Today it's hot - not super hot, but hot enough that I feel lethargic about doing my chores. Actually - it doesn't take weather to make me not want to tidy - but that's a whole different story. Anyways ... I need to get the bathrooms, floors and Camo's room done, so to make it more palatable, I'm doing little chunks of chores, and then working on some hexies ... and then back to the chores again.
I thought you may be interested in seeing how I deal with basting the hexies. Pauline, who made the wonderful Insanity quilt I shared a little while back gave me the most wonderful tip - and it was super helpful. She uses a tiny dot of the sewline glue to position the hexagon paper on the fabric, then glues just one side to ensure the fabric doesn't move, and then thread bastes. Have a look:
Top left is how I glue the paper to the fabric. I always use the straight grain as the side I choose to glue, it makes it easier to free the paper later with little to no fraying. Bottom left is a basted hexagon. I choose not to baste through the paper, and only catch the corners to hold them in place. This works well for small hexagons (these are 5/8") but I imagine it wouldn't be ideal for much larger ones.
Once I've sewn the hexagons into units, I can remover the papers that are surrounded by other hexagons and re-use them. Because I haven't sewn through the papers, they pop out easily and aren't damaged by thread running through them. Also, I can leave the basting stitches in place, they aren't going to bother anyone - and it's a great opportunity to use up those little bits of thread left over on a bobbin, or that tiny bit of quilting/piecing thread that just isn't enough for anything useful.
Though I'm not as this stage yet, once I've completed all the units I need, I'll hit them with some Best Press before I iron them, pop all the papers out, and appliqué them in place on the final Mrs Billings border. I'm so looking forward to that stage!
Have fun with your hexagons! :-)
I thought you may be interested in seeing how I deal with basting the hexies. Pauline, who made the wonderful Insanity quilt I shared a little while back gave me the most wonderful tip - and it was super helpful. She uses a tiny dot of the sewline glue to position the hexagon paper on the fabric, then glues just one side to ensure the fabric doesn't move, and then thread bastes. Have a look:
Once I've sewn the hexagons into units, I can remover the papers that are surrounded by other hexagons and re-use them. Because I haven't sewn through the papers, they pop out easily and aren't damaged by thread running through them. Also, I can leave the basting stitches in place, they aren't going to bother anyone - and it's a great opportunity to use up those little bits of thread left over on a bobbin, or that tiny bit of quilting/piecing thread that just isn't enough for anything useful.
Though I'm not as this stage yet, once I've completed all the units I need, I'll hit them with some Best Press before I iron them, pop all the papers out, and appliqué them in place on the final Mrs Billings border. I'm so looking forward to that stage!
Have fun with your hexagons! :-)
7 comments:
Faço assim também,economizo tempo no começo e no final.Prático.Não uso cola.
Thank you for explaining how you do your hexies as I haven't done any as yet but want to do some soon. This will help a lot. Hugs.....
oh the chores can wait, much more important to do your hexies :)
I have done both EPP and regular hand piecing and must admit I prefer hand piecing - but I do love with EPP that the seams are open so nicely. Love your Mrs Billings.
If only I’d had this hexie gluing tip before I went mad with my glue pen on my own hexies. Im filing this one away for future reference. That will make it a lot easier for everyone the next time you all have to help me remove paper at a Saturday sewing gathering!
I find it really easy to ignore housework . Let me know if you want some pointers !
LOL - I ALWAYS pick hexies over cleaning. I don't have a glue pen yet so I use tiny binder clips to hold my fabric in place while I baste. I am working on a project that uses 2" hexies and I clip every other side until it's basted, also taking a stitch midway across each side as I go. I do still want to get a glue pen to use on projects in the Tiny Obsessions book.
Oh dear, I've been glueing my hexies all the way around using a very small amount of glue stick. Hope I'm not doing the wrong thing?
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