Book quilt blocks start to arrive home…..

Last week I received back the first two blocks of books from my quilting bee friends.

The first set were craft books from Lynette Russell Designs:

 

I really love how she’s used all the different fabrics to make them look like sewing books. I also appreciate all the lovely embroidery.

 

The second set were cooking books from cce181:

 

There’s some fab embroidery on these books. The initials are the initials of the group member who selected the book.

 

Crystal also made a vase to go on the book shelf which I will post when I’ve added a piece of background fabric to it…didn’t send enough out in my package. I may also add some flowers in the vase…..I’ll see how enthusiastic I’m feeling about doing some embroidery tomorrow.

 

I laid the blocks out to see how they would look together.

 

I think they blend together really well as a shelf of books.

 

Here they are with my block added on…..

Blocks 1 -3 together

 It’s so exciting to see this quilt coming together after all my planning. I’ll let you know when some more blocks get home.

Bee Library Quilt

So April is nearly here and I need to get my quilting bee friends ready to work on my quilting bee month….the Bee Library Quilt. You’ve already seen some embroidery and sneak peaks but this morning I have added a new page to the blog called Bee Library Quilt. In here I will add updates on how the group are getting on with the blocks and pictures of the blocks I receive back. I have also added a page with some guidance on how I put my block together.

I have also got an inspiration gallery in flickr with photos of some amazing book quilts and blocks that I have found out there….they are so creative.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49053002@N02/galleries/72157626051602103/

Sunday sneak peek 2

I have been working on my sample book quilt block….take a look:

Getting stuck into some embroidery…

For the last week we have been working on hand embroidery rather than working at the sewing machine.

Firstly I finished embroidering around the applique of another one of my Aunt Millie’s Garden blocks. You may recall that I fused this block months ago but it seems to have taken forever to blanket stitch around all the pieces…mainly because the surface area of so many pieces added up!

I love the way that blanket stitch raises the applique up and makes it stand out…..

After completing this I started work on preparing for my month in the Sew Buzzy quilting bee. I’ve decided to make a book quilt which includes some embroidery of initials, motifs, book names etc. I’ve asked everyone if they are ok doing a little bit of embroidery – which they are - so I am making some samples for my sample block. I may also post out motifs I have stitched to be incorporated into blocks, just depends how much I can get done before I have to send the packages out to everyone at the end of the month.

I bought two great books called Doodle Stitching and Doodle Stitching the Motif Collection by Aimee Ray. I have taken most of what I have stitched so far from the book but may have a go at some of my own designs aswell.

I have been transferring the designs onto fabric using a disappearing ink pen…which puts the pressure on slightly as I have to remember the lines will disappear after 48 hours!!

I started with some simple motifs and used back stitch to outline them.

Today I have worked on some more complicated motifs but am still just using back stitch, simple straight stitches and french knots.

My favourite motif so far has been a hedgehog. The question is can you guess which book ends I will be using the motifs for?

Cupcake Princess has been very interested in the embroidery I have been doing and this morning started work on her first ever embroidery…

I am so impressed at the completed picture….considering she is 8 and I just helped her with the knots I think it was a great effort.