Bee Blocks and Nearly Insane

So I've spent the last few days in bed sick, which meant I didn't want to work on anything for other people, so I got some work done on my Nearly Insane blocks.

I finished 96(1), one of the edge pieces and I'm done with 48, one of the full blocks, as well.

Number: 96 (1)

Color: Brown

Pieces: 14

 

Number: 48

Color: Brown

Pieces: 29

 

However, after finishing two blocks, I keep seeing things I could be doing for accuracy if I were to machine sew these. So I'm tempted to try and recreate these blocks with machine patchwork just to see the difference. However, looking around the book, I see some pretty wacky math for some of the HSTs and stuff, so maybe that's not such a good plan.

 

I am, however, quite happy with my decision to use my solids bundles to make these blocks. Even brown, which is not my favorite color, looks good. And I'm planning to use Kona Snow sparingly in each block, more towards the middle so it's not going to interfere with the sashing.

 

Back before I got sick, I also sewed up the January block for the Stash Bee and my February block.

 

January Block, based on this tutorial.

February block, based on the Modified Bento Box tutorial, but I'll be writing up my own.

Nearly Insane

No, I'm not nearly insane, well I may be once I finally finish this project. No, I am talking about this book.

My hubby got it for me for Christmas after I was inspired by Frances at Fabadashery. She is using all white/creams and reds for her quilt and EPP. Since I just started EPP and have to admit I love it, but more the smaller hexies than the bigger ones I'm trying my hand at currently, this seems like the perfect project to keep me interested. The blocks finish at 6" in the quilt, and have between 9 and 229 pieces per block (if you're counting, that's a 220 piece difference). Hence "nearly insane."

What's been bothering me is whether I should patchwork piece, try to figure out the paper piecing patterns, or EPP. I think I've finally settled on EPP, but I'm a woman, so I'm allowed to change my mind often (right?!).

What has me stumped is what to do about the fabric selection. I feel like I need a concrete plan going in, and I just can't settle.

Option 1) black and white prints with Kona Snow, maybe even with a spot of color (probably red), I just don't feel like I have a lot of "filler" prints for this type of quilt

Option 2) solids using the "no prints allowed" stack that I get every month plus Kona Snow, this holds a great deal of appeal, especially if I sub-divide the amount of blocks by 12 and then just pick that many out of a hat each month so it's random

Option 3) prints in a rainbow of colors, either based on my own list and pulled randomly, or on someone else's list, or based on ROY G BIV, I'm not sure I'm sold on this idea

Option 4) Monochromatic quilt, i.e. Kona Snow plus prints of only one color in every available shade, have a hard time choosing which color to go with, not red or blue, but maybe green (unfortunately my green stash is lacking big time)

Hmm, I think I answered my own question just by typing this all out. I think I'm liking Option 2 best, especially since it gives me a reason to use my new solids and cut into them right away. Plus I've wanted to make an all solids quilt for some time. There are 113 blocks or partial blocks. That's 9 blocks for 7 months and 10 for 5 months. Now to cut up and mix up my numbers so I can choose my first 9 blocks to work on.

Just to keep myself honest, I chose the following for December (brown) - I'll be lagging behind by about a month: 26, 29, 43, 48, 51, 56, 58, 88(2), and 96(1).