Hexagon Table Runners

A little over a year ago, my quilt guild had a workshop on making these hexagon table runners. 

Hexagon Table Runner

These are made from striped fabrics. This one is a beautiful red and silver gray print.

Hexagon Table Runner

I didn't take any in progress photos, but these runners aren't complicated to make. Fabric is cut in strips parallel to the stripes in the fabric. Then wedges are cut from those strips with a 60 degree ruler.

Hexagon Table Runner

You need 6 pieces from each strip with the identical placement of the strips.

Hexagon Table Runner

Then each set of 6 pieces is sewn together. 60 degree wedges of coordinating fabric are sewn to join the wedges together. Matching the stripe lines is not difficult and the end result looks like an advanced sewing technique.

Hexagon Table Runner

 I finished them with either 5 or 3 hexagons per runner as the odd number seems to just look better.

Hexagon Table Runner

Some fabrics are more interesting than others. This black, red and gray one above is pretty plain without the accent fabric wedge and borders.

Hexagon Table Runner

But this print gave me all kinds of interesting pieces. This one was a little more difficult than the previous two as each piece in these needed to be identical, not just lined up along the striped lines.

Hexagon Table Runner

All in all, these went together pretty fast and were pretty easy to quilt with lines that reflect the shape of the hexagons and the stripes.

Do you want more detailed instructions? I think I could make this into a tutorial if wanted?

--Ann

Progress on the hexies!

I think I have enough paper pieced hexagons to finish the project I have in mind, so here's a little update!

Paper pieced hexagons

I am slowly stitching hexies!

These will eventually be a tea cozy - not sure when you will see a finished project, but there is some slow progress!

--Ann

WIP Wednesday - February 6

Here's what's been happening in my sewing room this week:

 I've started basting some little 1.5" hexies from my scraps - not sure what they'll be when they grow up, but I've got plenty of time to decide! (Actually, this is NOT my sewing room - I was watching TV in my PJ's and was quite comfy on the sofa!)

 

And last week I started quilting this baby quilt on my machine, but for some reason, still unknown, when the bobbin thread ran out, my machine needle hit the plastic on the free-motion foot and broke the needle. The main shaft on the free-motion foot is slightly bent and my landscaper son did a quick fix by filing a bit off the plastic so I could finish. I have made this pattern a few times and I think I need to up the challenge by quilting something other than an all-over meander or loopy stitch. Any ideas?

 And today, I sewed at my friend's house and this is what she's been working on - a paper-pieced Harry Potter quilt. The pattern is a block of the month from Sewhooked and if you're a Harry Potter fan, this is an awesome project!

--Ann

Linking up with
Quiltsy WIP Wednesday
Needle and Thread Network WIP Wednesday #76

Early Influences & 1 Year of Blogging!

Wow! I can't believe it, but I've been blogging for a full year! I hope you're enjoying reading what I have to say! I still feel it's a bit presumptuous to think people really want to know what's on my mind! Often, while I'm sewing, I think about why I love to make things and who or what encouraged me along the way. Being creative is something that feeds my soul. I don't ever remember a time when I didn't have that urge in me to "make" something.

My parents had their own business and when I was there with them, I loved to pull out the coloured papers that were there for the photo-copier and a pair of scissors, pencils, markers and pencil crayons. I would happily cut and draw and colour for hours and although none of my creations survived the passage of time, the time was well-spent.

From Red Pepper Quilts

Later, sewing, crocheting and knitting were added to my crafting skills and I made doll clothes, blankets and gifts for those around me as well as for myself. I remember going on a school field trip and one of the parent supervisors had brought along her fabric hexagons and was making a tea cozy - I no longer remember the purpose of the field trip, but the process of turning bits of fabric into a useful item was burned into my memory.

A librarian suggested a book for me to read in the 4th or 5th grade. It was called "Calico Bush" and was about a young girl who was "bound" or indentured to a family as their servant until she came of age and how her life was brightened by the quilts she was allowed to make and be part of making. It was then I decided that I would make at least one quilt in my life-time!

Like many quilters, my first quilt was for my first-born (he's now 27!) and because it wasn't made from quality materials, it didn't last past the 2nd child! The second quilt was a double wedding ring quilt that was made from sewing scraps. It took 9 years to piece together by hand and to hand-quilt. Sometime along the way, I discovered rotary cutters and tried easier patterns and have made many more quilts.

What was your inspiration to start quilting? Do you have any stories about your earliest exposures to quilting?

--Ann