Pick Five Monday: Heather's Nautical edition

Happy Monday! This week's Pick Five Monday was written by the adorable Heather from June {Vintage}. She's got some wonderful picks in a great theme. Thanks, Heather!

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Hello! I am Heather from over at June {Vintage} and am excited to share five favorites for this week's Pick Five Monday. I {occasionally} run a vintage store on Etsy when I am not busy being a full-time mom to a 3.5 year old ball of energy and a foster mom to some amazing kids. I used to be a police detective but you can now find me hiding out in thrift stores and behind the lens of my camera. I have been head over heels in love with a sailor for more than a decade-which is why this week's favorites are hitting the high seas!

Pick 1: So many things to love about this: the colors of the water + sun...the fussy cut fabric..the patchwork sailboat... so cute!

(credit: PatchworkDuck)


Pick 2: The charcoal with the rich colors of Plume fabric line by Tula Pink provide a perfect color palette to the simple "sails" on this square quilt. There is a lot of nautical themed items out there, particularly for little boys. If we ever have a girl, this option would be a great nursery addition!



(credit: teaginny)


Pick 3: I love the more traditional repetition of the sailboat pattern on this quilt (it is very similar to a vintage sailboat quilt that I have that was my husband's grandfather's-who was also in the Navy!) However, with the modern fabrics (polka dots!) and the very popular use of a rainbow color arrangement, this quilt is what makes quilting so amazing: a perfect balance of traditional and modern.



(credit: BlueElephantStitches)


Pick 4: Applique, tiny scraps, free motion quilting and one of my new favorite fabric lines (Urban Chik's Dream On): perfection! This isn't a traditional quilt block, but the quilter {Aneela Hoey} made it into a mini-quilt and it is a great combination of some of the most popular modern quilting aspects happening right now...


(credit: Aneela Hoey)


Pick 5: All good sailors use the stars to navigate the vast ocean! Amanda (MrsMcPorkChop) put together this amazing paper-pieced star pattern with fussy cut mermaids...I love, love, love the pop of color on the "horizon" in the corners!



(credit: mrsmcporkchop)

Thank you Erin for letting me share some of my favorites this week...it sure had me dreaming of salty summer air on this cold, winter day!

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Pick Five Monday is a weekly column on the Quilting Bee Blocks blog featuring five of my favorite bee blocks from our Flickr pool. I am currently scheduling guest posters for 2011 to pick five of their favorite blocks and write a post telling us why. Email me for more information on how you can write one!

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Pick Five Monday: Alexandras Desaturated edition

Note: Sorry for the delay in this week's PFM post! Technical issues have been plaguing me all week! ;]

This week's Pick Five Monday is pretty much the opposite of last week. Alexandra picked some beautiful blocks, but they're far from the bright beauties we had last week! But isn't that the great thing about quilts and quilting bee blocks - you can pretty much find any type to suit your mood at any given time? These desaturated blocks are gorgeous in their own right! Thanks to my friend Alexandra for taking the time to write a guest post for us this week. You can visit her at her Flickr page: asquared(w) or blog: a2(w).

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My theme is "desaturated". I normally LOVE really bright pops of color, but I'm feeling a change toward something less vibrant and more warm and muddied. Perhaps it could be because I am tired of all the sun out here in the desert and long for some gloomy days!

1: I love how that background of each block is made of different taupey fabric and that the stars colors are toned down.

(credit: Patchwork Pottery)

2: I love the mix of different creamy neutrals. There is a pop of color, but it is not a vibrant turquoise.


(credit: The Quilt Engineer)

3: I totally missed the boat on Arcadia! I'll have to scour Etsy to get some! This block has a nice balance of browns/neutrals and colors that blend and pop at the same time.


(credit: Love Old Houses)

4. This block uses a gray instead of brown, but it's a creamy gray rather than a bright gray. The pops of dull pinks and greens really add interest to the block without needing to be blindingly bright.


(credit: maripenquiltmom)

5: This last block is stunning and brilliant. The light blues used give the impression of sun washing through the bottles and fading the color. There's a vintage, tea-stained look to the background fabrics, dulling down the colors as well.


(credit: lucyellen06)


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Pick Five Monday is a weekly column on the Quilting Bee Blocks blog featuring five of my favorite bee blocks from our Flickr pool. I am currently scheduling guest posters for 2011 to pick five of their favorite blocks and write a post telling us why. Email me for more information on how you can write one!

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Pick Five Monday: Mellow Yellow edition

I am not a big yellow fan but lately it has been growing on me. Maybe it has something to do with missing the big yellow thing that hangs out in the sky?? I don't care if it doesn't snow where you live - it's still wintertime (at least in the Northern hemisphere!) and the days are shorter meaning less sun. Here's five yellow blocks to help bring some sunshine to your Monday!

Some pretty yellow and white blocks for the do. Good Stitches bee:

(credit: spottedstonestudio)

Yellow can even be cheery when paired with grey, in this gorgeous block for the Scrappy Quilting Bee:


(credit: nichole.pyle)

Yellow is the focus of this cute block with a tiny little pinwheel center, for the Snip. Sew. Send. bee:


(credit: Lula Dahl)

More yellow and white in this stunning block, again for the do. Good Stitches bee:


(credit: Little Miss Shabby)

And finally yellow takes center stage in this very cool zig zag strip block for the New Kid on the Block Quilting Bee:


(credit: Amy loves Bud)

Hope these yellow blocks brighten up the start of your week!

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Pick Five Monday: Melinda's So Pretty They Hurt edition

This is a going to be a quick intro to Pick Five Monday but it doesn't mean that the picks are any less amazing (just means I'm really busy this week lining up sponsors & teachers for The Sewing Summit)! Melinda really picked the cream of the crop with these blocks, they're all lovely, and she has great things to say about them! Thanks for guest posting, Melinda!

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Hi, I'm Melinda, otherwise known as quirkygranolagirl on flickr and my blog: quirky granola girl.

I currently participate in the 3x6 Sampler Mini Bee where I am also a beehive caretaker.
I'm the admin for the May 2009 Moms Bee and I am in the Sew Buzzy Bee and It's Sew Easy Bee-ing Green Bee.

It took me a l-o-n-g time to sort through my flickr favorites to pick only 5 blocks. In the end, I decided to go with the blocks are so pretty, they hurt. I think you know the feeling. You click on the next image and suddenly your breath catches in your throat and looking at it makes your chest ache a little. Then you continue to stare at it with your jaw open, listening to your heartbeat in your ears. After a minute, you finally shake your head and then look closer as the gears turn in your head to figure out how she or he did it.

(credit: cce181)

I love the rows of peas in the garden and the bushes next to the house and the sidewalk with the bunnies, but mostly, I love how the bright siding of the house jumps out at you from the muted colors of the yard. That, and the adorable chimney. So stinking cute.


(credit: badskirt)

I think everyone can agree that the piecing is absolutely stunning on this block. The points, the curves, the white border, the print colors.....and the cherry on top is that yellow stripe fabric. That is just too perfect.


(credit: Lilys Quilts)

I want to come up with clever words to describe this block, but quoting the comments for this block seems more effective: "pure genius"...."superterrifically talented"...."mind-bendingly incredible."


(credit: sewtakeahike)

I *love* Penny's ice cream blocks. she made 6 for the 3x6 bee and my breath caught with each one of them. But this block....this was the one that convinced me that maybe someday I'd use purple fabric and not just tolerate it. I could *love* purple fabric in a block like this.


(credit: ayumills)

I've tried to put together a sentence about this block for 30 minutes and words can't convey how drop dead amazing it is. Quilting is a visual art and you just have to see this block to believe it.

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Pick Five Monday is a weekly column on the Quilting Bee Blocks blog featuring five of my favorite bee blocks from our Flickr pool. I am currently scheduling guest posters for 2011 to pick five of their favorite blocks and write a post telling us why. Email me for more information on how you can write one!

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Pick Five Monday: Geese Geese Geese edition

Happy 2011 everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday break .... I definitely did! The past few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind of parties, food, presents, naps, movies, and lots of fun with my two little boys. I even got a little sewing in!

I've had geese on the brain a lot lately --- I've been finishing up a mini quilt using some flying geese and I'm considering a bunch of different geese blocks for my hive for the 1st quarter in the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee. Here's my five favorite geese blocks for this week's Pick Five Monday: Geese Geese Geese edition! :]

A pretty rainbow pyramid of geese made for the Australasian Bee.

(photo credit: Whippet Good)


Polka dots and solids for Bee Outside the Box.




(photo credit: stitches&scissors)


Big double geese made for Sew Buzzy:




(photo credit: patchwork queen)


A gorgeous picture of an even gorgeous-er circle of flying geese block made for One Shiny Bee:




(photo credit: JulieFrick)


A great color scheme on this simply pretty block made for Sew Buzzy:




(photo credit: quirky granola girl)

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Pick Five Monday is a weekly column on the Quilting Bee Blocks blog featuring five of my favorite bee blocks from our Flickr pool. I am currently scheduling guest posters for 2011 to pick five of their favorite blocks and write a post telling us why. Email me for more information on how you can write one!

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Pick Five Monday: Christmas edition

Being it's the week of Christmas I couldn't let the opportunity pass by without featuring some great Christmas blocks for this week's Pick Five Monday! All these blocks were actually found in the Putting the Bee in Christmas Virtual Quilting Bee, which was a small, shorter duration bee that was held this past year in order to make some Christmas quilts for the bee members. What a great idea -- and they had some beautiful blocks being sewn! Make sure to check out their group on Flickr to see more awesome blocks and some of the Christmas quilts they've put together so far. Here's my 5 favorite blocks this week:

This tree with the little tree skirt underneath it is just darling!

(credit: wright_cherie)

I am just in awe of the dresden plate block anywhere I see it, and this beautiful block is no exception.

(credit: traceyjay)

A neat circle block with such pretty fabrics:

(credit: KarrieLyne)

Love how Natalia layered these trees!

(credit: Natalia @ Piece N Quilt)

The fussy-cut snowmen in this gorgeous block are darling!

(credit: AllieKatmom)

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not - I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and that maybe you even get a little time to yourself to sew -- would it be a Christmas miracle in your house?!  I know it would be in mine.  :]

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Pick Five Monday is a feature I do every week on this blog to feature five of my favorite bee blocks from our Flickr pool.  I am currently scheduling guest posters for 2011 to pick five of their favorite blocks and write a post telling us why.  Email me if you'd like to write one!  

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Pick Five Monday: Corey's Perfectly Pieced edition

I've been wanting Corey to do a Pick Five Monday for awhile now because she's got a sharp eye for detail and a great style - so I knew she'd put together an amazing collection of blocks. Plus, she's pretty much a superstar of quilting bees - check out all the different bees and swaps she's involved in! Thanks, Corey, for your picks!

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About me:

Blog: Little Miss Shabby

Bees that I am currently or was in: A Quilting Journey Round Robin Bee, Quilting Divas-An 8 Week-Modern Sampler Bee, Red and Aqua Bee, Three by Six Sampler Quilt Mini Bee, Sew New to Me Virtual Quilting Bee, Scraptastic Quilting Bee, Hip To Bee Square, Ringo Pie, do. Good Stitches

Bees that I admin: Bee Hexed In

I also participate in several swaps: {Handsome} Hexies-The Swap, Scrappy Pincushion Swap, Pillow Talk {Swap}

Beautifully Pieced Blocks

I love looking at new blocks as they pop up on the Quilting Bee Blocks photostream. I am most often drawn to the blocks with saturated color as well as blocks that are pieced beautifully--with all of the corners lining up and all of the points meeting where they should. I learned traditional piecing long before I learned (or even heard of) anything wonky. I find, for myself, the patience and attention to detail involved in traditional piecing to be very rewarding. I love opening up a block just after sewing a seam and seeing everything match up perfectly.

(credit: Rachel-B)

This block made by Rachel-B for the Modern Tradition Quilt Bee really combines my favorites--beautiful piecing & bright colors. There are even some fussy cut martians in there. This block is definitely on my list of to-dos!




(credit: burntfingers)

This block by burntfingers for Bee Addicted is another one that immediately caught my eye. Check out all of those perfect pinwheel centers. And I love that bright pop of pink in the center.




(credit: Mle BB)

Another block that had me hitting the "Add to Favorites" button right away was this block by Mle BB for Bee Crazy. In my opinion you can never go wrong with lots of perfectly pieced tiny pieces. I love all of the bright colors and the movement throughout the block is just divine.




(credit: fissiett)

Fissiett made this block for the Eurovision Quilters. I really like the composition of the 1/2 square triangles--she has created such a striking block. This is another block with bright fabrics set against a solid background with wonderful piecing--no triangle points missing here! =)




(credit: flossyblossy)

And lastly, this little beauty made by flossyblossy for the Quilt Around the World Bee. This block combines great piecing with another one of my favorites, applique. The dresden plate is certainly a more traditional block but Brioni has updated it with fun bright colors. I just love this fun block!

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Pick Five Monday: Jennifer's Tree edition

We've had a lot of new visitors here over the past few days thanks to a shout out on the Stash Manicure blog (thanks Vicki!!). If you're new here -- welcome! Pick Five Monday is an article we do once a week where I or a guest poster picks five quilting bee blocks from our Flickr pool to feature! It's a great way to highlight some of the blocks you might have missed since there's literally thousands in our Flickr group. You can see all the previous Pick Five Monday articles here. This week's guest poster is Jennifer - I'll let her do her thing!!

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Hi everyone! I'm Jennifer and I blog at CraftyJennifer. I am currently participating in my first bee, the Coast 2 Coast Block Party (we also have a blog here). When I signed up to do a Pick 5 Monday, I figured I'd pick a theme and then find some fantastic blocks to feature. What I didn't count on was that it would be so hard to pick just five! You are all making such fantastic blocks!

My theme is TREES!

(credit: jrcraft for the Common Threads Bee)
I love this little tree house, especially the "No Boys Allowed" sign. This would be a really fun addition to someone's neighborhood quilt.




(credit: kelp! for the One Shiny Bee)
I love how simple and yet complex this block is. She used different blues and greens and the same triangle over and over to make a block that features trees in different sizes and different fun patterns. Such a fun little forest.




(credit: by threekitchenfairies for the Quilt Around the World Christmas bee)
I just love that little bird on top of the Christmas tree. It's like the little partridge in a pear tree. I love the little touches like this, a little embroidery to go with a quilting bee block adds just a little something extra.




(credit: by Little Miss Shabby for Hip to Bee Square)
I love, love, love those little owls! What's a tree without a bird, owl or some sort of creature. I love the shape of the tree trunk as well but I love how the colors of the leaves coordinate with the owls. OK, I have a thing for owls so I couldn't NOT include a tree with owls.




(credit: by Tweedledee Designs for the Bee Modern Too bee)
My name is Jennifer and I am obsessed with gnomes. I need to join Gnome-aholics Annonymous. When I saw this gnome with its overgrown wonky mushrooms (yes, technically not trees but it still works with my theme) I nearly died. And check out the fabric on the gnome's hat. Tiny little trucks!

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Thanks so much, Jennifer! I'm with you - I LOVE that little gnome! I'm currently scheduling Pick Five Monday's through the end of the year and need more guest posters - so if you're interested, email me!

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Pick Five Monday: Jeni's Colorful edition

This weeks Pick Five Monday was done by the always darling JeniB. Jeni's blog, In Color Order, is one of the most cheerful on the internet, and if you don't read it, you must start immediately! (Check out her cute bunny, George!) Here's the blocks that Jeni picked for us and what she had to say about each one of them:

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Flickr Name: jenib320

Blog: In Color Order

I currently participate in the [3 x 6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee where I am also a beehive caretaker. I am in the {Modern 12} Bee and just got involved in do. Good Stitches {a Charity Bee}.

Here are my five current favorite quilting bee blocks! :)

(credit: Zonnah's Addictions)

I love the beautiful circle of geese blocks that everyone has been making and this take on that concept really blows me away! A circle of wonky stars? Love it!

(credit: ktelschow)

I love everything about this block, the colors, the style, the fabrics! I am a sucker for warm colors, so this block is right up my alley. Add in that cute selvedge, and I'm sold!




(credit: sewgirly!)

When I'm not sewing with quilting cottons, I'm sewing with vintage sheets, so I really love this block! The sheets in this piece are amazing, and the wonky style suits them perfectly!




(credit: Tweedledee Designs)

This is a simple block in comparison to my other choices, but I'm constantly coming back to it. The colors are fantastic and I really love the mini log cabin inside the star, a very cool twist!




(credit: give.it.a.go)

I really admire this block! It's a really great take on the spiderweb block. Love the colors and mix of fabrics, it's busy but really fun!

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Thanks so much, Jeni!

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Pick Five Monday: Katie Jump Rope edition

It's no secret that Katie Jump Rope by Denyse Schmidt is my favorite fabric line, ever. There is nothing more cheerful than a big stack of that happy, bright, fun fabric. I am pretty close to having a little bit of each of the prints (a full set!) and if I'm having a downer day I can always count on that fabric to cheer me up - just walking in my sewing room to look at it makes me happy. Is that silly? Does fabric make your day brighter, too?

If you don't believe me that this is some of the happiest fabric around - take a look at these five blocks I found that feature Katie Jump Rope. (This was SO hard to narrow down to five - there's a ton of great blocks featuring this fabric!)

(If you're new here -- welcome! Pick Five Monday is an article we do once a week where I or a guest poster picks five quilting bee blocks from our Flickr pool to feature!)

Amy made this dutch pinwheel block for the Around the Block quilting bee.

Heather made this log cabin with that darling fox in the middle for the Bee-autiful Bee.

Kristena used lots of those pretty daisies in this cute block for Twelve Squared.

Melissa made this orange and yellow beauty for the Sweet Dreams Quilting Bee.

And Angela made these blocks trying to decide if she wanted to use them for her month in the Bee-autiful Quilting Bee.

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You may have noticed posting has been kind of sparse around here lately. The end of summer / beginning of the school year hit me like a ton of bricks and I've been completely overwhelmed. I always hate when people say "I've been working on things I can't talk about right now" but I now find myself having to say that too! But you won't have to wait very long -- watch for a post later today with a BIG, FUN announcement!

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