Desire to Inspire Challenge

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

This month, I had the opportunity to work with some fantastic Henry Glass & Co. fabrics for their Desire to Inspire challenge! Each month, a different quilter is chosen to create projects from a different line of fabric. I jumped at the chance!


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric
 Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric
 
Henry Glass & Co. mailed me a fabric panel and seven prints from the line "Sew Bee It" by Shelly Comiskey. The prints are so fun! Just look at the selvages!



Henry Glass & Co Sew Bee It Fabric

Because of the Labor Day weekend, I didn't receive my fabrics until well into the month. But that didn't stop me from trying to squeeze in a lot of projects!

I knew we would be traveling one weekend of the month. I now keep a stash of 1" hexie papers and 2 1/2" fabric squares in the car to keep me busy while I'm riding shotgun. I switched out my usual fabrics for the Sew Bee It fabrics and stitched up a stack of them. Once back home, I sewed them onto a white background to make into a 16" pillow. I love the quilt-as-you-go method for making modern hexies. And the finished pillow has such a great texture to it!


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric Modern hexies pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric Modern hexies pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric Modern hexies pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric Modern hexies pillow

Also during September, MisterDomestic (Mathew Boudreaux) hosted a weave along. Mathew posted tutorials on his blog for several days to encourage people to try fabric weaving. I had been tossing around the idea for awhile, so I knew this was the time to try it!


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow

After finishing the weave, I trimmed it into a hexagon shape and stitched it up into a pillow! This time I used 2" foam for the insert so the weave would hold it's shape. Have I mentioned that I love trying new things? I will definitely be weaving fabric again! It's such a cool effect! If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it! Very different from normal quilting, but a great way to challenge your brain!


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric weaving hexagon pillow

Keeping with the hexagon theme, I used six of the fabrics and a solid black fabric to create a throw quilt. Each hexagon is about 8" across. The size of the quilt (about 45" x 60") was determined by running out of one of the fabrics! (Tell me I'm not the only one that has ever happened to!) I sewed the quilt top in an afternoon, then quilted it the following afternoon! I used my walking foot to quilt horizontal straight lines just under an inch apart. This quilt is my 32nd quilt for the year!


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric hexagon quilt
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric hexagon quilt
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric hexagon quilt
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric hexagon quilt
Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric hexagon quilt

One of fabrics in the Sew Bee It line is a border print. I knew immediately it would make a really great apron! The apron is made so that it is one giant pocket! Just think of all the things I can stash in there! (On a side note, the tree was much better at taking selfies than I was! Also note, when I wear the apron, the straps are long enough to go around me all the way and then tie in the front. So I'm not quite as big around as this tree!)


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric apron

Lastly, I wanted to make something fun for the boys. I fussy cut a beehive, two flowers, and three bees and made a mini quiet counting book. Times two. Because, siblings. Each page in the book is about 3 1/2" square.


Henry Glass & Co. Sew Bee It fabric mini quiet counting book

It is now the end of the month, so I've run out time for creating projects for the challenge. However, I still have a fabric panel and some fabric left that I didn't have time to use! I have a few more projects planned in my mind, so as they say, watch this space!

Here is the link to the announcement on the Henry Glass & Co. blog that I am the September challenger.

Here is the link to the final blog post on the HG&C blog with my projects and a little bit about me too. (Will add the link when it is posted on Friday, September 30th.)


If this is your first time stopping by, hello! You can see all the quilts I've made by clicking on the Quilt Finishes tab at the top of the blog. Take a look around and say hi! I'd love to meet you!

2 comments:

  1. You were given a beautiful selection of fabrics to work with and what a fantastic job you did creating with them! I am especially wowed with the woven pillow...I may have to give that weaving a try!

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