Just in case you didn't see enough hexagons around here yesterday, here are the ones I've been busy with recently. These have been to Whitstable and back with me, stitched on the train and on the beach (thankfully I didn't lose any needles in either of those places..).
Do you know the bit in one of the Harry Potter films (part 2 I think?), Harry and the Weasley family transport themselves to Dyagon Alley to shop for the new school term by saying 'Dyagon Alley'? Only Harry get's it wrong and says 'Diagonally', consquently ending up somewhere else instead? Anyhow the word that keeps coming up in my head (and swimming around for a bit with no purpose particularly whatsoever) whenever I work on hex's is always 'hexagonally'. Kind of like I am being transported to some kind of nice place called 'Hexagon Alley'. I like this (fictional) place, it is perfectly my kind of alley..
Back to the sewing, I used prints from both pips and apples so it was fun to see how they all played together kind of sweetly.
One thing I just wanted to point out for when making hexagons is the occurence of thread melt mishap.
Thread melt mishap happens when certain (usually cheap mulitpack) threads melt when ironed on high heat. This is what happened this morning as I pressed my pieced hexagons, the green thread (the one I showed yesterday) melted and turned into thin hard plastic. This can be picked off but sometimes melts and hardens right into the fabric.
To minimise thread melt mishap - Use cotton thread (the best you can afford). If you don't know the content of your thread be careful when ironing at high heat (perhaps cover patchwork with a light cloth) and maybe think about using a thread colour that is close to the colours of the fabrics you are using (i.e. not clashy bright green as I did here).
Thankfully the damage was minimal and there was none in the centre of this whole thing which I have just spent days handstitching together (phew!)
So it's back to the hexagon's I go. I need to remove all the threads n' papers out of here and then stitch them up into a little something.
Hooray for hexagons!!!!
These look fab! I'm currently making a mountain of hexagons (out of funky liberty prints) but haven't started sewing them together yet. Can't decide between 'flower' style and no pattern (like yours). Keep swithering, but flowers might just be winning right now. Love your fabric and your blog, so inspirational - the pips are one of my favourite lines right now and I can't wait for Little Apples to come out over here too (UK) so I can get my paws on that too.
M.
Posted by: mafl | 08/04/2011 at 01:08 PM
Love seeing Pips and Apples playing together - so sweet! *Have* to make the tumbler pillow now. Need ideas for little boy quilt using Apples and/or Pips ......
Posted by: MummyWho Sews Sometimes | 08/04/2011 at 01:18 PM
Very pretty! What size are your hexagons? Did you use pre-cut papers?
Posted by: Sharrieboberry | 08/04/2011 at 01:27 PM
Hi Sharrieboberry,
My hex's are 2 3/4" from straight edge to straight edge. I found a link for hexagon templates online which I enlarged in Word then printed off and cut out (and I saved the Word file for future use too).
Paper templates would have been so much easier though!
Posted by: aneela | 08/04/2011 at 01:33 PM
I'm in love with your fabric lines! Especially the little turtle makes me smile! I never tried hexagons but after your Harry Potter story I'll try them in the future.
Hildy
Posted by: Hildy | 08/04/2011 at 01:38 PM
My goodness this is fantastic! I love the hexis and the pips and I think I see some little apples in there!
Posted by: Tiffany | 08/04/2011 at 02:23 PM
Phew, glad they could be saved, they're so pretty! Pips and Apples sure do play nicely! :)
You know I love the Harry Potter references in this post!! Hehe
Posted by: Jeni | 08/04/2011 at 02:53 PM
I'm so jealous of those of you who make hexagons. They are so gorgeous! The idea of handwork makes me so nervous though....maybe one day I will give it a try.
Posted by: Mitzi | 08/04/2011 at 03:02 PM
I LOve the hexagon quilt, can't wait to see it finished!
Julie xxxxxxx
Posted by: Julie | 08/04/2011 at 03:05 PM
I, too, love both of your fabric lines. They do play nicely together, and are ever so sweet. One thing that popped into my mind immediately was: You must be extremely patient to cut, fold, and stitch all of the hexies!! Love them!!
Posted by: Debra. | 08/04/2011 at 03:06 PM
Little Apples look great with Sherbet Pips!! I love the hexagons. So pretty. : )
Posted by: Little Bluebell (Adrianne) | 08/04/2011 at 03:42 PM
Pips and Apples are so cute, but when made into hexies become even more adorable, if that is possible!
Posted by: debbie @ happy little cottage | 08/04/2011 at 03:42 PM
Love the alley you are in Aneela and it's great to see the Pips and Apples together - I like them even more together!
Posted by: Mary on Lake Pulaski | 08/04/2011 at 03:50 PM
So even your hexagons are on the backside!!! Hmm, I see my technique has room for improvement :))
But Hooray for hexagon from me as well!
Posted by: Sigrun | 08/04/2011 at 03:59 PM
Love your hexies! I am addicted to hexies. Doing a 1" hexie quilt and then also doing Lynne's Hexalong with 2" hexies that are pieced together themselves. It is so much fun and so addictive. Love your fabrics, they look so great together.
Posted by: Jodi Sellers | 08/04/2011 at 04:20 PM
i love seeing pips and apples together! i have been admiring and dreaming about these two lines as they both lay on my dining room table! thanks for the inspiration...
Posted by: lynn | 08/04/2011 at 04:27 PM
Love those hexies - I have pulled my Pips scraps to go in my first hexing project, I can't wait to start.
PS Aneela, you have a very tidy backside :)
Posted by: Flying Blind | 08/04/2011 at 04:46 PM
Love the hexagaons! It's so fun to see how Pips and Apples play so well together too...think I need to get my Pips scraps together with my Apples fabrics for sure!
Posted by: Sherri | 08/04/2011 at 05:41 PM
Thanks Aneela! I've been trying to write a haiku for the scrappy mug rug swap on flickr, and your word is perfect! My partner loves hexagons and because of your post today I came up with this:
I may be insane
For you see, I've gone a bit
Hexagonally!
Posted by: Colleen | 08/04/2011 at 06:31 PM
So cute!
Posted by: Jessica | 08/04/2011 at 06:56 PM
Love your fabric lines. When you are putting together all of your hexies in a scrappy quilt in what order or how are they assembled....Thanks so much for the inspiration....Sandi
Posted by: Sandi Tundel | 08/04/2011 at 08:35 PM
All your little characters look great mixed together in hexies. I keep all my threads and stitches on the back so I don't have to worry about thread contacting the front side. And as a bonus, I don't have to pull the basting threads out in the end. The papers pop out easily since the stitches don't go through the paper.
I've been debating on tumblers or hexies for my little charm pack of pips. It's great to see what they'd look like in hexies!
Posted by: Melissa | 08/04/2011 at 09:44 PM
i love your hexagons..i only use the paper piecing method when i make my quilts because i love the process..i'm even using it on a 10 cm square vintage sheet quilt i'm currently making..as a consequence i don't churn out lots of quilts but that's ok cause i love the journey..jane
Posted by: teawithhazel | 08/04/2011 at 11:55 PM
So inspiring! Love seeing hand stitched projects, and these hexagons are awesome. Pips and Apples play well together.
Posted by: Rita | 08/05/2011 at 01:26 AM
They look great and even better in your fabric! I have been doing a Grandmothers Flower Garden {with hexagons} and have your little pups running in circles around the flower! So cute!
Posted by: mary@mollyflanders | 08/05/2011 at 02:34 AM
Love your hexagons. They look amazing in your beautiful fabrics. Enjoy your blog too.
Posted by: Christine | 08/05/2011 at 03:33 AM
These hexagons are incredible. Very pretty to look at.
Posted by: Luisa | 08/05/2011 at 05:39 AM
I have a fat quarter pack of both sherbet pips and little apples and intend to do hexies with them. You know you can glue baste them with a sewline glue stick makes that bit go so much quicker and you can still reuse the templates.
Posted by: amanda | 08/05/2011 at 06:11 AM
These are beauties - they look fabulous all sewn together! And I love the idea of going off to Hexagon Alley!
Posted by: Ruth | 08/05/2011 at 09:05 AM
OMG .... I say Dyagon Alley all the time especially in place of diagonally so it comes to mind constantly when I'm crafting, cutting binding dyagonalley etc etc ...it is the one line/scene everlasting memory I use from Harry Potter. No-one gets it except me (my girls think I'm potty!) and now...you! I'm not alone...must be our crafty brains in sync...love your work btw :))
Posted by: Susan | 08/05/2011 at 09:57 AM
Hexies look great - but to make it easier this is what I do. First off I cut squares I find that faster, I like 1/2" seam allowances - Use mini binder clips to
hold the fabric over the paper - Knot your thread and then start making double stitches on each corner catching only the fabric all the way around removing the clips as you go.
I also use the binder clips to fold the hexies together for sewing. When you are ready to remove the paper it just pops out!
Its the old polyester thread that melts -
I found that out when I was ironing my applique circles - the thread just disappeared.
Posted by: Doreen B | 08/05/2011 at 07:39 PM
This is sooo cute! Thanks so much! I have a dark green poly in my haxagon project and I would never have thought of that beforehand.
Posted by: Kristen Welsh | 08/05/2011 at 09:51 PM