I just wanted to upload a pic of the hexagon medallion now that it has been completely surrounded by a row of neutral hexies, followed by a row of green hexies. There are more hexagons than you think in this project! I haven't counted them yet..I'm not sure I want to. I just keep going!
Working the two rows in sections was definitely the way to go. I like to keep my thread as continuous as possible, so if I can tack-baste a hexagon (I don't go through the card, just fold it over the edges and tack the corners...the basting stays in, the card pops out easily when I need it to)and connect it to its neighbor without having to knot and break the thread, I feel like that is the more secure way to go. No short seams. I like it when I can continue around two sides of a hexagon instead of stopping every 3/4" and knotting and restarting.
Doing the neutral/green border around the central motif gave me workable sections, sewing the neutral to the green allowed me to sew at least two sides per seam, and it is fairly continuous. Adding the units to the center was easy, much easier than adding one hexagon at a time to the center working on the big piece.
So now I'm up to the little flowered border....can you see it in my map? Good thing, as I'm tired of just stitching neutral and green together, I'm ready for some red :c)
We'll see how much stitching gets done on the road this weekend...it's going to be a bit more challenging to work this round in sections and get it attached to the "mother ship!"
Oh! And see this?
A month back when I was in Columbia visiting with my son Jason, his sweetie Kim, and her mom Charlotte....Charlotte showed me this hexagon punch she had bought. WOWIE!! This thing played on my mind and played on my mind....
Turns out while we were retreating at Peaceful Valley Ranch, there was also a group of Scrap Bookers there (My thought is that they really are closet quilters, they just don't know it yet! *LOL*)and the sign on their dinner table said "Creative Memories" which was the same name that Charlotte's hex punch had. I asked them if they had a rep with them, or if anyone had a hex punch they'd want to part with. One gal did!! She said "But it's used....." I said, "I don't care!" Retail it runs $20, and she sold it to me for $15! So now...I can punch hexes all I want..in TWO SIZES!
The "paper pieces" hexes that I had been using cost me over $20 for 750. Worth the time it saved if I were cutting by hand, but this? BETTER!
The larger one is the 3/4" per side size that I have already been using. The smaller size? Well, it's awfully cute, but I don't know if I want to really work smaller than 3/4". I'm already thinking on the quilting for the one I'm doing, and there is seam allowance to deal with. It has to go somewhere. On the 1/2" hexes, the seam allowance is going to mostly fill the whole shape. You can't go with less than 1/4" seam allowance or there is not enough to fold over the edge and hold your paper in.
So..back to the pic! Card stock shapes are best! And what fun to use greeting cards and other things that come in the mail that are this weight? I generally like to give cards double duty.....if the inside of the cover has not been written on, and it is a cute one, I'll cut that off and use it as a post card or a gift card. But the other side with the messages? Cut them into hexes, and relive that message puzzle every time you baste one on! Fun :c)
24 comments:
Bonnie, I love what you have so far!! So fantastic!!!
The scrapbooking punch is an awesome idea!
I have those same set of punches and never would have thought to use those for my paper pieces. What a great idea!! A while ago, I printed out some hexi shapes on card stock but I but haven't cut them out yet because it looked like too much work. Now I can just punch them out. WAHOO!! Thanks for sharing that info.
Look at you go, girl! This just proves that once the project is out of the box and sees the light of day again, it just rolls along!
Wonderful quilt. Someday.....
Re: the Hexi punch... My thought was.. Can you say RECYCLE!!!!! Love it.
Bonnie, isn't that funny! I'm a quilter and a Creative Memories consultant and I NEVER would have connected the two! Oh, my goodness, you have just opened up numerous possible sales for me! HAHA! I'm pushing this punch to all my quilting friends, too funny!!
I love that quilt. And, while mine is not nearly so exciting as yours, I am taking it with me on my trip next week to work on. See ya'. lane
Bonnie, your hexagon medallion is beautiful! I love seeing your updates on this project. I've been working on two hexagon projects - a traditional grandmother's flower garden with 1" pieces, and a scrappy lap throw with 2" pieces, begun with 3 charm packs and a lot of other fabrics that are in Fall colors. I love the portability of these projects and right now I'm putting the lap throw together in rows. I'm a good customer of Paper Pieces. I'm getting many uses out of each piece!
way to use your head with those punches. I have them all too. gotta get them working double time... Road trips are when I do hexies and appliqued hearts.
Two great ideas--the hexagon punch and using old greeting cards. You are the queen of recycling, Bonnie, lol!
Amazing! I hope some quilt notions company catches on and starts making hexagon punches in various sizes.
This is such a sweet looking quilt.
I hope to see it done one day :0).
You are so creative with reusing your greeting cards.....now that is a great idea.
Happy Sewing and safe travels
Thanks for the fantastic idea. I have a whole box of fabric already cut into hexagons by my grandmother and I need the 3/4 inch size paper so I may just hunt down one of those punches.
Gorgeous, Bonnie! I guess when the project gets this big, it is no longer a "take-along" project?
Think I'd like to try my hand at this one :)
Another gadget to "want"! LOL!!!! See what you are starting? Quilters chasing down Creative Memories reps!
OK, I need to know if the punches are available online.
Ooooooooh, ooooohhh!!! It's gorgeous!!!
And too funny, as I was reading along I thought "I need to tell Bonnie she can borrow my hexagon punch" before I got to the part where you got one...I got mine from Creative Memories too, back when I was doing scrapbooking. I used it for my hexie medallion (which sadly is in my ufo pile...it only needs to be stitched to it's background fabric and quilted! one day...)
Anyway, I punched mine from freezer paper, ironed them to the back of the fabrics in rows spaced 1/2" apart and rotary cut them out. It was a great take along project.
That's exactly what I did with my birthday cards, etc. I loved reliving my 40th birthday every time I looked at those hexies. Too bad I cut each one out by hand!!
I was thinking the punch would be a nice way to recycle all of the political postcards showing up in the mail this season.
Just a thought!
Bonnie, I love how your mind works!! I'm attempting to think about learning how to do this...just thinking about it..lol..I can't wait to see this hexagon quilt finished! I don't believe I've ever seen a finished one. Love your work, Nancy in MI
Great ideas!
wow, tremendous patience and time involved in this project. is the finished going to be star shaped or appliqued to a background, i.e. bed size or large wallhanging
HI Bonni
I love to look your Blog and the hexi-Star is soo beautifull!! And now I had a question. We're I can buy this hexi-Punch?? My sister lifes in Boston an she can mit buy it! I love hexi and I sew too a big Grandmothes;))And now I now, wath I do with all the postcards!¨That's a great Idea!!
Lovley Regards, Rita from switzerland -> e-mail on my blog;)) and the two Books, are now by me in Switzerland, my sitzer bringed my the books last week!! Theres are soo great!!
I have used my CM hexagon punch for a couple years now for my quilt pieces. My kids figured out that if you fold a piece of paper in quarters, you can punch multiples out at a time. The weight of the paper has worked fine for me. I put my pieces and papers in tiny plastic zipper bags and carry 10 of these in a small kit complete with needle book, bobbin of thread and fold-up scissors. Great for keeping occupied during all the sporting events I watch with my kids.
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