Hexagon Thoughts :: Progress

I've fallen behind on my hexagon posts. I've been absorbed with a few other projects lately, along with work, preparing to move next month, and constantly driving back and forth to town. But, I thought it was time for an update, so here goes.

I've got 472 hexagons attached to another hexagon. I'm still sewing strips of 10 and 11 together into sections and planning to attach the sections once I have more completed. I'm hoping this method will distribute the fabrics from the same collections evenly throughout the quilt.

A few weeks ago, I noticed another duplicate I sewed in by accident but, I'm not going to tell you where it is, you'll have to find it later! So, I went through all my basted hexagons and pulled out a number of additional duplicates. I was surprised at how many more I found. Along with the duplicates, I pulled out a number of hexies I've decided not include, mostly because I decided that the fabrics were too light/pale or too sophisticated for me.

As of today, that makes my basted-but-not-attached hexagon count 726. The stacks above contain 25 hexies each.

I have no idea how many fabrics are in this 3.5" stack of squares. These are the fabrics I have yet to baste from swaps and new fabrics I've cut into. I still need to go through my folded stash and cut squares from those fabrics. I'm going to hold off on any more swaps until I get more of these fabrics basted.

Here's the box I'm using for hexagon storage with all the necessary supplies.

And this is an adorable little box I found in the school supply section at Target. It has a magnetic closure. This collection is so cute I couldn't resist some folders and notebooks too. 

The best part about this box is that it fits in my handbag (I usually carry a big-ish handbag) and holds everything I need to make hexies on the go. Fabric squares, papers, scissors, needle and thread.

My tip for the week: Use old bobbins of thread to baste your hexagons. The bobbins are much more portable than a spool of thread (which wouldn't fit in my new box) and in my case, I have lots of wound bobbins from old clothing projects that I'll likely never use again.

If your bobbin thread gets unruly, use some of those little stretchy, fuzzy ponytail holders to wrangle the thread. Don't overpay buying them at the sewing store, just buy them at the drugstore.

There are 175 members in the hexagon charm quilt flickr pool! I really need to spend some time over there admiring all the beautiful work everyone is sharing. If you are in need of fabrics for your quilt, there are a number of swaps going on also, so check out the discussions.

Thanks for the love on the cheater fabric. So far, I've only received the initial FQ I ordered before I entered the contest. Those poor guys must be overwhelmed with orders. I've ordered additional yardage to cut into FQs, so I'll let you know as soon as I receive the yardage. I'll get another post together, maybe for tomorrow, with my thoughts on how the fabric turned out.

So, how is your hexagon quilt coming along?

Hexagon Links

For those who've asked, here's the hexagon graph paper generator I've been using to print my hexagon paper pieces. Enter 1" in the "Hexagon Size" box, and you'll get 13 useable hexagons per sheet.  I've just been cutting them out by hand because I didn't expect to enjoy doing this and assumed I would only be cutting out one sheet of hexagons.

Cutting out the hexagons is the only boring part of the process, so I can see how paying for pre-cut papers would probably be worth it. I found some hex paper pieces here, but they are a little expensive in my opinion. I'll just keep cutting them out by hand until my thumb gets too sore and then I'll cave in and order them.

Here's the cheat sheet for knowing what size fabric square you'll need for the most common hexagon sizes. I didn't realize that hexagons (at least in the quilt world) are measured by the length of one side, so a 1" hexagon is actually about 1 3/4" x 2".

This post at Sometimes Crafter is the most helpful hexagon information I've read and her photos are beautiful. Personally, I'm getting the best results with the ladder/slipstitch method of attaching the hexagons together. I think I prefer it to the running stitch because it lays flatter on the front. ETA - After sewing more and more hexes together, I think that the whipstitch is going to be the best stitch for longevity and I'm using it going forward.

I am no expert by any means, but here's what I've found so far regarding sewing the hexes together.

• When using the whipstitch, take TINY stitches and pick up only a few threads of each fabric. Keep your stitches tight to prevent them from showing on the right side.
• Don't sew through the papers. You'll be able to tell when you are sewing through the paper and not just the fabric.  This is another good way to make sure you are taking tiny stitches catching only the edge of the fabric.
• Hand quilting thread is very durable and will allow you to pull your stitches tightly without breaking the thread.  I've been using YLI hand quilting thread, which is by the way, dreamy to work with.
• I'm using a No. 9 Between quilting needle.  The tip of the needle is extremely fine and allows you to pick up only a few threads on each fabric.  It's too difficult to pick up only the very edge of the fabric when using a sharps needle.

Click on the photos above for a larger image.

If I've done my math correctly, it would only take 1,173 one inch hexagons to make a 50" x 60" throw. That's fewer than 100 hexagons a month for a year. I made 48 in front of the TV while watching House one evening. 

        

To make it even more exciting, I've been reading about the history of charm quilts. Anyone up for a piece-along?