  

OMG, this gorgeous Christmas Tree, she probably wanted it before the next Christmas.  

And here we are at another late Bee Block.  Again great tutorial, I was able to use my own fabrics, I am an excellent piecer/ block maker, and the seam ripper is my friend.  

I made these sections three different times not keeping the fabrics the same in the chevron rows.  Three completely and totally different times.  I threw my rotary cutter at the wall.  Twice.  In my mind anyway, not for real, because I know I will really need the rotary later and my husband would go into convulsions if there were dents in the walls.  (those mini's are good for something, just saying.)  So, if you are screwing up your bee blocks, you are not alone.  I find that after screwing up a block twice, it is best to just turn the machine and iron off and walk away for awhile, sometimes a couple of days or a week.  And then when you come back, you can smile and not through gritted teeth at that pile of fabrics, and push them to the bottom of the Bee blocks pile and make someone a four patch.