bee blocks -- and a springtime baby quilt

We were hit with a spring snowstorm yesterday. There were "scattered flurries" in the forecast, but the weather -- and the driving conditions -- were much, much nastier than we had anticipated.  As a result, my 6-hour teaching day was bookended by two 2.5 hour commutes.  Ugh.  I was totally and completely exhausted by the time I got home.

I needed some stitch therapy this morning, so I spent a few hours catching up on bee blocks (just in the nick of time, since the month is nearly over!).

First up were Crystal's "scrapbuster blocks" for Bee (A Little Bit) Japanese.

I loved making these...and was very, very happy to find that my Accufeed 1/4" foot produced very accurate seams.  (For anyone who might be working on a Janome Horizon, this tidbit will mean something: I set the needle position to 5.8, rather than the recommended 5.5 -- I'd be curious to know how others are positioning their needle with this foot...).  I am far from a perfectionist when it comes to piecing, but I have to say that I am greatly relieved (delighted!) to have all my pieces fit together reasonably well.  Phew.

Next I set to work on a 20" x 20" improv block for Sara in the Sew Modern Bee.  Sara provided a beautiful palette, and this was another fun project.

Finally, I washed and dried a completed quilt (yippee!): the baby quilt made for our friends who are expecting their second baby in just a few weeks.

The block pattern is "Birdbath" from Elizabeth Hartman's The Practical Guide to Patchwork. The fabrics are (mostly) American Jane "Look & Learn." Backing is Mod Geo and binding is American Retro dots. I love how this turned out, and hope the new baby will too!

Now I'll let the FO speak for itself.

All that's left to do is to make a label.  Very much inspired by Kerry (thank you, Kerry! -- http://verykerryberry.blogspot.com/2011/03/stamps.html), I have black and dark blue Versacraft stamp-pads stashed and am now just waiting for my custom stamps to arrive from etsy seller Tommie77 so I can make a cute little label.  Tee hee.