Update on my hexagons :)

I've been spending alot of time, post-surgery, on the couch recovering, watching Food Network & working on these babies..

this one was my first

 And my second.. I love the sailboats in the 2nd fabric of this one

here's on in some cheery summertime blue!!

I've actually finished this since uploading the picture, so I'll have that one & one more to post very soon.

One thing about these.. they are VERY addicting. 

"one more hexagon"

"ok, just one more"

"ok, I promise one more, ya, know just to see the pattern"

yes, THAT addicting!

xoxox

*Sort of* a tutorial

A friend of mine is also trying to learn to make the paper-pieced hexagons.  I have tried explaining it to her & decided that a short visual explanation might make more sense, since I really don;t know all of the proper terms & I have just started this myself.

From the research that I've done, there are many ways to do this; this is what I have found to work for me. If this doesn't work for you, by all means try something different ;)

I purchased my paper hexagons  I'm using 1 inch hexagons.  Why? Just because ;)

I started by rough cutting my pre-washed & pressed fabric a seam- allowance bigger than my paper piece. It doesn't have to be perfect,  the straight-edge of the paper will create a nice, even line.

Next I place the paper piece on the wrong side of the fabric & use a straight pin to hold in place

 Then I  fold two pieces of the fabric over one corner, sort of like wrapping a present

I then use my thread ( I'm using white hand quilting thread) to pick up both pieces of the fabric in the corner, without going  through the paper

I stitched twice over the same area, giving the thread a brief tug to make sure that it was secure.

Next I move to the next corner, same thing.. I just make sure that my thread is taught, but not pulling.

Again, 2 stitches through both pieces of fabric


When all corners are stitched, I do a final stay stitch then cut the thread.

Make another (or 50, they ARE addicting!!) hexagons.

To attach them together, place right sides together & with co-ordinating fabric whip stitch the edges together.

Continue whipstitching the edges together in desired pattern..

Here is a view of the back...

I have not finished this flower yet, but when I do, I will update the blog ( I promise, it won't be long)

When flower is complete, then paper pieces can be removed & reused. I think that I will only remove the inner-most pieces so that I have 'body' to work with when I get to the point of actually assembling all of my flowers to be into my quilt.


I hope that I haven't confused you too much.. I welcome feedback from anyone who has suggestions on how I could improve these...


xoxoxo

michelle

Psst... remember me?

It's been awhile since I posted and I really don't have a good excuse. Actually I have many, but none that I will bore you with ;)

Thanks to all who supported me by buying raffle tickets for the quilt to benefit my walk. The winner was Blaine Schnare .. I am currently working on the label & will ship it soon. Congratulations!!

I will be making another next year to raffle.. possibly 2, since my daughter, Alison will be walking with me as she will  finally be  old enough :)


Some of you may already know, but I am scheduled for a long- awaited surgery at the end of this month that will have me incapacitated for the majority of the summer. Since I do not sit still well at all, I have been busy trying to find projects to help me occupy my 6 weeks of recovery.

One of my projects is learning to English Paper Piece.

My friends at Tumbleweed Quilts have helped me get started on this process.  What a great group of  ladies!!!!
Making hexagons is something that  I believe can only be done by hand, so it is the perfect  project for me to try this summer.

Here is the beginnings of my hexagons

I found this quilt online  and the pattern is Grandmother's flower garden.  I am trying to find what website that I found this on, but cannot. I will continue to try and in the meantime give credit to whomever made this beautiful quilt!

Given the nature of the quilt, I wanted to make mine with 'antiquey'  types of fabrics.  The ladies at Tumbleweed Quilts assisted me in picking out circa 1930's reproduction prints..

With this print being the center of each flower!!

I am so excited about making this quilt. From the little bit that I have done while learning using my stash, I can tell you that these are VERY addicting.

I have other projects planned as well & will keep up to date with my progress on my blog :)

Thanks for reading & stayed tuned for my very next project... decorating my crutches.. I get them tomorrow.

(you didn't think that I would have boring crutches, did you? )

xoxox

Breast Cancer Raffle quilt

it's almost done, but I wanted to post a pic here since it is linked with my Breast Cancer page...

click here for details on raffle tickets to support my 39.3 mile walk in May
michelle's Avon walk for Breast Cancer Boston 2010

quilted 'quilts for kids' quilt & Quilt top for the raffle

I have quilted the quilts for kids quilt.. although it was anything but easy.. learning a new machine was far more difficult than I thought...

I tried to make quilt in a circular pattern in the yellow/ white blocks

and a stippling stitch through the animals... ( poor animals ;(....)

anyway.. there was alot of cursing on my end as I tried to teach myself... patience has NEVER been my thing.....

Thanks to frigid temperatures & windchills ( windshields)~ LOL ... and a weekend with out prior commitments... I spent the WHOLE weekend piecing together the quilt top for my raffle quilt

I just love this quilt.... some speak to me than others and this one just hits home for me... It will be hard to give away...but I will.. that is why I made it..  I will be selling raffle tickets @ $5 a piece or 6 for $25. The raffle will be held on the Friday before the Boston walk.. ( I believe the 15th of May? ) every cent will go toward my walk... 

 I will be walking 39.3 miles in 2 day for breast cancer research..... 

Avon 2-day breast cancer walk~ Boston

here is the fabric that I have chosen for the backside....

the whole quilt will be free-form stippled......

and made with love... and hope

ok ... time to make dinner...oxoxox

~michelle

if you are interested in buying raffle tickets, you can email me for details barefootgirl27@comcast.net

Opinions, please

For the last few years, I have, with thousands of other people,  have walked 39.3 miles in 2 days  in the hopes that we will someday find a cure for breast cancer.

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

To help fund my walk, I am going to make a quilt to raffle.

I made one last year, all in pink..

and although I had great response with it, many thought that it was a baby quilt...

So, for this year, I thought that I would do something a bit different.

I chose these fabrics...

and I'm trying to decide  between this quilt..

or this one...

I like them both....

any thoughts ???

The matching *gym bag*

Ok.. so I  attempted to make a matching gym tote to *tote* my sneakers & ipod to & from the gym in the winter weather...

MY problem, I've used it as my constant purse/ tote ever since.... I really love this cheery bag!

I even made a special pocket inside just for my Ipod......

but it also works perfectly to hold my lip gloss on the go........ Maybe I need to make another tote JUST for the gym..

I finished the quilt top ( minus the borders) for the circle quilt.....

This quilt makes me smile!!!  I used a blank CD to cut out the circles form a charm pack!

and lastly, I got the Quilts for Kids quilt all ready to quilt and realized that I didn't have navy thread for the bobbin.....so her she sits, awaiting ......

I am VERY excited to actually 'quilt'  on my new machine...

after a busy birthday weekend for my daughter last weekend

her barbie cake that I made with WAY too much icing....

I look forward to a quiet weekend with hopefully a little one on one time with my  machine!!

oxoxo