Thursday, December 24, 2009

My First Row Robin








I recently signed up to participate in "Row Robin" with other guild members. I have not done my row yet but I did have a team member's row to add to, so I stared there.
I have never done one of these before but I saw it as a great way to challenge myself and try some new techniques, not to mention reducing my ever growing pile of scraps. I am fairly sure that the owner of this row does not check my blog so she won't get a sneak peak. I knew right off that I would have to get creative cause her row measures 37 3/4" meaning that standard block sizes were just not going to work

She provided me with the applique Pumpkin/sunflower row and I have added the bees.

I adapted the bees from a Fon's and Porter's pattern called Bee Bop. I started out doing raw edge applique but part way through I thought it would be neat if the bee was a little more "plump" so I made one of them using an applique method that involves some extra batting and a dryer sheet.

I pressed the freezer paper to the right side of my "bee" stripe, laid a dryer sheet over top, and then stitched very close to the freezer paper all around. Next I trimmed the piece, clipping the outer edge and made a slit in the center of the dryer sheet. Turned it right side out and to get the bee to really pop, I stuffed it with a layer of polyester batting. Once the blocks were all sewn together I hand appliqued the fluffy bee in place, then added the antennae and stingers with a Micron pen.

I need to have my own row ready to pass on to a team member for the second week in January, so I guess I had better give some thought to what it will look like.

13 comments:

helen-mary said...

Those bees are just too cute! Excellent job - she will love it.

Anonymous said...

Darling....puffy bees are perfect!

Mary-Kay said...

Very cool!

Sherri said...

Very clever way to do those Bees! That is an awesome collection of trivets too! Your CPP looks like it should just jump off the page and onto the wall with the others. :)

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Delightful!!
That certainly qualifies for the term, "The Bee's Knees"!!! I love the little fat bees; they add so much to the design. (of course, I'm the one picking up and holding bees in the garden in the summer....)
Bravo---a great addition!

XXOO!!
Anne

Debra Dixon said...

The bees are perfect!!

Diane J. Evans said...

Too clever, Jill -- I love the checked fabric for the wings, too. The idea of a Row Robin sounds better than a Round Robin -- each person does the same amount of designing this way?
Diane

comicbooklady said...

bee-utiful!

Anonymous said...

I love the bees

Clare Wassermann said...

love those poppin' bees

Sharon said...

Love your little plump bees with their checked wings! Just delightful.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for YOUR row!

Have a Happy New Year!

Quilter Kathy said...

Adorable! I really enjoyed round robins in the past.
This one is really cool!
What are you going to make?!?!

Jacqui's Quilts said...

Love the 'fluffy' bee :-)! Very cute.

Copyright Jill Buckley