Thursday, May 9, 2013

Oh no......not another hexagon quilt!!

Alas....yes another hexagon quilt!! I thought that I had put my hexagon templates away for a while but it seems I am in need of them once more. This time though, it is not to 'whip' up a fabulous 'quilt-as-you-go' hexagon quilt  for me,  but for a dear friend's 50th birthday.

I love hexagon quilts. I love how the shape is repeated over and over again, the juxtaposition of each shape forming a beautiful  tessellated pattern which fits neatly into each other without any overlapping. I love the myriad of mosaic pattern combinations that quilters dream up when making a hexagon quilt. I am particularly fond of Grandmother's Garden hexagon quilts of yesteryear.
Though I have always wanted to fashion a hexagon quilt using the traditional English paper piecing method, and  to all intents and purposes I will one day; I happened upon a wonderful method for sewing hexagon quilts a few years ago. Individual hexagons are sewn with the top fabric, the batting and the backing fabric all at once and then a little of the backing fabric is brought to the front to form a narrow border. Then the finished hexagons are whipped stitched together at the back to form the quilt.

My first 'hexie' was made from hundreds of scraps of fabric and I must admit it is one of my favourites. It is an oft used quilt and I love how it has faded with age and has become wonderfully squashy.




I have fashioned a few scrappy hexagon quilts both for sale and for presents. I have always loved the look of scrappy quilts. I love playing with and using all those little scraps of fabric that are remnants from past projects.



The seams on the back of this quilt are covered by lengths of fabric binding which adds to the scrappy look and gives a more visually pleasing finish.

But.........as is always the case when skipping down the yellow brick road of quilting, I decided to try something more creative and adventurous. My next hexagon quilt was made with the intention of using some of my pastel vintage fabrics and laces that I have been collecting over the years. So I stitched a hexagon quilt for our queen size bed, incorporating my vintage Italian coverlets, satins, silks, brocades and velvets. I designed and stitched this hexie pretty well over ten years ago.




Then......and this is the part that I really lurve; I embellish to my li'l heart's content! I love to embellish with ribbon work, vintage buttons, gloves, beads, ribbons, buckles, vintage jewellery, doilies and whatever other treasures that I can unearth in my 'Aladdin's Cave'.


These were two basket doilies to which I added oodles of flowers and leaves that I snipped from crocheted doilies to make a beautiful bouquet of floral extravagance.


I love crinoline ladies and Southern belles!


  


After fashioning my pastel hexagon quilt, ideas were swirling around my head to make a sumptuous, vibrantly coloured, hexagon quilt celebrating a bohemian spirit. I wanted this quilt to be awash with glorious colour, breaking a few 'so called' colour rules along the way.


I absolutely love to fashion flowers and leaves from ribbon....ruched flowers, pansies, roses, fuchsias, daffodils...the list is endless. But of course, flowers demand to be thrown together in a beautiful ribboned basket with butterflies hovering close by!




And...of course there must be a vintage glove clasping a few trailing stems of flowers.



I love the random craziness of the hexagon quilts that I make. There is never a grand plan. I just love to see what exciting journey the fabric takes me on experimenting with colour and texture; and playing with design. I love to twirl all the gloriously vibrant colours round and round in a merry dance!


These quilts are, except for zig zagging (serging) the top fabric to the batting around the edge of each hexagon; all completely fashioned by hand. So they can take an age to finish. My purple 'piece de resistance' took eight months of my life to complete.

So.........what are the chances of transforming this mass of glorious blue-hued fabrics, laces, ribbons, brooches, beads and buckles into a glorious hexagon quilt within 6 weeks!! Am I positively, stark raving mad!! Me thinks that I most certainly am!!


Well I had best be off.....and 'begin at the begin'......wish me luck!!

40 comments:

  1. Oh my women...you are mad!! Your work is glorious. I had no idea that you could do such intricate work. WONDERFUL!!! I KNOW you can do it.

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    1. Thank you Vicki.....and yes you are quite right......I am mad!! Me thinks that perhaps the time has come to be committed!!

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    2. How do you attach the dollies and laces as they will shrink and shrivel up when washed. Did you fuse them 1st

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    3. Hello Anonymous =) No I did not and do not fuse the doilies and laces onto the quilts. I hand stitch each doily and piece of lace by hand stitching oodles of tiny almost invisible stitches all over whatever it is I am stitching on. Remember all the hand stitching is done before the backing is stitched on, so it doesn't matter how many stitches one sews and indeed it doesn't matter how untidy the back is as all is covered when backed. I know a lot of work but in the long run when the quilt is washed they remain in tact and flat. When the quilts need a wash I carefully hand wash in a pure soap and then rinse several times until the water is clear. I hope this answers your query. Of course, I suppose you could fuse whatever it is you want to apply to the quilt but I would think this would make is stiff and a bit too flat. I like dimension in these quilts; that is what gives each quilt their unique character. Thank you for visiting......happy stitching!

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  2. Wow! I love your method of creating hexagon quilts! I've never seen them made like this before. I have made a traditional EPP hexagon lap quilt (completed two years ago for my mother's 70th birthday). I don't see that there would be any need to cover the cover the seams on the reverse.

    The quilt would be quite reversible too. Your work is so creative, I love it Sarah Lizzie.

    Your method is similar to Japanese folded/kaleidoscope quilting which I have recently found out about, an example here:
    http://thornberry.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/japanese-kaleidoscope-quilt-class/

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  3. Thank you Karen for your lovely comments.....and what a lucky mother to have received such a beautiful gift lovingly stitched by you!

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  4. I love all your beautiful hexagon quilts!

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  5. Oh what gorgeous quilts and me not liking hexies lol. I don't have the patience for all those edges that need to be hand sewn and cut too lol. I think your work is just the most beautiful hexie quilts I have ever seen.

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    1. Thank you so much Ellen for your lovely comments! Yes my hexies do take an age to stitch BUT then I love hand stitching. I am either very patient or a li'l 'mad'......I am afraid the jury is out on that one!! =)

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  6. Beautiful work!!! Love all of them.
    Dottie in GA

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  7. Your work is amazing!! I love heagon quilts, and these are by far the nicest i have seen

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    1. Thank you tich......I must admit that I have the best time fashioning hexagon quilts as one can be as creative as one's li'l olde heart wants!!

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  8. Amazing work - your hexie quilts are stunning, and I love the embellishments so very much!

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  9. Absolutely gorgeous quilts! It's like a wonderful mini-quilt show. Can't wait to see the blue one!

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  10. Well, gulp, woman, I am absolutely drowning in all of this luscious lovely hexie creativity---you have made spectacular pieces of art out of such an humble fabric craft---look for me to be getting off of the bus with the other kidlets... :D

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  11. Wonderful lovely quilts and great ideas for all those embroidered things I have rescued from the thrift store!

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  12. I haven't seen such a beautiful work! I love the pastel vintage quilt,do you sell them? I will love to buy one!

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  13. I'm in love with the pastel vintage quilt ! Beautiful work!!! I will love to buy it. Will you sell it?

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    1. Hi Norma, I do have a pastel hexie quilt for sale at the moment, though the hexies are bigger and there isn't as much detail as this one; though it is beautiful. Could you tell me your email address and perhaps I could send a photo of the quilt for you to look at. Kim

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    2. Hi Norma, I have tried, several times to send you an email at the address you notified me of but with no success. Is there another email address that I can send it to??

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    3. I am sorry Norma, but every time I send an email to the email address that you have given me it is not successful and returns with a "non delivery status". I do apologise but there is nothing I can do unless I can send photos to another email address.

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    4. Hi Norma, I have sent an email re price and photos to your daughter's email. Thanks

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  14. Thank you Faith. How lovely to have you visit my li'l ole blog and leave such a sweet comment! As you can see, I have a penchant for the odd hexie or two. As a matter of fact I am quite addicted to them; one can never have too many gorgeous hexies in one's home!

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  15. Oh Kim, I don't even know where to begin..... You, my dear, are truly amazing! Your work is perfect, flawless, and oh so beautiful! Each thing you make literally takes my breath away! You inspire me, my friend, and I am truly thankful you're willing to share your beautiful creations with us.

    Thanks for joining Roses of Inspiration today. Hugs to you!

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  16. Those are absolutely amazing quilts! I especially love the sweet pastels. So lovely!

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  17. Oh my you do the most beautiful work, such lovely embellishing of your quilt that is so stunning. Good luck in getting your next quilt done, the colors are just wonderful!!

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  18. Wow; they are truly breathtaking... I couldn't even begin to decide which one I like the best! (I want them all!)

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  19. Wow I just saw your Victorian Hexie quilt on Quilting Digest facebook page...it is amazing....it gives me another project to add to my bucket list...and use some of the "valuable stuff" I have been hoarding....I mean collecting!!! Have you ever considered doing a video to share with us...like youtube? SusyQ

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    1. Thank you so much, Susy. It seems my Victorian Hexie quilt is a popular one, as a lot of people have pinned it to their Pinterest board over the years. It is still one of my favourite quilts. I fashioned it so that I too, would use up some of my pretty laces and bits and bobs that I have been collecting over the years. I am afraid I am that gal whom loves to 'acquire' laces, buttons, vintage jewellery and other pretties. I haven't thought about doing youtube....but I did write a post on how to make a quilt-as-you-go hexie. If you are interested you can find it here at sarahlizzies.blogspot.com/2013/06/begin-at-beginthe-making-of-hexagon.html. Also I wrote a post about how to embellish a hexie quilt. You can see it here at this link sarahlizzies.blogspot.com/2013/06/to-embellish-or-not-to-embellishthat-is.html. It is lovely to have you visit my little part of the world. I hope one day, you too stitch a Victorian Hexie.....you will have a fun time stitching it. Kim Xx

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  20. OMG. Your quilts are just stunning! so Beautiful. I wish I had your amazing talent!

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  21. Ahhhhh...what a joy it is to see your creations. You are truly an artist with your needle and thread.

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  22. I saw a lot of website but I believe this one contains something extra in it.

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  23. Hi Kim, in case you were wondering why this post is getting extra traffic today, there was a Facebook post from Embroiders Guild of Victoria about your beautiful pastel hexie quilt.

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  24. Oh my, works of art! The pastel is delicious and the bright colours are stunning! I love the edge around each piece. I wish I had each one. Love the use of hand stitching and embellishing with treasures - wish I had my Gram’s doilies to add to a quilt. I did not see her quilt anything, but she crocheted whenever she sat down, and she embroidered runners. She was a woman of gentle pastels and brilliant, deep colours. Your incredible talent makes my eyes happy, and my heart sing. Thank you for sharing and teaching. Darlene in Canada

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  25. Wow, you are SO talented! Your quilts & boots are amazing! I do so wish I could quilt! I’d love to subscribe to your blog, but I can’t find anywhere to do so? You are so much fun too! Anyway, I love your work & your words and hope to look back in on you often!
    Sheila Earhart
    Nebraska, USA

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  26. These are absolutely FABULOUS!!! I have been envisioning something like this in my head but I am not a quilter so not sure where I would start...however, you are an inspiration!







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