Little things

I have finished the big block quilt top with the mitered corners. Last weekend at the DC Modern Quilt Guild meeting, pictures were taken of it, but they haven't made it to Flickr yet, and since I was behind the quilt holding it up, none made it onto my camera or phone. I plan to get a queen flat sheet to back it with and do straight line quilting. Although this picture is from before it was actually pieced it's laid out on the floor and gives a decent idea of what the top looks like put together: 

 Many of you have seen all the bee blocks that I make for my hive mates, but here is my collection of received blocks from the paper pieced hives. My color scheme is orange, lime green, and bright blue. For half the hives I requested white backgrounds and for the other half, I requested dark gray - I love how these have turned out. I haven't decided yet if I want to do another couple of rounds or leave it smaller like this (48"x48") and use as a wall hanging.

And lastly for this post, one of the nurses I work with commissioned me to make a pencil case for her daughter who starts the school year on Monday. Her daughter hadn't liked any of the ones that were at Staples when they went shopping. That evening, I texted several pictures of fabric, and what I thought was funny is initially her daughter chose my ironing board cover as her favorite print (it's white with pale blue polka dots), but once I figured that out and she chose from the actual fabric available (all from my scrap bin) she chose this combination and I had free reign on the design. I made it more sturdy with fusible fleece ironed to the outer pieces. The soon to be 9th grader was thrilled with it, and really that's what matters with commissioned pieces, that the recipient will love and use it.