Hexagon Thoughts :: Piecing Strips

It's been tough trying to get this video filmed today! I recorded the other videos outside (for the great lighting and acoustics), but we spent the morning in town at the vet and when we got home it was already 100°. Sorry, but that's too hot for me to sit outside in the sun and sew. I tried unsuccessfully setting up at multiple windows around the house and when I finally found the best light, my neighbor started mowing. My camera picked up the drone of his mower, so I had to stop. I resumed filming when he finished, but then he started his weed eater! I think he was weed eating off and on for almost two hours! Every time I thought the coast was clear... weeeer, weeer, weeeer! I wanted to go yell at him, "Hey, buddy, I'm trying to record a little sewing video in here!" But, of course, I didn't.

So, this video may seem a little choppy because it was filmed at different times throughout the day and then spliced together. The lighting isn't very good and portions are a little out of focus, but I think you'll get the idea. This video is how I piece my strips of hexagons together. Its isn't necessarily the right way and it's definitely not the only way, but it's what has been working for me. It might be helpful if you are new to hand paper piecing.

Thank you for all of the love on the Color Wheel quilt. I might hang it on a wall; maybe in my new sewing room.

Regarding the hand quilting video, I'll try to record something when I start on the paintbox quilt, but I'll be using Perle cotton for that project, so it's slightly different than traditional hand quilting. Amy has a fabulous series of videos on YouTube on hand quilting, so be sure to check those out. Vikivictoria also shared a video link that I found helpful. Thank you!

We had a little dog-related scare late last night. My 13 year old Yorkshire Terrier, Gizmo, has cataracts. That's her snoozing on the sofa above. She can distinguish light and dark really well, but she's basically blind. Our vet watches for complications, but says she's too old for major surgery and I'm too cheap to spend $4K on surgery for my 13 year old dog. Anyway, last night one of her totally white eyes (cloudy from the cataracts) turned blood red. A blood vessel in her eye ruptured! I could tell she wasn't in pain since she wasn't pawing at it, but she was bumping into things like it worsened her already terrible vision. We saw the vet first thing this morning and he said she was going to be okay. After fewer than 10 hours on steroid drops, her eye already looks much better! The poor old girl looked terrible and it was scary because I didn't know how serious it was. I'm thankful she's on the mend.

Speaking of pets, we have a new one. This is Coconut. He's Shea's new hamster.

She is enjoying his company immensely!

Color Wheel Quilt

All finished! The binding went on yesterday and I washed it this morning.

This quilt was my first hand quilted project. I started it in February, and actually constructed it quickly, but would set it aside and only work on the hand quilting occasionally. 

My daughter took this and the first photo. I may have to use this one for my blog header. 

In case you are wondering, here are the facts. The fabrics came from my stash. It's quilted with Gütermann and YLI white cotton hand quilting thread. I used size 9 between quilting needles. I didn't prewash any of these fabrics, but I used a Shout Color Catcher in the wash. (Nothing bled.) I can't remember what kind of batting I used, but I think it's either Warm n' Natural or Hobbs Heirloom 80/20. I'm fairly certain I used Moda Bella solid white and I don't think it washed up as softly as Kona. I marked my stitching lines lightly with a very sharp No. 2 pencil and a long ruler. The lines that didn't come out during quilting came out in the wash.

I'm a total newbie at hand quilting, but I'm hooked. My sewing machine may be seeing a little less of me. I read your comments about hand quilting videos, so when I start hand quilting the Paintbox quilt, I'll shoot a little video. For beginners by a beginner. 

Have a lovely Monday!

Happy Dance!

I just did a little happy dance around the living room,

complete with shouts of "woo hoo!".

I decided I wanted to finish something today, so I put in the first season of The Big Bang Theory (which has unequivocally replaced Gilligan's Island as my all time favorite televison comedy) and made myself comfy on the sofa. It only took 17 commercial-free episodes to finish the quilting. Now it just needs a binding, but wow, my fingers are sore.

Oh, and I'm a new Big Bang fan. A friend who insisted we needed to see the show loaned us the first and second seasons on DVD a couple of weeks ago. I haven't seen the third season, so no spoliers please. I pre-ordered it on Amazon, but there's no release date listed. It hope it's released soon so we can catch up before the fourth season starts.

Another busy week.

It's been a busy another busy week. I only have a few minutes to post, but I thought I'd check in.

The garage slab was poured on Wednesday. This was before. The crew hit bedrock, so Sean had to rent a jackhammer and it took an extra day to jackhammer the ditches for the beams. At least we know the slab won't be moving. The family room and master suite will be above the garage. It's the size of a four car garage since it will also house the airplane Sean is building. (Yes, I park my car next to a pair of airplane wings in my garage.)

  

Dirt work for the slab addition that will be my sewing room, powder room, and Shea's bathroom. I think this was on June 5th.

And here's that same spot yesterday. What a difference a few days makes! That room with the ladder is my sewing room. We need to get the tree trimmer to come trim up that pecan tree soon.

I've been sewing during swim team every day.

It's nice to have hand work projects that are so portable.

 

It's also fun to have little girls stop to see what I'm working on.