I was pretty excited when this beautiful fat quarter bundle of Deb Strain's Bee Inspired fabric arrived in my mailbox. And I didn't even have to pay for it. You see, my son Ahren, who lives in Ireland, asked me to make him a quilt, and purchased the fabric for it. He had been inspired by a moody photograph of wheat in a field whipping about in the wind under a stormy sky. (See yesterday's post for that photo). The colors were amber and charcoal, and he felt this collection's color way was a good interpretation of his vision.
The primary colors in the quilt he desired are charcoal/black and amber/honey. This meant that the grays and whites in the line just wouldn't work. Oh darn, I guess I will have to use them in another project. (lol) Also, he was opposed to having any butterfly prints in his quilt. Ok. After removing the grays, whites and butterflies, I was down to about 16 fabrics. Ahren was able to find some additional yardage in Deb Strain's previous bee themed collection, called "Bee Creative". That added another four or five fabrics to the mix.
Ahren decided after much discussion that he liked the simple classic design of the traditional quilt pattern known as "1000 Pyramids". I love that pattern and have always wanted to make a quilt using it. However, I know that a quilt like that needs LOTS of fabrics. 20 or so different fabrics just wouldn't cut it. I raided my stash and came up with more golds and more blacks, for a total of 36 different fabrics, 18 golds, 18 blacks. This means that in each row of 35 fabrics, there will be no repetition.
Once I had all the fabrics assembled, I began starching.
I have become quite addicted to pre starching my fabrics before cutting. The stiffness that results give you the crispest fabrics and super accurate piecing.
I had to share this message on the selvage of the fabric. "BeeLieve in yourself". So sweet. And look at the little lineup of honey bees.
The first step in making the triangle blocks is to cut strips. I chose 4" triangles. Big enough to show off the pretty fabrics, but not so big as to be clunky looking. Therefore I cut my strips 4". After cutting the strips you are ready to go to town with your triangle ruler. I bought the one made by Creative Grids. It is a 60 degree triangle ruler (also called equilateral if you recall your high school geometry). Creative Grids always puts non slip grippers on the underside of their rulers, which in this case are essential in my opinion. You sure don't want that ruler to slip or you will have a triangle that is "off", and that would not be good. There is enough going on here with all the bias edges and trying to match up the points of the triangles as you sew. Mis-cutting your shapes is not an option.
Cutting went pretty fast. I stacked up to five or six strips at a time. As you cut out one set of triangles, you just flip your ruler over and cut the next and so on, down the length of the strip.
I love the idea of being completely random when it comes to sewing pieces together, but in actual fact I just can't do it. It bugs the dickens out of me to have the same fabrics next to each other, so I have to lay out each row next to the row above it before I sew the pieces together to avoid that. Which means, I have triangles spread out on every surface in the sewing room.
I know. It's a bit obsessive. I just can't help it. Even so, I've had a couple of distinctive prints show up kind of close to one another. But at least I am not so bad that I took apart the row to remove the offending triangle! No, I let it stay.
51 responses to “Bee Inspired”
Excellent organization!!! Do you need any more 4″ strips of those colors?
Hugs!
Excellent organization!!! Do you need any more 4″ strips of those colors?
Hugs!
Excellent organization!!! Do you need any more 4″ strips of those colors?
Hugs!
How fun, cant wait to see this start coming together. What kind of starch do you use on your fabric and can you dry the fabric once starched in a dryer?
How fun, cant wait to see this start coming together. What kind of starch do you use on your fabric and can you dry the fabric once starched in a dryer?
How fun, cant wait to see this start coming together. What kind of starch do you use on your fabric and can you dry the fabric once starched in a dryer?
I love scrappy also but am like you and will control it! I know it takes a bit longer but I would be bugged to death to have too many of the same fabrics all grouped near each other when completed. Love this quilt!
I love scrappy also but am like you and will control it! I know it takes a bit longer but I would be bugged to death to have too many of the same fabrics all grouped near each other when completed. Love this quilt!
I love scrappy also but am like you and will control it! I know it takes a bit longer but I would be bugged to death to have too many of the same fabrics all grouped near each other when completed. Love this quilt!
You will love making this. I’ve become a little addicted to tumbler/triangle quilts lately. They are quite fun to make. This will be stunning.
You will love making this. I’ve become a little addicted to tumbler/triangle quilts lately. They are quite fun to make. This will be stunning.
You will love making this. I’ve become a little addicted to tumbler/triangle quilts lately. They are quite fun to make. This will be stunning.
Thanks for writing about the process behind the piecing of this quilt. Hurray for having a stash!
Thanks for writing about the process behind the piecing of this quilt. Hurray for having a stash!
Thanks for writing about the process behind the piecing of this quilt. Hurray for having a stash!
This will be beautiful! I didn’t know about the grippers on Creative Grids rulers. That would be a nice feature. Have fun stitching!
This will be beautiful! I didn’t know about the grippers on Creative Grids rulers. That would be a nice feature. Have fun stitching!
This will be beautiful! I didn’t know about the grippers on Creative Grids rulers. That would be a nice feature. Have fun stitching!
It looks and sounds like you’re having fun!
It looks and sounds like you’re having fun!
It looks and sounds like you’re having fun!
I am loving this quilt!!! Love his color choices too!
I am loving this quilt!!! Love his color choices too!
I am loving this quilt!!! Love his color choices too!
That quilt is going to be beautiful! ‘Controlled scrappy’ is what I like to say about the process! I’m also enjoying the Itty Bitty Eighths Creative Grids rulers for both the 1/8″markings & the built-in grips.
That quilt is going to be beautiful! ‘Controlled scrappy’ is what I like to say about the process! I’m also enjoying the Itty Bitty Eighths Creative Grids rulers for both the 1/8″markings & the built-in grips.
That quilt is going to be beautiful! ‘Controlled scrappy’ is what I like to say about the process! I’m also enjoying the Itty Bitty Eighths Creative Grids rulers for both the 1/8″markings & the built-in grips.
This is awesome! Love that your son is involved in this process.
This is awesome! Love that your son is involved in this process.
This is awesome! Love that your son is involved in this process.
I totally get the organized scrappiness and not-the-same-fabric-touching rule I’m the same (perhaps it’s a quilter thing). Love how your quilt looks so far:-)
I totally get the organized scrappiness and not-the-same-fabric-touching rule I’m the same (perhaps it’s a quilter thing). Love how your quilt looks so far:-)
I totally get the organized scrappiness and not-the-same-fabric-touching rule I’m the same (perhaps it’s a quilter thing). Love how your quilt looks so far:-)
This is really a pretty quilt! I have always found pyramids intimidating but your tips make it look like something I could actually do! After you saturate your fabric with starch and let it dry, you just iron and start cutting?
This is really a pretty quilt! I have always found pyramids intimidating but your tips make it look like something I could actually do! After you saturate your fabric with starch and let it dry, you just iron and start cutting?
This is really a pretty quilt! I have always found pyramids intimidating but your tips make it look like something I could actually do! After you saturate your fabric with starch and let it dry, you just iron and start cutting?
I need to try the starching trick. I use some but not a lot and everyone seems to really like this method. Thanks for the info. Pretty quilt!
Mary
I need to try the starching trick. I use some but not a lot and everyone seems to really like this method. Thanks for the info. Pretty quilt!
Mary
I need to try the starching trick. I use some but not a lot and everyone seems to really like this method. Thanks for the info. Pretty quilt!
Mary
Wow! I’m so in love with this project 😍 Love the mix of the golds with the blacks!
Wow! I’m so in love with this project 😍 Love the mix of the golds with the blacks!
Wow! I’m so in love with this project 😍 Love the mix of the golds with the blacks!
Looking good! This design has been on my “list” for a long time too, I haven’t worked with 60 degree angles yet. I’m going to follow along and pick up tips from you.
Looking good! This design has been on my “list” for a long time too, I haven’t worked with 60 degree angles yet. I’m going to follow along and pick up tips from you.
Looking good! This design has been on my “list” for a long time too, I haven’t worked with 60 degree angles yet. I’m going to follow along and pick up tips from you.
What a dramatic image your son picked for the inspiration for this quilt. And your project is looking great. I am also intrigued by the starching process. Any chance you’ll post for all of us curious people? Or maybe you already have a post you can point us to? It seems like a great idea on this quilt with all those bias edges.
What a dramatic image your son picked for the inspiration for this quilt. And your project is looking great. I am also intrigued by the starching process. Any chance you’ll post for all of us curious people? Or maybe you already have a post you can point us to? It seems like a great idea on this quilt with all those bias edges.
What a dramatic image your son picked for the inspiration for this quilt. And your project is looking great. I am also intrigued by the starching process. Any chance you’ll post for all of us curious people? Or maybe you already have a post you can point us to? It seems like a great idea on this quilt with all those bias edges.
Just a question about Ahren’s quilt. Could you use charm squares for this?
I know one triangle per square-but it’s a baby quilt and I don’t want to spend a fortune on fabric that will be leftover.
Just a question about Ahren’s quilt. Could you use charm squares for this?
I know one triangle per square-but it’s a baby quilt and I don’t want to spend a fortune on fabric that will be leftover.
Just a question about Ahren’s quilt. Could you use charm squares for this?
I know one triangle per square-but it’s a baby quilt and I don’t want to spend a fortune on fabric that will be leftover.