Hexie Heaven

I'm at AGU - that's the American Geophysical Union's annual conference - and I knew I'd need a project to keep me busy during down time. Solution: the travelling hexies.

Hexagons! and cat hair...

I got one panel completed a couple months ago, and now I've got enough for the second panel. Guess I should get to work on connecting them.

The completed panel. 

I'm using Arizona fabric by April Rhodes. The hexies are 3/4 inch, so they're pretty tiny. I like seeing the geometric qualities of the print broken down in these smaller shapes.

The conference is in San Francisco, so I also got to do a little shopping!

Britex Fabrics! A San Francisco institution!

Not many quilting cottons, but it sure is fun to browse all the fabrics and notions. They even had the cotton tape that I ran out of!

I'm curious: what kind of do you bring when you travel? Or do you just enjoy the trip?

Linking up for WiP Wednesday with Lee from Freshly Pieced

How I English Paper Piece - Part 3: Joining Rows

When last I left you I had created rows of hexagons. I thought I'd show how I join those rows, because sometimes the idea of manhandling all those carefully basted hexagons can be intimidating. Don't worry, it's pretty difficult to 'ruin' them!

Starting point. Two rows. 

I sew each row together continuously. The first step to this process is aligning your first seam segment. For the rows I've got pictured, you're going to want to flip the top row over so you've got right sides together, and rotate the rows so you've got the edges you want to start sewing aligned correctly. 

Arrows show where we will start joining the rows,
so where we want to align in the first image,
and you can see how the rows are flipped and rotated
to meet this objective in the second image. 

I sew this first segment just like I sewed the individual hexagons together, except I don't knot the thread at the end, I just do a backstitch to help reinforce my stitches. Image 2 below shows the seam I stitched with the solid white line, and the seam I'm going to move to with the dashed white line. How do I do this? I need to bend that first hexagon. In image 3 you can see where it's going to bend with the pink dashed line. Image 4 shows the rows aligned (with a bent hexagon) as I'm sewing that next seam. I haven't removed the paper, I keep them in as long as possible to add stability as I work along the row. 

Sewing down the row. Don't be afraid to bend those basted hexagons!

Continue in this manner until you get to the end of the row. Once you reach the end just knot and tie your thread like you did when you were sewing the single hexies into a row. 

You should have something that looks like this: 

2 rows sewn together!

I keep the papers in until I have to remove them because I need more, or until I'm ready to start quilting. You'll see that process in the next installment. For now I'm going to keep sewing rows together until I get a panel large enough for a glasses case!

Here's Picasso helping me with some quality control. As you can see, the hand stitching is holding up nicely!

Picasso loves helping me sew. 

How I English Paper Piece - Part 2: Joining Hexies

I'm moving right along with my paper piecing project. I thought I had all the hexagons basted, but turns out I think I need more than I initially calculated to make the panels bigger for the project I've got in mind. In the meantime, I thought I'd show how I attach the hexagons, and then how I attach the rows to make a panel. Plus I just painted my nails, so I figured I should take advantage of them before they get all chipped and I don't want to show them in the pictures!

When I connect the hexagons I use a ladder stitch. The thread moves back and forth between the fabrics, creating a ladder shape. Because the stitches are concealed by the fabric creases it makes the join nearly invisible.

Look at the 'ladder' the thread makes between the two hexagons!

I think I just got ahead of myself. First I take two of my basted hexagons.

2 basted hexagons. 

Next, I place them right sides together, aligning the edge I want to connect them along. I insert a needle with a knotted thread between the fabric and the basting paper, exiting at my starting point, which, for me, is the right corner (I sew from right to left and I'm right handed. I have no idea if this is normal, this is just what feels most comfortable to me, and you should find what is comfortable to you).

My blurry starting point. I swiveled them a bit so you can see they are right sides together.
When sewing you'll see they are lined up right next to each other. 

For the first stitch I insert the needle into the other hexagon, through the right corner and run it along the fold about 1/4 or 1/8th of an inch. These are 1/2 inch hexagons, so I'm using smaller stitches. For a larger hexagon you could use a larger stitch.

Insert needle and run it along the folded fabric a little ways
before coming out of the same fabric. 

For the next stitch, you want to do the same thing back on that first hexagon. Enter at a parallel point in the new hexagon from where you left the old one. I've highlighted this in the picture below. You can see the exit point illustrated with the finger in the image, and the entering point illustrated with the pink and blue arrow.

finger = exiting old stitch; triangles = entering new stitch

You will continue in this fashion until you reach the end of the side. For the final stitch I just do a back stitch in whichever hexagon I DID NOT put the last ladder stitch. Then I knot and cut the thread and start the process over again adding the next hexagon.

Sewing the hexagons together. 

I'm sewing my hexagons into rows, and then sewing the rows together. I'll show how I do that in my next tutorial post.

Conjoined hexagons!

Rows of hexagons. I like how graphic Arizona looks using this method. 

How I English Paper Piece - Part 1: Basting

I've been working my way towards a new glasses case for a little while. I had one more kiss clasp left over from the three I originally bought, and I had purchased some English Paper Piecing (EPP) templates on a whim. Usually I would be true to my frugal self, and print out and hand cut templates if I wanted to try a new style of sewing, but I had just made a good deal, celebrated with a drink and ended up at a quilting shop...you know what happens when you end up at a quilting shop after a drink or two, right? English Paper Piecing templates on a whim!

It took me a while to decide how to use them. I did, after all, buy a rather small size (they were so cute!) measuring 1/2 inch along each side. I ended up putting the templates aside for a bit. Later, I purchased a fat quarter bundle of Arizona, April Rhodes' limited edition collection, because it was beautiful, and it was a LIMITED EDITION. That's basically code for BUY IT NOW! Determined not to let this new acquisition languish in my collection I thought it would be fun to see how all the geometric elements of the collection looked broken down a bit, and have decided that these paper pieced hexagons will be the perfect way to create a panel for my glasses case.

So, here I am showing you some of my process. I'd love to do this more with quilts, but my process tends to be so organic that it's hard to keep track of what I do! This is my first attempt at a good chronicle of my work, and I hope you enjoy following along.

Arizona hexagons, front and back. 

Everyone has a different method of EPPing, and I thought I'd start by sharing mine. With pictures. If you like it, try it. If not, there are plenty of other tutorials out there for you, and I'm sure you'll find one that fits!

For my 1/2 inch templates I initially cut 1.5" squares from each of the fabrics I was going to be using.

1.5" square of fabric

Next I trimmed the corners off. I didn't cut much, just about 1/4" from each corner.

Trimmed fabric. 

You can see here that the fabric better fits the template now. Notice that I didn't actually trim the fabric to a hexagon, I just trimmed off some of the excess. 

Fabric with template. 

The next step I take is to finger press two of the opposite sides of the fabric. These sides should be parallel to the template. For example, I would finger press the top and bottom sides in the picture above. This helps prevent the template from moving around while basting. Just a note, but when I first heard of finger pressing, I though all you had to do was fold the fabric over with your finger and press! Turns out, you need to fold the fabric over and run the edge of your finger (preferably using your fingernail) along the fold you want pressed, otherwise it's not nearly as effective.

Finger pressed fabric. 

I don't like using knots, because that takes time. When you have to baste 102 little hexagons, you don't want to make 204 knots (one at the start, one at the end). What I do is run the needle through the fabric once leaving about a 1-inch tail, and then once again in the same spot. This holds the thread firmly enough in place that your basting stitches will hold. 

First and second stitch in the same spot. 

After the initial stitches, fold the next edge of the hexagon down. Simply stitch once through the two layers of fabric. I don't go through the stiffer paper template to help prolong it's life. I mean, I may have bought them on a whim, but I want them to last a while!

Regular running stitch around the hexagon to secure the fabric. 

Upon arriving at the last fold I repeat the same method used at the start: two stitches to secure the fabric.

Final stitches to secure the basting threads. 

This method secures the fabric around the hexagon and prepares it for the next step: joining hexagons! It manages to secure the fabric without going through the cardboard, or making multiple knots for each template, which saves time and makes the process more economical. I've got about 25 more to go, and then I'll show you how I join my hexagons. I'm going to use a ladder stitch, which is virtually invisible, and super easy to do. 

Hex on the Beach and other WIPs

I'm about to head to lovely Honduras for a little fun in the sun and sand. I've got a few things to share while I'm away, but I'm going to focus on relaxation...even though I am bringing some work with me! And I figure, if I'm bringing some work, I may as well bring a little hand sewing project too!

3/4" hexagons...it's really going to break the collection down to it's basic colors. 

I bought the Arizona collection and wasn't sure what to do with it. It's so pretty, and so GRAPHIC. That makes it harder for me to use in a quilt (which is probably why my stash keeps growing - I keep buying fabrics I WANT, not fabrics I can USE). Suddenly, it hit me! Tiny hexagons! I'm going to try my hand at English Paper Piecing, with my goal to make  a large enough panel that I can make another glasses case. It should be possible, I only need about an 8" by 6" section...it'll more depend on if I actually take the time to sew!

I just couldn't pass this fabric up! The neutrals are a heavier weight chambray. 

I've also been thinking about projects in the pipeline. I don't want to get overwhelmed, so I'm only starting new projects as I finish them. Since I recently finished the Zipper Pillow for my friend I'm going to make a couple of neutral, improv log cabins based cusions for myself. Yes, you heard it right, I'm sewing for myself! I had found the backing fabric in San Francisco last spring, and have been waiting for inspiration to strike regarding what to do on the other side. I realized that I'd love to play around with log cabins and a neutral palate, so the pillow project was born.

I've got some other ideas as well, but as I mentioned, no new project may be started until I finish an old one! Now to get this pesky vacation over with already...