Bee Happy Rows 2 and 3

Adding a Patchsmithian touch to the Bee Happy Quilt

It is time for an update on the Bee Happy sew-along quilt.  If you remember I had got part way through Row 2.   Since then I have taken a few shortcuts to finish Row 2 and I have also completed Row 3.

Rows 1 and 2 complete

Row 2 required two Hexie Flower blocks, a trio of spools and the Stars and Stripes flag block.  I replaced the Stars and Stripes with a Union Jack to add a British touch to my quilt.  (Click on the photo below for the FREE paper-pieced Union Jack block.)  

A Patchsmithian touch to the Bee Happy Quilt

To make my progress even quicker I decided to replace the two 6” Hexie Flower blocks with two ‘already made’ butterfly blocks from my Butterfly Patch Mug Rug and Block pattern. I just had to choose which two blocks to use from the three I had to hand .... 

The Butterfly Patch Mug Rug pattern comes with instructions to make a 6" butterfly block 

And then it was onto Row 3.  First up are three Flower Pot blocks.  

A touch of Patchsmith gingham ..... of course!

I'm using scraps for my quilt so I decided to add some cohesion by using the same fabrics for all three pots.  It works well doesn’t it?

Next came two of the simplest blocks – a peach and pear block.  

Two of the easiest blocks so far.

This was joined by the very first Churn Dash block I made – the gorgeous Bee Churn Dash.  

For a beeautifully quick was to make the bees just click HERE.

But then I hit a snag.  The next block, the Bunting Block, required bias binding made using fiddly little gadgets.  No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get the gadgets to work.  I needed a super-speedy solution and I needed it NOW!  Thank goodness for my ribbon box!  

Ribbon to the rescue.

I would strongly recommend ribbon for this block as it doesn’t fray, is easy to place and saves so much time. (I fused a thin strip of fusible webbing to the back to keep it in place whilst I stitched it down.) 

The Bunting Block hangs over two thermos' and my favourite block so far in this sew-along – the Hens.  Aren’t they just the cutest you have ever seen?

Bee happy hens hanging out together!

So that is Row 3 complete and stitched together with Rows 1 and 2.  But there is no time to stop and chat – I am way behind on this sprint-along – Row 4 is calling me.

Until next time........