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| Block 1 |
Here in the US, the Saturday after Thanksgiving is beginning to be known as "Small Business Saturday", a way to get consumers to shop at small, local, brick and mortar businesses. So I decided that I really needed to visit the local quilt shops in nearby Ft Collins. Well, one especially diabolical shop was giving away laser cut hexagons, seven for walking in the door and an additional seven for each yard of fabric purchased. I ended up with four sets of seven hexies.
Then I went to another shop, where another customer walked off with my Christmas fabric for stockings that I need to make (since mine are all in storage). By the time I got the fabric back (only an hour later) I was given a fat quarter bundle for my inconvenience. I picked one that coordinated with the hexies I got earlier.
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| Block 2 |
So now, I absolutely have to make a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. The centers will all be bright fabrics, purple, pink, orange, green and blue.
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| Block 3 |
I'm not paper piecing these, as I am starching the fabric really well, then cutting with a special hexie cutting ruler. I mark the seam intersections (with a template made from cardboard), then just hand sew away. I have these three finished so far. I plan on making them into a twin quilt for a daybed I'll be buying for the new house.
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| Connectors |
These are my "connecting fabrics", some pink, apricot, yellow and a smidge of very light green. The yardage on the left will probably be the hexies for the border. I have absolutely no idea of how I will finish this, but will see how it goes.
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| Kits |
I'm trying to make each flower unique, so am bundling sets together without duplicating fabrics. One thing I'm finding is that some of these batiks are hard to sew through, probably due to all the dye in the fabric. Hand quilting is definitely not an option.
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| Helper Falling Down on the Job |
I had a bit of help with the photo shoot, but my little helper got bored and decided a nap was a better use of his time (my mother made that little afghan for my children). I'll post photos as I complete a few of the flowers. This will enable me to sew while watching TV, as I can't seem to tat or embroider very well in front of the tube. I make too many mistakes. With the hexies, a mistake is very easy to remedy, just two inches of hand sewing to take out.
You are so lucky to have two such diabolical quilt shops on hand!
ReplyDeleteLOL! It is already looking really pretty, and it's a tried and true design. Hand piecing is faster than EPP, so you'll make good progress too. I think batiks are just a hard, tight weave to stand up to the wax. Best for the machine! Colorado is chock a block with quilters, so I think a new quilt project was inevitable! You'll be glad you did. :D
ReplyDeleteYour color choices are do pretty and you have the perfect little helper.
ReplyDeleteLove hand sewing hexies, and yours look lovely. Nice that you had a good number of them cut for you to start :). Way to go supporting local businesses!
ReplyDeleteEven though they are difficult to hand stitch, your batiks are a lovely addition to your fabric choices. Hexies seem to be popping up everywhere these days. I feel inspired to allow a hexie project to pop it's way into my 2016. Looking forward to seeing how yours comes together.
ReplyDeleteYour helper is adorable even if you caught him sleeping on the job. You must have tuckered him right out!