I also found that these can be turned into super cute hexagon bowls. Like the one I showed in the Alison Glass Mini Quilt Swap Post. I’ll share the way I made them, and then link to another way where there is less piecing involved soon enough. I promise.
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I decided a few months back that I still really love casting plastic, like a lot! I have started setting up custom listing in my Etsy shop so when I do cast, I’m only casting what customer like, not just what I feel like making in hopes other will like it all.
So, if you have ever wanted a custom Hexagon or Quilt Block Necklace, or maybe a set of charms that spell out something awesome or ridiculous, then now is the time. I’m casting all week!!!
Last week I talked about the quilt I received in the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap Round 3. This week I’ll share the quilt I made!
My partner, who was also named Jessica, received her package this past weekend and by the comments she left on my instagram account, it seemed like she LOVED it! It was completely out of my comfort zone since her favorite fabrics and colors are not something I normally buy. I didn’t mind that though, since it forced me to step out my comfort zone. How else am I to grow creatively if I just keep making the same thing over and over again?
I had the flu and then pneumonia during the time I was supposed to be working on this, so I decided to go the hand sewn route as much as I could so I could rest AND work at the same time.
I went with a simple hexagon cluster using 2″ hexies (that means one side is 2″) and hand stitched them all together. The fabric I used was the line Miss Kate by my partner’s favorite designer Bonnie and Camille (for Moda Fabrics). Then I went through my fabric stash and picked out all the white and light beige neutrals I could find to piece together the background. I could have just used a fat quarter, but I thought it needed more texture than that.
I used an invisible thread to applique the hexagon cluster to the background and then straight line stitched the entire thing with beige thread.
It’s funny to say, but my absolute favorite part of this project was the binding. I loved how a random scrap piece I threw in just happened to end up right at the corner! A happy little accident.
As with every swap I do, I added in a few little handmade extras. This time I included all of the leftover scraps from the Miss Kate fabric, plus some coordinating pieces. Then I made a marine grade vinyl pouch with a cute little hexagon flower appliqued on. Lastly I added some handmade quilt inspired jewelry and accessories.
It all went over very well, and as Ive said before these swaps just make me want to sign up for a whole bunch more!
Luckily I’m not too crazy and I’ve only signed up for three due in the next four months. I have some trips coming up, plus projects for Silhouette (and some other companies), and a few other obligations. So I knew my limit. Keep an eye out here if your interested in seeing what I make!!!
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This quilt is probably something I’ll share updates on every so often. I just keep thinking of neat ways to make it 100% perfect! I put it aside for a week or so to work on another quilting project, but once my new custom hexie fabric came in from spoonflower, I just HAD to start up on it again!
Above you can see the fabric. I just printed off a hexagon like grid and doodled a bunch of quick designs using a brush pen. I then scanned it in and made it into a vector file. Then I replicated a few designs in different tones and added a few of my other fabric designs into some hexagons I left blank. I designed it to fit onto a fat quarter, and the hexagons are very specific to the size of my ongoing quilt.
As you can see, it’s also very specific to my taste and my life in general. I included an illustration of my house that I did a few years back, plus my Daily Uniform fabric in different tones of black and gray. I want this quilt to be 100% ME, especially since it’s going to take forever to finish.
Oh and of course I didn’t spare any time basting all of the new hexies. I just couldn’t wait to see how they would blend with all the previous fabrics I used!
Now I’m super antsy to get this thing done, I just want to cuddle with it all so bad!!!!!!
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Ever since I got into quilting, I have dreamed of making a hexagon quilt. I thought it took some fancy machine work with impossible Y shaped seams. I was half right. You CAN do it that way, or you can hand sew them all together.
There’s a process called English Paper Piecing, EPP or Foundation Piecing (it gos by any of these names), where you take the pattern you want to make and have the pieces cut out of paper. You then cut out fabric larger than each piece, pin the paper to it, fold over the fabric and baste stitch (like my orange stitches shown in all of these photos). When you have enough pieces for your project or block, you then whip stitch them all together and take out the paper pieces. After all of this tedious work, you have yourself a quilt top.
There are loads of proper tutorials all over the internet. Heidi posted a tutorial and template for mini hexies this past week, and there’s a bunch on Pinterest. Plus if you search YouTube, I bet you’ll find some great instructions. Also, if you just want to start small but have an even bigger impact you could try something like Rebecca’s patchwork tote bag! (her IG feed totally made me want to start this project!)
This type of project is perfect for downtime, like watching TV, waiting at the DMV or when being a passenger on a road trip. I myself started it because I am being forced to rest a bit more. Plus it’s a quilt that I don’t have to sit at a sewing machine all day to make. My poor back needs a break from that.
I will admit now, I am NOT a strong hand sewer, and I am seriously not looking forward to whip stitching all of these together. For now I try not to think about it and just dream of what the finished quilt will look like… If I ever finish it!
I want to make a 70″ square lap quilt, and by my calculations, it is going to take 800+ hexagons to make. That’s a lot! I am able to finish around 30 a night, so if I work on it every night then it will take me a month. That’s a scary number to me btw, so I may just call it quits at 400 because I am also dreaming up a quilt that is just half hexies and the rest is solid colored gray. I guess I’ll decided when I get to the halfway point.
I’m happy I went with the 3″ size too! Because if I had done the normal 1″ size, it would have taken 2500+ hexies to finish a quilt. SCARY!!
Have any of you made one of these? Or are making one? Any helpful hints?
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