The Honey Pot Bee: Wild Card Surprise!
Ooooh snap! Yes I did! I just dropped a surprise Wild Card on all of you! This is the thing about The Honey Pot Bee, since there aren’t any rules, it can go from sticky-cray to sweet-chaos in the matter of a day. I hope you’re ready to stop drop and roll, because this party is going to pop like a bottle of bubbly all. year. long! So let’s get to it, shall we?
This Wild Card Surprise is brought to you by Princess Amy (IG: mummahump) who thought we needed a festive block to keep us busy over the holiday season. I, for one, couldn’t agree with her more! She came to me with this splendid tutorial from Amy Smart of Diary of a Quilter fame. If you haven’t perused Amy Smart’s blog, it is full of inspiration, tutorials, and overall good cheer. I had the pleasure of meeting her this year at QuiltCon West, and she’s just a pocket full of sunshine.
Her Modern Christmas Tree Quilt Block is today’s Wild Card Surprise! It’s an easy block to make, but encourages a little bit of improv action from you. Do you think you can handle it? Oh, I know you can! What’s more, is that you make two blocks at the same time, so like that, you’re already winning. Plus, there are tutorials for two different sizes, and you only need to decide on two fabrics. (Unless of course you’re like me, who couldn’t decide so had to make more than just two!) This tutorial is yardage, fat quarter, layer cake, and large scrap friendly. Basically, you’ll find something in your fabric stash to make these blocks. And if not, well, you have my permission to get yourself to the fabric store and shop it up big time!
Modern Christmas Tree Quilt Block Tutorial
While this quilt block is called a Modern Christmas Tree Quilt block, it will also easily feature in your quilt as simply a row of trees, or a forest, or even just geometric shapes! The point being, don’t think you’re gonna have a Christmas themed quilt on your hands by making this block. Feel free to try it out in technicolour and see what happens. Holly and high waters, you could even just use the block to make some last minute gifts! If you decide to make this Modern Christmas Tree Quilt Block, consider using the below tags on social media. (It’s the social media conscious thing to do!) That way Amy gets to see your work, and the rest of The Honey Pot Bee gets to see it too!
Molli’s Tips:
- Read the tutorial.
- Don’t be afraid of making a mistake, it’s just fabric. I repeat, it’s just fabric. (Unless you’re using Liberty, and then maybe make a test block because that shit’s expensive!)
- Be aware of directional fabric. That’s not to say don’t use it, but be aware of what effect it may have on your block, and if you’re okay with that effect.
- This block requires sewing of triangles, which some of you may not have done before. Don’t freak out! Simply align your triangle slightly above the background piece, so that it creates a quarter inch when you start sewing your seam line in the valley. (As pictured below.)
- My blocks squared up at 7.5″ x 9.25″ which was a quarter inch shy of the blocks Amy made in the tutorial. And that’s totally okay!
Now get out there and make, make, make, and then show us everything you’ve got, got, got! But remember, you’re royalty, so you can do whatever you like!
My “wild card” is printed out—I think I prefer to use it as a “filler” some where along the line. 🙂
I prefer quilts that can be used year round, as opposed to “seasonal” quilts. And I must say that I prefer the larger block. Thank you both !!
I have a permanent smile on my face when i read your blog 😁, you have such a way with words lol. Looking forward to being a princess for a year 👸
Sweet block! I just may make up a few last minute gifts!
I think the sparkly wild cards that will pop up when you least expect it, is what I look forward to the most, in this fabulous honey pot you have created for us 🙂
I love your blog. Informative, hilarious and fun to visit regularly. Love this block too!
Thanks for passing on this tutorial. I shall be making some sparkly mug rugs soon.
Hi! This sounds fun! I love trees and it’s a long time since I made some, so I’m in! Thank you for the tutorial! x Teje
This sounds so much fun – I do have some gifts to make!
I have some leftover blocks that are already this shape – tree mini quilt coming up!!
I just laughed out loud about the liberty comment. “It’s just fabric!”
Was planning on making this whole quilt next year, but just decided to get going on the honeypotbee quilt early and try a block out now!
Awesome. I guess this means I have to pick fabric.
Well alrighty then, let’s crank up this bee…please! Love the block and am refraining from cranking out a bazillion since I have a few more 2016 finishes to finish…only a quilter would understand! Merry Christmas ya’ll.