Spotted: Fabric Stacks and Mailers

Every month all over the world fabric is carefully picked out, compared, examined, then chopped up, stuffed in envelopes, and posted to locations from Australia to Canada, Europe to the United States.

(photo credit: Ma.rysia)

It's sent with instructions that were carefully thought out, debated, agonized over, fretted upon,


(photo credit: theplaidscottie)

All for making blocks that will be mailed back, ironed, placed, sewn, quilted and bound, washed,


(photo credit: Petitselefants)

Just for creating a quilt that will be admired, displayed, possibly hugged and petted, lovingly used and owned for years and years. All from a little stack of fabric.  Sent all over the world.

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Spotted: Groups of Blocks for the [ 3x6 ] Bee

The [3 x 6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee has to be one of my favorite ideas for a Virtual Quilting Bee yet. After you sign up for the bee you're assigned to a little "hive" of 6 other people. You're only allowed to state three color preferences, and then you make the same block for the 6 other people in your hive in their stated colors. Once all the blocks are mailed back to you, you will have 6 different blocks (hence the "sampler" aspect) in your colors. Isn't that a great idea?

(credit: cbmauro8)

Tiffany does a great job at running this bee smoothly. Right now they're in the middle of the 4th quarter, but you can sign up to join for the 1st quarter of 2011. That's the other great thing about this bee - it's run a quarter at a time, and you're allowed to drop-out / rejoin quarterly.

(credit: Say Yes Juliet)

It's already grown to include over 100 people and is one of the most popular bees on Flickr.  These pictures are all of the 6 different blocks someone made for the 6 different color schemes in their hives.  Tomorrow I'll show you some pictures of the 6 different blocks people got back from their hive in all the different block styles.

(credit: Epban)


(credit: mamaloves2read)


(credit: ktelschow)


(credit: xerxia)


(credit: lindakl)

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Spotted: A Rainbow of Spider & String Blocks

I am loving spiderweb and string blocks lately and thought how pretty they'd be in a rainbow color scheme ... how's this for a gorgeous source of inspiration?

(credit: flossyblossy)


(credit: give.it.a.go)


There's lots of tutorials for spiderweb blocks:
spiderweb blocks
spiderweb block - no paper
spiderweb block - paper pieced
spiderweb block - using selvages



(credit: Stitches&Scissors)


(credit: bellaandmolly)


(credit: staarlight)


And for string blocks as well:
block-o-strings tutorial
paper-pieced string block
string quilt block



(credit: Q_uilted T_hrifted)


(credit: asquared(w))


Do you have any other tutorials for these blocks you've used? Are you liking string and spiderweb blocks as much as I am?



(credit: Rachel-B)


(credit: Rachel-B)


(credit: knitterleigh)

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