Bee, Myself and I

When I began my Bee, Myself and I project I envisioned an end product similar to this quilt.

I quickly realized that I wouldn't be able to work only with yellows, much as I love the range of colors available in that family. I wanted to work with my more favorite batiks and it turned out I didn't have that many yellows, nor were there many more in my local quilt shop. Being a card carrying Gemini I require variety in my work. So I started making orange blocks and pink blocks.

I planned on 20 blocks overall, for a 60" x 75" quilt. As I approached 20 and played with the layout for the blocks I was unsatisfied with what I was getting. That led to the creation of yet more blocks. However, instead of monochromatic blocks I started including more yellow within the blocks.

I also cut back on the pink as it didn't seem to be working.  I don't think I had quite the right shades.

I've been making anywhere from two to four blocks each month as my Bee, Myself, and I project. Granny Maud's Girl was the instigator of this effort, intending it to be an excuse to make something strictly for our own pleasure.

After making a few more blocks recently I decided to have another go at laying out the blocks. I began with what I think of as the traditional Many Trips Around the World setting. That didn't work. I didn't even try a chevron setting as I knew that wouldn't give me the look I wanted. But by judiciously turning certain blocks I came up with this:

Which I quite liked! I like the impression of sunlight filtering downward diagonally.

I made an effort to keep the darker blocks on the perimeter of the quilt top. I'm not sure how we'll quilt this but I wouldn't mind accenting that drift of yellow somehow. I've made the back out of this batik yardage;

So technically this Bee, Myself and I project is done. Yes, I'll have to bind it but that's just finishing details in my opinion. I suspect I will  be taking a break from selfish sewing for the immediate future. I have my needlework projects to fulfill that aspect of my studio time and I do have some charity quilts I'd like to get finished up soon. :- )