3x6 Bee Blocks and Tutorial

I just wrapped up my first quarter in the 3x6 bee... where each 'bee hive' consists of 7 participants. Each participant chooses three colors they would like the other 6 members of their hive to use when making a block for them. Each member makes 6 blocks that are the exact same block pattern but in the varying color schemes. The group switches up hive members quarterly. Make sense? Good.

My colors were pink, yellow and white. So I will receive 6 blocks in those colors made by my fellow hive members. I made this block for myself as a test subject for this block design:

I started out by sewing 9.5" long strips of fabric together in varying widths from 1-2.5 inches. I used my 9.5" square ruler to square my sewn strips. I then used the 10" square grid in the middle of my 18x24 cutting mat to cut the diagonal lines. There are probably several ways you could do this, but this is the way it worked for me.

Above the 9.5" square ruler is positioned in the upper left hand corner of the 10" square on the cutting mat. This position will be important for how you make your diagonal cuts.

With your block positioned on your cutting mat in the upper left of the 10" square grid place your cutting ruler at the 7 on your left side of the grid and the 6 on the right side of the grid. This will be your cutting line for the top section. Repeat this at the 4 on the left side of the grid and the 3 on the right side this will be cut for your bottom section.

These two cuts should leave you with three shapes that look like this:

Between each diagonal cut I sewed a 1.5" strip (1" finished). I then used my 9.5" square ruler and trimmed the block back down. So keep in mind that if you have any images on your fabric toward the top or bottom of your strips when you begin they will get trimmed off and lost later. I then finished the block by adding 2" strips (1.5" finished) to the outer edges for a final block size of 12.5" (or 12" when finished in a quilt). I experimented with having the diagonal fabric being the same width as the final border, but decided I preferred the slightly slimmer line in the middle.

Here are all 6 in their varying color schemes:

They were for, left to right: (1) sewtakeahite (2) amuseboutique 3. fancytwo (4) mamaloves2read (5) chocolate_isthe_best_medicine (6) friedazzzzz

Can't wait for the next quarter it starts October 1. Sign-ups are still going on for the 4th quarter and she is currently taking names for the 1st quarter, 2011. I think I am going to stick with my same color choices. Even though I'm still not entirely certain with what I am doing with these blocks.