Showing posts with label scrap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scrap. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Hexagon Wednesday

"Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row." TaDa. Here I present to you my pretty maids since I saw you last. My garden is starting to take over my house! That's an inside joke. Last week I sat in front of the TV one night and cut out 200 paper pieces to have ready. That only took 2 hours but I did have a sore thumb and fingers and thought it was time to order in the precut paper templates. As you can see I'm using only what scraps I have on hand for my flowers which is one of the  challenges to myself. I have decided that 2010 is the year I deplete my scrap stash. I don't have much compared to some of you in the Blogosphere but am happy nevertheless to use whatever I find. Since I have never made a scrap quilt (all of mine have been totally coordinated) I find it a bit difficult at the moment because the urge to coordinate is still there but I am making progress using the Hexagon as a "cutting edge tool of technology" to help me along with a laissez-faire attitude. Hope you all enjoy my flowers.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hexagon Wednesday

As you can see a new button has been added to my left sidebar. I've joined the Hexagon Wednesday crowd. Just click on the logo and you'll be connected their website. Since I am new to the Blogosphere I find this very exciting; to be able to connect with people right around the world in a blink of an eye and see what they are working on. I've shown you a photo of 2 possible "flavours" of my hexagons.  I can't seem to decide which way to go probably because I haven't decided how the quilt will look. I like to design my own patterns (in a loose way) but in this case I think I will let the hexagons "speak" as to how they would like to be placed. The other reason I have joined the group is that I just realized how I've missed handpiecing. I had forgotten how relaxing it was and how very portable it was as well. So, do you think I should use the vintage scrap look or the modern fabrics for my hexagons? What do you think?
September is a month I find myself putting away my layback summer mode until next year and getting back to business at hand. I start thinking about setting new goals or have thoughts about what new road to travel next. At the present time I have decided, besides making the hexagons, to also include making small 9 patches measuring around 3", and a small bay leaf also known as the pumpkin seed. One tiny problem right now is the weather. It is so hot here I have trouble concentrating on my "new" road. I have always thought of fall and winter as a time to do quilting when the weather is cooler. One of my quilts in the family room is calling out to me and reminding me it's time to start. It hangs across from where I sit in the room so I have a constant reminder.
It's the handquilting in the quilt that reminds me to get back to business. I have several waiting for me to quilt. The border of the quilt was quilted without a hoop or frame. I did not want the bother of having to sew an extra piece of fabric on to be able to get it to fit the hoop so i basted the border area to death. It really did not take much more time and the benefit to me outweighed the sewing on an extra piece of fabric. Remarkably the border laid very flat and straight while I was handquilting and was very easy to manoeuvre. The whole idea of more basting giving me the freedom to work without a hoop or frame is very much on my mind for the next quilt. I was pleased with the outcome of this quilt.