Hexagon's

When I first started quilting hexagons seemed so intimidating. There is paper, thread, sewing it by hand. Who would do such a thing. Apparently I would,  because now I think it's time I give these a try!!!! I have done my research. I feel confident. Really how hard can it be?

My first step was to buy this at Jo Ann's. This is in the scrap booking isle.  I bought what Fiskars call the large punch. This gives me a hexagon with 3/4 inch sides. The picture is of the larger punch that is two inches.  But I wanted to stick to using up my scraps.

When I got it home I had to give it a try. One postcard was enough to punch out seven hexagons. Now not only am I saving every little bit of useable fabric I am saving suitable paper too.

 From this point I set down and tried to figure out a pattern that I wanted. I was able to print out the hexagon graph paper from here.  I wanted something a little different from the ordinary. I wore my little crayons down to nubs, finally settling on this.

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I intend mine to be scrappy where there is color on the graph.

Here is my first attempt. It went really smoothly. So much so that I did this on a recent road trip.

I did a lot more. I love that this can go anywhere with me. How perfect for summer!

 

Today I am linking up with Jessica of Life Under Quilts

Stats of what I have done: 26 hexagons, many more to go. Too many to count.

My traveling project

We have been helping to take care of my husbands grandparents. On Sunday's we travel to their house. While my husband takes pop grocery shopping, I stay with Nan. I do a quick cleaning, its easier without the guys and then I sit down with nan.


Our conversations go like this:
Nan: What are you doing?
Me: I am taking perfectly good fabric cutting it into smaller pieces and sewing it back to together again.
Nan: That's stupid!
Me: (She has dementia, so I take this with a grain of salt) I proceed to show her one of the completed blocks.
Nan: That's crazy!

In a way this quilt has been crazy. There are no real big instructions and the whole process takes a lot of time. No rotary cutting here!

My process was this. I would trace the templates on to the fabric, cut and place my pieces in a labeled envelope. I would maybe get one or two done while talking with Nan.

On Monday, I would sit down at my sewing machine and sew a couple of blocks together.

It was like working on a puzzle. I would sit with the book and my pieces and match everything up.

Often my seam ripper was my best companion during this process. Over the months my pile of blocks grew. And it was finally time to put the whole thing together.

 This is the helper who may have been a quilter in a past life. If there is fabric involved she is right there.

I just couldn't resist laying the top on my bed when it was complete. I felt completely crazy during the process at points. But the reality is that it was all worth while. Now on to the hand quilting. My patience should be really built up after this project.

 Will I take on another tedious project like this... hmm, ABSOLUTELY!!! Just give me a week or two, I'll be dreaming up something.

Linking up with Crazy Mom quilts for a Friday finish.

Shutter- scraps

I finally joined a quilting guild. It is probably one of the best things that I have done for myself!!!!!

It is great to be around a group of people who have the same obsession as you. One new friend gifted me this book.. I am loving it. I think I could work the whole way through this book and not get bored. I may have to do just that.

One of my other new found friends gifted me scraps. These ladies  knew just how to reach my heart <3 .="" br=""> I got to work and sorted  all of the scraps into color and then on to the cutting process. That took awhile and there are no fun photographs of that step.

After I cut all of the pieces I got to work on the piecing. This part went much faster. I started this quilt on my new sewing machine. I got a Featherweight, Yea!

Learning to use an older sewing machine was odd at first, as I am use to a computerized machine. But after learning all the ins and outs of the machine, it was like plugging away. Finally I had all 110 blocks.

*each of the logs here finish a 3/4 of an inch.

The hardest challenge of this quilt was laying it out in order to get all of my blocks separated enough that there weren't big blocks of color all in one spot. The cat was of no help during this process as well. I think I ended up laying out 5 times because she kept interrupting.

 

 

The finished quilt is just stunning. The picture doesn't do it justice. I am never disappointed with scrap quilts. The more variety the better. Not to mention that all of these pieces have found a purpose.

 

Signs of spring

Slowly we are starting to see signs of spring. There is flowers blooming inside the house. Of course we haven't been able to turn off the heat yet. The nights are just too cold.

I just love daffodils. They are bright and colorful after a long winter.

 

I caught a glimpse of a robin. Of course she was too quick to get a picture. But this homemade one is just as good.

More beautiful flowers I discovered on my walk at a local park. I wondered if they were planted there or just naturally grew there. Regardless they were beautiful. The walk and the signs of spring definately brightened my spirts.

Evidence that the quilt frame is getting more use from the cat than by me. Now if only the temperatures will warm up enough to open the windows and turn off the heat.

It has been awhile...

Since the last time that I blogged. I have run around...

I take this one to floor hockey practice.

With the help of  a fellow blogger I was able to get this finished. I haven't blocked it yet. Too busy wearing it while I run around.

 

Is it just me or is one part of the lace not right? Regardless I am not ripping it out now, mistakes happen.  

 I am still plugging away at these.

So even though there is only a bit to show here. There is still alot happening. Unfornately most of it is cooking, cleaning, small things that just always seem to need done.

Yarn Help !!!

As soon as I typed this title the Beatles's song ran through my mind. Help, I need some body, Not just anybody, please, Help! But really I do need your help. I am just about done with my shawl. But I am afraid that I will not have enough yarn to finish. Do you know anyone willing to sell... Knit picks, shine-sport yarn, in silver sage? Please, Please send them my way!!! I really do need help, yarn help that is.

On the book front I am currently reading Better off. It's interesting to think of living a simpler life. I think it is much harder to accomplish than what the author leads on. I also think that they stumbled upon a very helpful group of people who choose too also live simply. I haven't finished the book so at this point, I am still keeping an open mind about somethings.

Today I am linking up with Ginny.

Do over

Ï am starting over with the Farmer's wife blocks. I had started well over a year ago, and then burned out. I wasn't happy with how mine were turning out. I felt disappointed that I never finished it. So I went looking online and found a way to download the templates in a more reasonable fashion.Then I got to work, again! I am starting over completely. This way I don't have to try to find matching fabric or go back to fix old mistakes.

 

This time I am working on things differently. First off I printed all of the templates and spent time cutting them out. From this point on I traced the needed template on the the fabric. I did a few at a time and placed them in an envelope to keep myself organized.

 

This way all I had to do was have a day of sewing. So far I completed the first 18 out of the book, with much more success. I hope to keep this momentum going.

 

Could I possibly use my ironing board?