It’s Friday night and after a short work week I’m really happy the weekend is here.
Not much to talk about tonight. I did whip out one hexagon flower at the end of the work day. I worked for 1.5 hours on my personal day off on June 30, so I cut out of work early today to make up for it.
Here’s today’s flower.
This one went together really quickly and my stitches are looking better on a whole. All the tips I’ve gotten from blog readers have really helped!
I’ve almost gone through all the hexagons I have already basted, so before dinner I hit my sewing room, dug into some impressive bins of scraps, and cut 40 more hexagons.
So far every hexagon I’ve cut is from a different fabric, with just a couple exceptions where different places on the fabric are completely different. So I’ve been digging through a lot of scraps.
Since I see myself making more of these little sets of hexagons to keep myself sane during long and frequent meetings, I’ve been giving a little thought to what I might do with all of these little beauties. So I pulled out some of my low volume black and white fabrics to see how they would work with the hexagons.
First I thought maybe one piece of black and white fabric with a hexi appliqued onto it.
Someone suggested (sorry can’t remember who it was or if it was on Instagram, an email, or a comment) that four patches out of low volume fabrics would make a fun background for these hexagons.
I actually like this approach quite a bit. It’s amazing how just adding some variation with multiple black and white fabrics in each background makes such a difference. I bought a bunch of these fabrics a couple years ago and haven’t used more than a piece or two. It might be time to cut some up!
I’ll still have time to decide, but I’m thinking this might be the direction I go. . . if I don’t completely lose interest in hexagons. I hope I don’t because I just ordered 200 more papers!!!
And now I’m sitting on the sofa at the end of the evening glue basting 40 hexagons and watching pickleball on YouTube. I know. You’re very envious of my life about now!
Gonna toss the dogs in the car and head out to watch a sheep herding trial tomorrow. That sounds to me like a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. And I just occurred to me that I should take some hexagons with me!!!
Oh, I just remembered… I got a phone call from Bender’s neurologist this afternoon. She had received his most recent blood test to check his potassium bromide levels. That’s the anti epilepsy drug she increased after his seizures in January. I told her that he had been seizure free since the increase but that he was still really wobbly and falls down quite a bit while running and playing. So she is going to decrease the dosage to see if it helps. His levels are pretty high, so she feels confident that we have some room to adjust his dosage and still keep his seizures at bay.
Fingers crossed that it helps with his drunken tendencies.
It sounds as if you have a really nice, relaxing, no stress weekend planned for you and your boys. I went to a sheep herding trial about a zillion years ago with my first BC, Emma. Just to watch. She might have known what to do, but I certainly did not! The trials are so exciting. Such a great experience watching the dogs and shepherd working together to move the sheep. Really fun to see the BCs jump into their pool after they’ve finished their turns.
I’m loving your little hexie flowers! Nuthin’ but COLOR! I like the idea of appliquing them onto the pieced B&W low volumes.
I’ve done dog training for years and sheep herding is the most challenging thing I’ve ever tried. Also maybe the most rewarding. It’s really an amazing past time.
Anne
The hexies do look good on the neutral squares! What are your favorite tips? Prayers for sweet Bender 🥰
tips: good lighting is important. The headlamp helped me a lot. Also, the ladder stitch helped me a lot. A wider seam allowance is good too. when glue basting keep the glue away from the edge of the paper. those are the best tips.
Anne
I enjoy your e-mails about your adventures, sewing and your darling dogs. Thanks for sharing. Doreen Sherk
Sent from my iPad
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thank you for reading!
Anne
I’ve seen hexies on tote bags – placed in the right position they looked great. Good luck for Bender today.
thanks!
Anne
see today’s Mutts Comic. couldn’t seem to forward to you.
Oh no. I can’t find it.
Anne
Good Morning, I have recently started watching agilejack, and have been initially interested in your frankenbags. I do love them, and would like to attempt one or two….waiting for the handle materials to arrive in the mail. Now you have ventured into EPP. What a coincidence! I have been assembling them throughout the pandemic…I probably have 2500 2″ hexagons ready to assemble….I will call this my pandemic quilt for lack of a better name. I have worked on it during TV shows and while we travel to visit grandkids in KC (my husband likes to drive) .I have not worked with hexagons,since the 70’s (one of my college projects for a textile class). No, I did not save it….I really did not like the finished project. It was my first quilt top. Now I wish that I had saved it to use in a frankenbag…it would have been a great grouping for colorful strips. Water under the bridge! Back to the 2500 Hexagons…I was determined to use fabric in my stash and not spend any new dollars on this project….so far so good. Luckily I own a machine that cuts the hexagons ( Picked it up on a whim at an estate sale years ago). Now I am thinking about the assembly…I could go with the Flower design or Paisley, but I have been watching The Last Homely House with Kate for the last year and she made a quilt for her new granddaughter with a random design…quite beautiful….you might be interested in looking into that option for your hexagons. As I have not assembled mine yet…I was also interested in the Ladder stitch that you are using. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Kathy in Nebraska
PS. I am also a fan of dogs…We don’t have one at present time…but we get to dogsit our granddogs(4) often enough to satisfy my canine needs.
I’m pretty sure I don’t have the patience and attention span to make a quilt of only hexis… especially tiny ones like you! I’ve seen quilts made from nothing but the tiny hexis and they are amazing, but they make my head hurt a little!
I know a lot of people who love dogs and quilt. Even in my local circle of friends. It amazes me sometimes.
Anne
Oh, and my dad was born in Nebraska. I still have family there.
Anne
I actually love the first picture of the hexies on the larger squares, and thought you were going to put another hexie to join them, which would put that hexie right over the 4 seams…i love the idea of hexes kind of criss-crossing the whole quilt of black and white backgrounds. I’m probably not explaining that very well! But you hexies are perfect!
Hmm. That’s an interesting idea but would require some serious precision from me to get it all to fit right. I might not be up for it!
Anne
I’m planning on doing a dresden plate background for these hexi flowers!
That will be fun!
Anne
Hexie flowers on neutrals background looks really great! All that hand sewing should keep you out of trouble. Have fun!
Oh, I think I’ll still be able to get into trouble.
Anne
Prayers for Bender’s med adjustment. He’s such a sweet boy. Didn’t realize you could watch pickleball on you tube. Hmmm. Might have to check that out. Still have played. After your fall I’m not sure about my 2 left feet. How’s the ribs? I was the one who sent the low volume 4 patch to place the hexie as that is my current “travel” project. Just need to get back to travel.
I played yesterday and I felt great! Amazing how much healing I’ve done in the last few days. I feel so much better!
Anne
I like the look of the hexagons on the 4 patch, very nice!
Thanks! I like it too.
Anne
Never heard of a recipe for ice cubes. What is your recipe?
Can’t share it. It’s a secret.
Anne
Hi! I was very interested in your comment yesterday “about making ice from your Mom’s recipe”. Would you care to elaborate on that? Thanks! I enjoy reading your blogpost each day.
It was a joke. it’s just ice.
Anne
Nice stash..!!!
Thanks! It’s more fabric than I’ll ever use up. but I love it anyway!
Anne
Have you seen this free pattern for a hexagon Fassett neck pillow? https://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/pdfs/pattern26.pdf
that’s cute! Thanks for the link.
Anne
I LOVE the colorful hexies on the black and white backgrounds.At what point do you pull out the papers?
I think you pull out the papers once you have sewn all the hexis together that you’re going to sew together. I would leave them in to store them once sewn just to keep them in good shape and keep the edges crisp.
Anne
I look forward to your posts every day!! Love watching your creativity grow on your projects…thank you!!
Thanks for reading!
Anne
I bought a hexagon punch and punched my own hexie’s. Really easy and much cheaper.
Hmmm. Didn’t know there was such a think. I’ll check it out.
Anne
Looks like fun to me. I’m collecting for something similar. I will be making circles with my new circle maker and appliqué them on squares of assorted black and whites. I’m doing blacks on a white backgrounds. Love your collection of b and w’s. Oh the circles will be Kaffe 😊
your quilt sounds fun. I;ve only done a little applique. it’s not my strong suit!
Anne
I would probably do both, some hexies on a busy white with black and 4 patches of some more subtle prints for the rest. I have such a short attentions span I need variety. Then the layout could be every other one or just random, what ever seems to work when you get to the design wall. Now the next question is whether you will hand applique them or sew them on by machine.
Oh! That’s a good idea. I’ll definitely try mixing up the larger backgrounds with the four patches.
I will definitely NOT be hand appliqueing them! Thank you for your faith in my skills!
Anne
Love all your hexies….where/who do you order the papers?
I got them on Amazon.
Anne
I get lost in hexies! Great way to pass the time in the evening. I just pulled out my box again and I’m embarking on a new project. Have fun.
I like the idea of having something I can just pick up when I want to make a few stitches. I need to get a fun box to keep it all on my coffee table.
Anne