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| Honey Bee Quilt by Erin of Why Not Sew |
A Buzz-Worthy Project: Exploring the Classic Honey Bee Quilt
We quilters are constantly searching for the next great pattern, the one that's classic yet a little edgy, a little fun. Whether you want to aggressively clear out your scrap drawer or make your living room really come alive, it's a Honey Bee Quilt that's a must try. This is a lovely version of this classic design, the Honey Bee Quilt beautifully quilted and done by Erin from the wonderful blog: Why Not Sew, which is based on a wonderful, streamlined pattern from Quilt in a Day.
We quilters are constantly searching for the next great pattern, the one that's classic yet a little edgy, a little fun. Whether you want to aggressively clear out your scrap drawer or make your living room really come alive, it's a Honey Bee Quilt that's a must try. This is a lovely version of this classic design, the Honey Bee Quilt beautifully quilted and done by Erin from the wonderful blog: Why Not Sew, which is based on a wonderful, streamlined pattern from Quilt in a Day.
The Pattern: Classic Design: Quilt in a Day
Quilt in a Day patterns are known for their efficiency, accuracy, and clarity. The Honey Bee block is a much loved traditional pattern which may seem daunting because of the curved ‘wings' on the flowers, and the careful piecing. This is a great way to make the process easy though.
The pattern dissects the construction into very manageable steps. The classic nine-patch centers are block pieced with smart strip piecing and the adorable bee wings teardrop shapes are appliqued with fast fusible appliqué, so they can be pieced in a fraction of the time that it would have taken to block piece. The ideal combination of vintage style and modern rotary-cutting convenience – it means your points will be a perfect fit and your blocks will be a perfect size!
Erin from Why Not Sew spotlights on the makers.
It's one thing to see it on paper, but it's another to see it come to life from a creative creator. Even Erin's version of this quilt was out of the park from Why Not Sew! Erin's quilt is a versatile, cozy lap size (about 56" x 70") that is a masterpiece on how to use light, medium and dark scraps to create beautiful contrast.
The very colorful patterned “bees” and the very carefully pieced nine-patch centers stand out from the white background and sashing. Erin's fusible appliqué teardrop shapes were secured with a machine blanket stitch. The benefit of this technique is that it saves so much time over the normal needle turn appliqué and also provides wonderful texture and definition to the bees, which very nicely withstand the wash.
The pattern highlights the key aspects of the pattern.
- Fabric Bins: Fat quarters, fat eighths and scraps will make excellent use of this project. It likes variety in colour.
- Skill Building: You'll have the chance to practice 2.5" squares and nine patches with very sharp quarter-inch seams as well as sharpening your machine appliqué skills.
- To define the whole quilt, it is neatly surrounded by a patchwork border, creating a unified look.
Final Thought
The Honey Bee Quilt is a great example of how you don't have to have too crazy block designs when making a quilt that has plenty of energy and fun. This project is brilliantly designed by Quilt in a Day and beautifully inspired by Erin at Why Not Sew, that will keep your sewing machine humming all weekend long. If you're feeling inspired, don't hesitate to go all out with your stash, combine your favorite prints and let your imagination run wild!
Full Pattern: Honey Bee Quilt Free PDF Pattern
