Apologies and a grovel.......

OR
How do you measure a hexagon?

In actual Monday class this morning some of you, well, two to be precise had followed my confused instructions posted here over the weekend for part one of my Hexie Handbag Kit.

The size of hexagons I used were 1" ( 2.5c.m.)                      and not One and threequarter inch (5c.m.)

I had measured the diameter of said hexagon when I should have measure one of the short sides - doh.

And as both Ros and Ruth can confirm one and threequarter inch hexagons are a tad on the large side for making my Hexie Handbag kit. OK, they are hugely too big.

Now Ruth had only made one hexagon so not too tragic there.
But
Ros, well Ros was busy making them in class this morning - I confess I saw her making them.
I even showed her a different way of stitching them.
But did I realise they were for the Hexie Handbag Kit and therefore far too big? - Short answer - no.
I let her carry on stitching.
So sorry Ros but I do think the lovely large hexagons you made this morning would make a wonderful hexie cushion. It's on page 67 of Quilting on the Go! Book.
 
Which brings me on nicely to the book Quilting on the Go! by Jessica Alexandrakis.
We bought a few Hexie books for class but this is my personal favourite.
It's modern, fun, very informative (note to self - it even shows you how to measure hexagons!) with lots of pictures and has some lovely little projects too.
I know a number of Actual Monday Class members have now bought this book for themselves.
Judith C. is making the tiny sewing kit out of her copy.

Here is Judith's work in progress

Which was lovely to see because it's quite a different technique to the way my Hexie Handbag Kit is made up.
It's so good to see different approaches to projects. And, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished Tiny Sewing Kit after Easter.

Well, I think that's enough of an appology and grovel from me for today.

I'm off to finish off writing up instructions for me Hexie Handbag Kit now.

Yours in Stitches, Joy

Hexie Handbag Kit - Part One

Hi there my Quilty Friends,
I had promised to get the instructions for making my Hexie Handbag Kit uploaded by Friday (yesterday).
But it's proving a far bigger task than I had anticipated.
Sew
Here are the first few instructions just to get you eager beavers started....

You will need enough fabric to make the 22 hexagons

One larger piece for the lining aprox. 15"x7" (38cm18cm)
One piece of wadding aprox. same as lining.
Piece of felt aprox. 3"x5" (9cm.x14cm.)
and some trim and a button.

Above is a picture of the kit opened out

with the contents displayed by the side.

You are going to need to make 22 Hexagons.
You can chose any combination of fabrics you fancy.

I have chosen to use four different fabrics.
Mine are from the range of fabrics the British V & A (Victoria & Albert Museum) brought out to celebrate the Quilting Exhibition they held a few years ago.

Out of the middle fabric I made 8 hexagons.

I made 6 hexagons out of the fabrics either side (the blue and the pink).

And 2 hexagons out of the fourth fabric.  

(Only one can be seen in the above picture - the other is used inside the kit - see pic at top of page).

As you can see from the picture

I've stitched 6  hexagons of each of the three fabrics together in a line.

Then

I stitched the two remaining hexagons from the middle fabric (remember we made 8 of those) to one end of the of each of the outer two strips.

And

One of the two hexagons we made from the fourth fabric onto the opposite end of the middle line of hexies.

It looks much simpler in the picture than my instructions sound - so follow the picture.

I feel I'm much better than this at explaining things usually.

But

This week my brain is feeling rather confused - and I seem unable to think clearly/logically!

Anyway

The finished size of my kit closed up is

Four and a half inch wide by three and three quarter high.

That's

12cm x 10cm

I used one inch hexagons

that's 2.5cm (along short edge)

I wouldn't advise going any smaller but bigger should be no problem.

In fact you should use whatever size hexagon you intend storing in the kit to make it.

Hope that's enough to get you started.

I'm off now to lay down in a darkened room to rest my confused brain!

For My Hexie Handbag Kit part two click here
&
For Part Three click here

Yours in Stitches, Joy

Hexa Template demo.mov

Above is the hexagon video by the wonderful Hungardan Lady I bought my plastic hexagon templates from.
One two, one two,  (she has 17 videos on youtube)

And also as promised a link to her web-site Foltvilage KFT where you can buy said templates.

I was going to say just a quickie this morning, but it's taken me almost an hour to find and upload these two!

EnJoy

Hand Stitched Hearts and Birthday Wishes

Well my Quilty Friends, today I'm posting a Video Tutorial on how to make the Hand Stitched Hearts we made in class today for our Community Centre Christmas Tree.

 Doesn't it look lovely with a mixture of last weeks Machine Stitched and this weeks

Hand Stitched Hearts?

 And here are a couple of pics of the Monday Ladies busy hand stitching.

 I had made up lots of little kits for them - including a needle - I wasn't taking any excuses!

I couldn't make a kit each for you my readers.

Sew,

But you can certainly watch my

Hand Stitched Hearts Video 

Hope you enjoy the video

I know lots of Monday Ladies today were rushing out

to buy some felt to make more of these simple but stunning little hearts.

And of course they are not just for Christmas.

Hearts can be hung any time of year.

AND

If you stuff them a little more stiffly, they make lovely pin cushions too.

ALSO

You might Enjoy Browsing Thru

My Other Social Media Links

Yours in Stitches, Joy

ABC Applique Kickback Friday

I've been quiet I know.

My D.H. is on holidays this week and next week.
But
We are having a stay at home holiday
Sew
I have had time to stitch - just been having a break from 'tinternet.

I've been working on

'The Baby Quilt'

All the stitching on these is now finished.

If you want to see how I machine applique

 check out my Machine Applique Video part 1

and

Machine Applique Video part 2

to view

click on the pink links

The Strippy Quilt

I'm lovin the purple

Top is now finished ready for quilting.

And yesterday I started making samples for our next Monday Class Project.

More details on this one soooon.....

Meanwhile take a look at my other

Social Media Links

Well that's all from me tonight folks,

Yours in Stitches, Joy

Strip Quilts - Monday Group

Ideas for strip quilts are flowing in thick and fast in Monday Group.

Judith C is  working on a second lovely strippy in happy spring colours.

Judith D has gone for a  mini strip.... This is from the book
101  Fabulous Small Quilts - I think

And Jean is working on a cross between a log cabin and a strippy
aren't they simply stunning colours - and as you can see in the picture it's from a Kaffe Fassatt's book
Quilts en Provence. And being Jean, they are made up in silk fabrics.
Jean is working on her fourth block so has only another forty to make.

Well done ladies I'm proud of you all - keep up the good work. And thank you for allowing me to document your progress.

If you would like to see some other strippy ideas click on my Facebook page link here. 

I'm holding fire on my strippy for a minute. We are going to Doughty's road show in Cowbridge tomorrow and I want to lay my strips up against a few different fabrics before I decide on the sashing/borders.

Sew, for now, Yours in Stitches,

Joy 

Strips, Stitcheries, & Kickback Friday - Any Dream Will Do.

Well my Quilty Friends I've started on my Strip Quilt.

It's a brilliant way to use up the fabric left over from a finished project.

If you use fabrics left over from a project they will obviously go together so the added bonus is you don't have to worry about matching colours.

Also it could make a quick and easy matching accessory for said project.


Other than that. Pick a piece of fabric and choose fabric from the colours that are in it.

The striped fabric was my starting point.

The pink on the right didn't make it into the final cut!

I cut my strips 5" in length

&

between one and a quarter and two and a half inches in width

just to add some variety.

BUT

one and a quarter was a bit to thin 

I wouldn't go below one and a half inches in future.

OR

You can cut your strips all the same width. 

I've been looking at strippy quilts on-line and the one above took my fancy.
It's by Cluck Cluck Sew  
If you click on the Pink Link above it will take you to her web-site, where you will find more pictures and a
Strip & Flip tutorial.  Well worth a look at.

And in a complete change of subject, here is a link to Lorna's blog, Sew Fresh Quilts and a lovely post she made about her mom's embroidered quilts from the 1960's. They are beautiful quilts and well worth taking a peak at.

And finally, music - ummm...how do I feel tonight.

Well, Daisy's been a bit naughty today, nibbling at the wallpaper and while I was in the room too!
So I was thinking Puppy Love, but then I saw Any Dream Will Do from Joseph. Now there are a number of suspects for this particular song, but for me it has to be....good old Donny - well, he's a year younger than me actually.  But still, good old Donny Osmond.

Well, that's it from me and Daisy today,

Remember to click on the Pink Links

& Enjoy

Yours in Stitches, Joy