April's Queen Bee Block

Now that April has arrived, I can post that it's my month to be Queen Bee of the Gridster Bee (#gridsterbee) group. Being a member of this group has been so fun. The group changed it's name to Gridster Bee in 2017. Prior to that it was the Mid-Century Modern Bee. I joined the MCM Bee in 2016. There are 12 of us from various regions of the United States. I enjoy the anticipation of each month's Queen Bee revealing her block choice. We don't if she'll choose a traditional or modern block, or designed an original block that might become a written pattern!

I chose a traditional block this month. It is a scrappy red, white and blue Friendship Star with 4-Patches in each corner. I am pretty sure I had seen it as a free pattern on Pat Sloan's website, but I didn't bookmark it and can't find it now. I re-drafted it from a 9" block to a 12" block.

I already received some blocks from some very speedy Gridster members. Thank you, Elizabeth, Linda, Allison and Kelley.

That got the plan rolling for a queen size quilt setting. I want to use fabric from my stash. The setting I am toying with looks like this, which I designed in Electric Quilt.

I'll be making a few star blocks and lots of blue and white patches to fill in the quilt. I look forward to the completed quilt sometime this summer!

I leave you with a little peek of Spring from outside my door.

From afar it's more like Autumn.


A closer looks reveals grape hyacinths and snowdrops popping up.



A crocus stretching after a long winter hibernation


And a few more open


And the not-so-shy chickadees are always around the feeder. I wish the goldfinches and nuthatches weren't so cautious of me.