Hey friends! I’m excited to be joining in today with Lori Holt and the Fat Quarter Shop’s Spelling Bee Sew Along. Every Saturday since October, the Fat Quarter Shop blog has been featuring different blocks from Lori Holt’s adorable quilt pattern book, Spelling Bee.
This week’s block is the adorable Globe block. I was so excited to make this one. I want to make a whole quilt of Globes!
Spelling Bee, by the incredibly talented (seriously, I don’t know how she does it) Lori Holt, features quilt block instructions for all of the letters of the alphabet – both upper case and lower case versions – so that you can create your own words out of quilt blocks. There are also punctuation blocks!
In addition to the letters, there are 18 other darling quilt blocks (each with directions in two different sizes: 6″ x 6″ and 12″ x 12″)! The thing I love most about Lori’s books are the endless variations of projects you can create with her patterns. It’s pretty much the best Choose Your Own Adventure book possible. At almost 200 pages long, the she shares a TON of ideas and inspiration. My head wants to explode with all of the projects and block combinations I want to try!
You can check out all of the past posts in the Spelling Bee Sew Along here.
Even the Globe block alone has multiple options: a solid globe, patchwork globe, and scrappy-heart variation. For my block, I made the heart version. The reason I really wanted to make this block is that we both love to travel and we are total geography nerds at this house. I seriously love maps and globes.
Last weekend my youngest carried on the family tradition and participated in the school district-wide Knowledge Bowl for elementary school students. This year we got so lucky because the chosen topic was Geography. We Smarts are not the most athletic or fast on the field, but we sure do love a good trivia buzzer when we see one. So I think a scrappy, globe quilt would definitely be in order around here.
For my Globe block I used prints from my new fabric collection, Sunnyside Avenue, which will be arriving in stores any day! I also threw in some red prints from my last collection, Gingham Girls, for fun. Both of these collections are a throwback to my 1970’s/early 80’s childhood.
Speaking of that, I just have to share here something that my sister gave me for my birthday this year. Did any of you love Holly Hobbie? I loved Holly Hobbie – I had Holly Hobbie dolls, needlepoint art on my bedroom wall, and even a Holly Hobbie lunch box!
We also had this exact Holly Hobbie Colorforms set that we’d play with at my grandparents’ house. (Remember Colorforms?!) This wasn’t our original set, but she found exactly like it in mint condition on ebay. (The magic of ebay!)
Oh my goodness, the nostalgia that came flooding back!! I actually want to sit and play with them all over again! So there’s your little bit of nostalgia for the weekend. Don’t forget, check out the Spelling Bee sampler book by Lori Holt and the other blocks on the Saturday Spelling Bee posts on the Fat Quarter Shop blog!
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Little Quiltsong
Colorforms – oh the memories!! We still have some with bears – you make the puzzle first, then add all the cute plastic forms. Holly Hobbie – had writing paper galore with those lovely scenes. Actually found some fabric recently, and had to buy some for a backing some day!! Love your cute globe block – and a quilt with globe blocks is on my to-do list too!
Amy
Right?! I have to say I’d completely forgot about Colorforms. It was such a great blast from the past!!
Barbara Opett
Love your block. Oh, Holly Hobbie used to be such a favorite of mine. Memories come smarming back with the little color forms. I used to love those things and play with them for hours. They were the best thing after paper doll cut outs.
Best of luck on your new fabric line. ??
Amy
Yes! I loved paper dolls too! Thanks so much, Barbara. xo
Mel
I still have my Holly Hobbie General Store! I also have the Doll House that you stand in front of a lamp so that the windows and lamps glow as if lit. And, I have the little 6 inch doll play sets, their furniture and the gazebo that I used with my doll house (which I also still have.) Sure wish I’d lived next door to you growing up. We’d have played for hours together between Holly Hobbie and the Gingham Girl paper doll sets (which I still have too.)
Amy
No way! I do still have my Gingham paper dolls (we used to LOVE those). We would definitely have had hours of fun. We must be kindred spirits. 🙂
Paula
I love your idea for a globe quilt. Maybe you can make each one feature a place you have lived or visited? Kinda like a snow globe, but instead it’s a real globe.
Amy
OOOHHHH!! I LOVE that idea!! That would be so much fun! Thanks for sharing!!
Rosemaryflower
Oh I loved those. I had friends that had them. I grew up in Europe so we did not have those kinds of toys. When we moved to US I was 10 and all of my new friends had such incredible toys.
I love the globe block, It is sweeeet
dolores
Well I know one will have the Union Jack!:)
Melinda
I had a Holly Hobbie lunchbox and Colorforms too! I also had a Holly Hobbie desk. I love your block!
Katie Fobert
Thank you for the throwback. I had those Holly Hobby color forms and I loved them! Thank you for sharing
Amy
You’re welcome! They were a great trip down memory lane for me too!
Rebecca A
Oh my gosh I had a Holly Hobby watch and homemade HH bell bottoms! I’m sure I was all the rage ?
Helen LeBrett
I love your globe done in your fabric. So fun!!