...what I was doing last night

I was putting together the blocks for May in Bee {a little bit} Japanese!

This month Christine had asked for two block different to each other but that would be used to make a quilt for her nephew Zac. So we have each made a Cheaters 8 Pointed Star from this tutorial and a transport themed block of our choice.

I had actually been really looking forward to the star and it really did come together wonderfully. Because of the placement of the solids and prints all the HST were cut across the centre exposing the bias before sewing which didn't really phase me.

What I was both a little peeved and a little please with was the cutting directions allowing some extra to trim the units down before sewing the blocks together. And when I say a little I mean a lot. I think I cut about 1/4" to 3/8" off each side. And when you are thinking about a whole quilt that is a lot of extra fabric. If I was to make the block again (which I just might I would probably cut the larger squares to 4"-4.5" and I think this would still leave heaps of space to cut the HST units to to 3.5".

The other blocks of this type in the Flickr steam so far all seem to have a blue background so I am waiting patiently to see if my little yellow fella has a friend in the final quilt.

For the second block I could not go past the aeroplane I have made in the past based in a Badskirt tutorial. I mean what little boy doesn't love a plane?

The fabrics for this block (in a separate bag, Christine was so organized.. my hero) were most solids in primary colours and I thought a red plane was just perfect. The blue surrounds is a little sky-like and the white stripe I think makes is most surely racy!

And because the plane is for Zac surely the airline should be named after him, right?

I can't wait to see this quilt together - I think it will be a sure fire winner!