Quilt as You Go Hexagons - A Quick Tutorial

 Since this year's temperature quilt plan is Quilt as You Go Hexagons, I thought I'd share a quick tutorial.  I'm sure you can find others out there, and I don't claim to be an expert.  I have done 45 so far, though....

 The first thing you need is a way to cut out those hexagons.  I use a combination of the Hex N More Ruler and You Hexie Thing Ruler. 

You also need to decide on the sizes you want to end up with.  My inside hexagon is 4.5" hexagon marked on the Hex N More.  This is a nice size for me to cut the half hexies to do highs and lows for each day.

The background needs to be one inch bigger on each side, so that actually means two inches larger (it took me a while to actually get this)  So in my case I make a 4.5" inside hexagon and cut a 6.5" hexagon for the background.

My current stack of backgrounds for Winter.  With bonus triangles. 

You also need to cut batting to the inside hexagon size.  4.5" in my case. I am using Warm and Natural because its what I had.   You definitely do not want a thick batting.

 Background plus batting.

 Center batting and then front side hexagon.  I like to steam press at this point.  Helps keep it from shifting and flattens it a bit. 

 On each side fold up and press.  Do not fold the edge of fabric all the way to the batting, you want to leave a small gap to make the turning up easier.  Otherwise things get too bulky too quickly.

 Here each side is folded once, close to the edge of the batting/top hexagon.

 The next fold you take is going to come over the top hexagon, covering the raw edge of the top hexie and the batting.  Continue to press.

 Now you are folding one side at a time, press and pin.  I use glass head pins for things like this so you can press without worrying about melting things.

Make sure to miter those corners carefully.

 These corners aren't stellar, you can do better! (so can I)

 Now you are going to stitch around the edge on top of the hexagon through all the layers.  I just did a straight stitch, some like to use a decorative stitch. 

For joining hexagons together you can use a zigzag or a decorative stitch. 

 Here is a close up of my temperature quilt so far.  It is not perfect.  I'm sure it could be better, but I don't have grand plans for this one other than the fun of making it. 

The advantage of this method is you can just continue to grow the quilt. 

There is a lot more work and time up front, but when you are done putting the blocks together, they are done forever.

It does also take a lot of fabric.  Three yards of fabric yielded about 90 6.5" hexagons for the background. 

 Please let me know if you have any questions or I made any errors.

Blue and White Hexies Quilt Finish

I finished this fun little quilt just a couple weeks after Christmas.  It was a gift and I couldn't share until it had been gifted. 

The pattern was based off my friend's bathroom floor.  She has a lovely older home with hexie tiles in the downstairs bathroom. 

I've actually had the main part done, with the papers pulled for some time.  Last November I got it basted and started appliqueing down the center.

Quilting didn't happen until January, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

 My friend loves it as well!

 Those are 1/2" hexies if you were wondering. 
The quilt measures about  14" x 12"

I used a bright white and thin poly batting for the insides.

The blue butterfly backing fabric came from deep stash. 

As soon as my friend finished ooohing and aaahhing over it, she promptly gave it back and told me to enter it in an upcoming local show, whose theme is blue and white!

New to Me Quilt Tops

I wanted to share some fun finds from going through my friend's mother's sewing/quilting items.

This bag!  Not sure how old it is, I consider it vintage Joann.  All the stuff for the project was in there.  Classic PIGS (project in grocery sack)

A really nice set of acrylic Hexagon templates.  I think these may have been custom made. 

And four quilt tops.  This quilter was very experienced.  These are all expertly pieced.

I will probably finish or have these finished for charity quilts.  Our guild has a number of quilt requests this year. 

Hexie Update 4.8.16

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I've been steadily working on basting and piecing hexagons, epp style.  I call it my 10 Year Project.  Today I am going to do a complete update on how things are going.

 This box contains the 1,672 hexies that I pieced into Eights by last April.  Then I found out I needed to make more, because about 400 of the hexies I had finished were the wrong size.  I pieced them into this small quilt *here*.

 Monday, I finished piecing the hexies into fours.

 This is sort of a magic moment, when you piece Fours into Eights, it takes exactly the same time as Twos into Fours. 

 But you have less pieces, so are done twice as fast!
I did a quick count and have 121 Fours ready to piece.  I will probably only do the 100 - then do Sixteens, then check my layout.

 Once these are all into Eights, I will piece into Sixteens, along the sawtooth edge this time.  Also, when the Eights are done, all will be caught up.

 I've kept out a small handful of Ones, Twos, in case I need to add them somewhere for the layout. 

In other news, the bees come tomorrow.  Today it is snowing.  Not cool.

Quilts and Sewing in Children's Books: Part 3

 Today we're going to look at a couple of Clifford books.  Everyone loves Clifford, right?  This may be where I first started noticing quilts in the background of the stories.  You'll see why in a moment.

 The first picture is from Clifford The Small Red Puppy by Norman Bridwell.  Did you know he was a very small puppy before he was a Big Red Dog?

Here he is, in bed with Emily Elizabeth and a Hexagon Quilt!  Now you see why it caught my eye!  These original Clifford books by Bridwell were written in the 1970s and have more detail in the drawings.

These newer books, about Clifford's Puppy Days as seen in The Little Blue Easter Egg by Sarah Fisch, illustrated by Barry Goldberg, have less detail.  This one was printed 2006.

 Here in the background is the hexagon quilt.  It has been given sashing and just blocks of color.  I'm glad its still there, though.

 Speaking of hexagons.  I've been crafty lately.  A few hexagon charms made up.

WIP Wednesday 8.28.13

 Yes!  I have some WIPs this week.  We are heading back to the Renaissance fair, so this time around I'm making myself a new dress - and baby girl one, too.  With the big kids in school, Mr. S keeps me company.

And Look!  All the hexes are basted!  Lined up neatly above, and mixed up below.

2,103 hexies

 I am starting out by sewing them all in pairs.  I am thinking this will be the most efficient way to minimize stops and starts.

 Unfortunately there are some in the bunch that are too big.  My ratio must have been off when I printed, so I am going to have to weed them out.  Hopefully I won't have to make more hexes.

 I am using a grey/blue Aurifil to whip stitch with my John James needles.  I can hardly see my stitches with this combination, yay!

Hexagon Progress

 A family vacation shot.  Here we are the last morning on Cocoa Beach.  Technically the day that we started driving home.  Exhausted, sun burned, sandy, everyone was ready to be done.  That being said, Cocoa Beach was beautiful, the water was warm and clean.  We could watch the surfers, and the beach was literally out our door and down a path. We picked up bags of sea shells (still waiting to be washed and sorted) We also spent one day at Kennedy Space Center.  The boys were in love with the rockets and space ships!

 I mentioned that my only sewing project I was bringing was my hexagons.  I can do them in the car with out getting sick, so after our trip and one night of insomnia at home, I've got 175 more done!

That brings the total to 1,834!  That means only 166 (or so) to go!  I'm getting excited!