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Thursday, March 28, 2013

How Grow The Hexies?!


One at a time!

And this thing is taking on a life of it’s own…but first I have to tell you a funny story. ((Yes, I have lots of those!))

Sitting on the plane in Chicago on my return trip from Portland, Oregon –we are all buckled in at the gate, ready to go ---

The cabin door is closed.

All cell phones and electronic devices are turned off and safely stowed away ((But I swear I could still hear a distinct text beeping in the pocket of a guy a few rows up…sheeesh!))

Lo and behold--

((Don’t you love "Lo and Behold.."? It makes you listen harder, doesn’t it?!? ANTICIPATION!))

The voice of our captain comes over the loud speaker telling us they are waiting for some paperwork and it will be about 15 minutes before we can back away from the gate.

While I hear other passengers sigh and moan -- I smile to myself and OUT COME THE HEXIES!

And there to the seat to the left of me…..coming out of HER bag – I see:

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SMOCKING!!

She was SMOCKING!!

We looked at each other and laughed, both agreeing that we had chosen the right section of the plane to sit.

We had a delightful conversation all the way from Chicago to Greensboro ---and I felt like I had crossed paths with a kindred spirit.

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Of course, these were Easter dresses ---and she was actually helping her sister out who was running behind schedule on getting the dresses done –and like a good auntie she was pitching in. Sweet!

Three cheers for random-acts-of-public-stitching!

So this is how the hexies grew this trip – amazing what you can get done while sitting in airports and on planes:

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While waiting for my first flight out of Greensboro on my way to Portland

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The morning AFTER arriving in Portland
((That was a long long travel day!  And yes, this is the hotel  room bathroom floor!))

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After returning from Portland and spending today waiting at the car dealership!
Shamu had an oil change and tires rotated for our trip tomorrow.

And because I was there in the dealership and couldn’t resist:

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Now THIS is what I call a Hood Ornament!


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Close Up and Personal!

It will go in the car with me for more property searching tomorrow – the next task is to put a row of neutral all the way around this center medallion to separate it from the next round…I’ll be spending some time this evening cutting some more neutral hexies as my variety is really low after finishing the last hexie top.

And just for fun ---

asknot1

28 comments:

  1. hexies are so addictive aren't they! I'm doing two different quilts - one with 90 degree and one with 60 degree! so nice to have a person sit next to you on a plane that you can talk to - that happened to me the last time I was on a flight!

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  2. quick grow the hexies-o !!!

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  3. Bonnie -- I know you love antique shops that have old quilts and supplies and wanted to let you know that there were some great finds in Yadkinville today at Miss Emmily Antiques (i put up a post about it)

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  4. Your hexies are looking really good! I really like the colors you have chosen for this one. Enjoy your property hunting tomorrow.

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  5. is this going to be a project later on down the road that will be shared?? I might have to duplicate this--I took smocking lessons a couple years ago---very interesting--like other things-something else caught my interest--I made one dress :-) ! I am never bored wherever I have to wait--i always have something to do and it will always spark a conversation ---*~*CAROLE*~*

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  6. This brings back sweet memories of making Easter dresses for my three daughters--no smocking, though--I really stink at smocking! Your hexies look great! I wish I could do needlework on airplanes, but it's just too close of quarters for me and I usually just read or watch a movie.

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  7. Do you have a plan worked out for how you will build your hexie quilt? It really does seem to grow quickly, and is a fantastic take along project.

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  8. I learned to smock after our daughter arrived, and made her several dresses when she was a toddler, definitely a labor of love. When she was in her late teens, we were in a baby department looking for a gift for a new boy in the family. I oohed and aahed over the little smocked dresses. She turned and told me that the reason she was a cranky toddler was that it was the only way she knew to tell me she hated the smocked dresses. So much for her absorbing the love....

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  9. The smocking is beautiful! I wasn't loving the blue in your hexie project until you photographed it at an angle on the car hood and then I could so see it on a bed! Loving it now! It's going to be another gorgeous quilt soon!

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  10. Hood ornament!! LOL
    You are a riot!

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  11. Lo and behold! Your hexies HAVE taken on a life of their own! I LOVE the way you've separated the rings of flowers with "stepping stones"; it's soooo unique, lovely!

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  12. Love hexies of any size. My current project is large...2in hexies and the flowers are huge but each step takes a litle longe, many more stitches.

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  13. Anonymous9:28 PM EDT

    Every car needs a good hood ornament! I see people doing hexies all over the web, but have never attempted. Is there a good "beginners guide" that I should look for? I have a trip coming up and thought they might be fun to work on.
    Mary / Stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com

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  14. Thanks for the inspiration! I tried these once and gave up after 5 hexies; now I have pulled them back out in anticipation of a road trip. Your posts make me believe that they will be worth it!

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  15. Love the colors of the new hexie Bonnie! Question though: did you finish the red/green hexie? If yes, do you have a picture to share?

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  16. We all need a hood ornament like that! and that smocking! WOW! some very lucky little girl! Love that shelf of fabric too!

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  17. I have to laugh about sewing in a car dealer. Back in February I attended a Melody Miller workshop at the little general in Reynolda Village. The class ended and I still had to sew the handles and lining to the recycled button down shirt bag I was making. I had to take my Jeep to North Point and wheeled my project bag in with me. I was going to be there a while and realized the foot stools were perfect height for my featherweight. So asking the lone person if they minded me sewing, I proceeded to plug up my machine and finished sewing the bag together. The best was two boys about 12 came in and sat right next to me. I casually talked to them about what I was doing as I sewed and they were in awe of my machine! I told yes guys could sew too!

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  18. I watched Quiltcam for the 2nd time and love it, I also love your hexies. You are informative and entertaining.

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  19. Woman, you are driven! Ha H.

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  20. That smocking was beautiful. And I love watching your hexies grow - they still remind me of beautiful jewels together. Good luck on your property searches! And Happy Easter!

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  21. I've never been a fan of hexies. Don't know why. The hexagon has never been "my" shape. I always doodle triangles. Always have. But, the newest Quiltmaker Magazine, full of delicious hexie quilt designs, has made me rethink my position on the very versatile hexagon. Just seeing your pictures here of what you are putting together has me itching to try a hexie quilt of my own, especially as I anticipate my next business flight. The skies are even friendlier when quilters fly!

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  22. A fun story for sure. I have some similar stories to tell. I always bring my hexies around when I travel, a great way to meet interesting people.

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  23. Bonnie, the smocking brought back such memories - I never learned how, but my mother always made smocked Easter dresses for me! And your new hexie project is great!

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  24. I enjoy smocking myself! Recently made a little dress for my niece after a break from smocking for about 15 yep ears while my kids grew up! I look forward to making more of them as my little niece grows. Love your hexies...I can't get enough of them myself!

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  25. I do so love hexies! I like to cut out my own cardstock templates, however there really needs to be an easier way to do so. Being the cheapskate that I am, ordering them seems so expensive. I am wondering the cost effectiveness of ordering them vs. cutting my own (my poor hands).

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  26. your stories are always an inspiration. I took knitting along when I accompanied my son's mission trip to Costa Rica. We spent a lot of time on a rickety bus so I had plenty of time to work. The local ladies who were kindred spirits came over to inspect, and showed me some beautiful hand embroideries. Art is a universal language, even though my spanish is terrible, I had lovely conversations with the locals about needlework. And the high school students were amazed.

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  27. i used to smock...until quilting took over my life....LOL...and a good life it is! love the new hexie project!

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