Hexamania!

We've always had a lot of hexie love here at the store and when we saw Sue Daley's English Paper Piecing technique for making a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt we had to try it. 

Judy and Carol were put to the task. Judy is a veteran at hand sewing and English Paper Piecing. Carol... not so much! :) We have to admit that Carol was a little hesitant when this project was first offered to her but decided it was now or never! So after a quick lesson with Judy she was all set... and converted for life! 

If you've always done hexagons you'll find this method fun and easy to do. If you've never made hexagons before or done any hand sewing... you will be addicted.

Especially to the fantastic Bohin Temporary Glue Stick Pen for Fabrics! No, you won't be sniffing it but you will use it to baste your fabric onto the paper pieces. It drys quickly and leaves no gunk like a traditional glue stick so there is no mess involved at all!

And with our ready to go kits you'll whip them up in no time. If you come into the store look for this little cup cake stand when you enter and take these cute little packages home with you. Each package has all the 1" hexagon paper pieces and 2.5" fabric squares you need to make one flower. You don't have to measure, you don't have to cut, you simply have to get going! Or shop online here to get them. They're only $4.00!

We went a little bit country and a little bit rock n' roll with our fabric choices. 
Judy is making hers out of the classic 1930's Reproduction Fabrics and Carol is making them out of brights. 

  

Here's a quick tutorial on making the hexies.


You will need:

• Grandmother's Flower Garden Kit which contains the Patchwork with Busy Fingers 1" Hexagon Paper Pieces and fabric.
• Bohin Temporary Glue Stick Pen for Fabrics!
• Needles (We use Richard Hemmings Sharps Size 10)
• Piecing Thread
• Scissors

Place the hexagon in the center of the 2.5" square on the wrong side of the fabric. Rough cut along the sides of the hexagon about a quarter of an inch. Be sure not to trim down too much or as Judy says, "You will regret it." Cut a little more than a quarter of an inch if you're a beginner so you don't have too small a seam allowance. 

With your Bohin Temporary Glue Stick Pen for Fabrics glue the sides of the hexagons. The pink glue makes it easier to see but disappears when it dries so it won't show. 

Fold the seam allowance onto the paper pieces folding the corners over as you go.  

Press Down.

 And you're done.

Now you need to Whip Stitch your hexagons together. 

Make your first stitch on hexagon 1 close to a corner and under your seam allowance
so you can hide your knot.

Hold the two hexagons together so that the points match. 

Whip Stitch by taking your needle over onto hexagon 2 and sewing through both hexagons as shown.

Take your needle over hexagon 2 and make another stitch close to the the first one. Go through to hexagon 2  and pull.  It's important that your stitches are snug but not too tightly pulled.  

Repeat the stitch to the end of the hexagon. Work from the same direction with each stitch, sewing them close together and keeping them tight but not too tight. Hold the hexagons in place. If they shift bring them back into position and hold them firmly. 

Once you have done the first two hexagons of your flower you can start adding the others. Start at the outer corner of  a hexagon and Whip Stitch along both sides of the hexagons. It's very simple. 

When you're done this is what your flower will look like from the back.  You can remove the paper pieces from the centre hexagons by simple peeling open the seams and gently removing the paper pieces. These can be reused for when you need to make your borders should you choose to set them in hexagons too. 

                                                                And this is the front! 

We have two kits available and will be releasing more in the coming weeks.
These are the 1930's Reproduction Flowers.
Shop online here or come into the store and get them.

And these are the Brights.