12 Hexies Blog Hop!!

Hexies!  Hexies!  Hexies!

What's not to love?  Even though I fell in love with EPP through 60 degree diamonds, once I started to hex seriously, I found that they're so soothing.  When basted to templates, they are perfectly contained little morsels of my favorite fabrics, portable, pleasing, playful..

Today is my day on the 12 Hexies Blog Hop and I've got a little tutorial for how to make a pin cushion with just 8 hexagons.  Though this is my tutorial, I can't take credit for coming up with the shape/pattern of the pin cushion.  I actually saw it on flickr ages ago, and in the comments of that pic, the poster referenced another blog post that she was inspired by.  Really folks, it's 8 hexies joined together.. there are only so many ways to do it.  But they go together so nicely and you can turn them into a really substantial pin cushion, so let's have a go at it--

First cut and baste your hexies.  I'm using 3 5/8" squares on 1 1/2" paper hexagon templates.  There are lots of great places to learn how to baste, if you don't have my book, check out this online tutorial.

Join the first 7 hexies into a rosette.  I tend to go around adding one "petal" at a time, then backtracking through the seam allowance to get back to the corner so I can join the new petal to the center.

I travel through the seam allowance on the back to get to another corner so I can continue sewing without cutting my thread.

Next start sewing the petals to each other, making the whole piece curve into a bowl.

Then add the last hexie to the "bottom".   When you're down to the last two seams, remove the last of the templates and whipstitch carefully along the edge.  Before you get all the way around, you'll need to flip the piece right side out.

Before you complete that last seam, insert a funnel in the hole and fill the pin cushion with crushed walnut shells.  You can get them at some quilt shops and most large pet supply stores (they are sold as reptile bedding).

Carefully stitch up the last part of the seam and smoosh it around until the corners have popped out and the filling is evenly distributed.  Then find two nice buttons and some thick thread.

 Tie a knot in the thread and push it through the center of the pin cushion and up through the first button.  Come back down and catch the second button, covering up the knot on the bottom.  Go through each button a few more times (3? 4?) then make a knot and bury it.

Thanks for stopping by my post on the blog hop!  If you make one of these pin cushions, I'd love to see it!  And don't forget to visit the rest of the blogs on the 12 Hexie Hop!

CraftyPod

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Monday Morning Star Count 2014/14

I have had SO MUCH EPP this week!  I'm almost overwhelmed by it, almost sick of it, but then the truth hits me-- I've tried to stop, to work on other quilts, but I can't.  You can never have too much EPP.
I don't think I will ever get tired of people bringing their EPP beginnings (or finishes) to share with me, like these from my lecture in Mineola last Thursday--

Or the delight that comes from giving a small patchwork gift to a friend.

(I made this little pin cushion for Laura out of 1" hexies and walnut shells)

And I couldn't count the amount of times I heard a quilter say something like, "ooh, this is addictive"  "I really like this" or "I could see myself doing this all the time" in the past week (taught or guided 3 EPP workshops/sew ins in 3 days).  Seeing the spark in other quilters as they piece peacefully is one of the new joys in my life.  Thanks guys. 

Because I have been using Travel Quilt #5 as a teaching tool for these workshops, I haven't made much progress.  No new completed diamonds to share, but I did do the center of this birdie one.

How about you?  Progress big or small, we'd love to see it~

What do you need to know?

I was at the library this week, browsing the quilt books (surprise, surprise), and I came across this one:

I've been talking with a non-quilting friend lately about what quilting is and the types of skills you need to know to make a quilt.  I picked up this book with her in mind (K, if you're reading right now, I'm sorry!), but when I started reading it I was shocked.  It's like looking into history.  Ancient history, it seems, yet it was published in 1998.
I was quilting in 1998, were you?
According to this book, there were so many rules!  Quilts weren't made of solid fabrics, templates were traced and rubber cemented to sand paper. The first fabric you should choose for a project is a large scale multicolored print...  (This sounds so bizarre and antiquated to me now, but I actually did start like that yesterday.  Then I added in a bunch of solids though.)  And she tells people to stay away from fabric with a one way design!  My, how tastes have changed..

In it's defense though, in the forward, Jan Burns compares quilting to "a quiet street you stroll along to savor solitude."  I totally get that. 

One of the things I love about the Modern quilt community is the freedom, the lack of rules and other quilters looking down their nose at you.  But you can't throw everything out the window.  This seems to be a topic I've addressed before, which rules still apply?  Today I want to take it further..

Are you up for a little survey?  If you've got the time, please comment and tell me:

1)  What are 10 skills beginning quilters need to know?
2)  What are the 5 quilting techniques you use most often?
3)  What are 5 quilt techniques you want to learn how to do?

Thanks for your help.  To show my appreciation, I made a little bottle cap pincushion which I'll sent to one lucky commenter next week.  I'll also tally the results and tell you my answers for #2 and #3. 
Can't wait to hear what you all have to say!

It came out cute, didn't it?  Such a quick and gratifying project, I may have to make more.

I am determined to turn K into a quilter.  She has a great eye for fabric.. now if only I can get her to cut it up and sew it back together...

Pin Cushion Tutorial at Timeless Treasures Blog

We've had a busy week and I almost missed it, but I just need to share that I've got a tutorial up over at Sew Timeless, the Timeless Treasures blog.
Come on over and learn how to make the English paper pieced pin cushion pattern from Quilting on the Go!

It's quick, it's easy, and you can try out EPP (or new fabric combos) without committing to a whole quilt!  If you make one, let me know~

Nothing too small

I used to see projects in Japanese quilt magazines where you'd first have to piece together tiny tiny little shapes, quilt it, then cut the little patchwork into another shape to fashion into some other part of a larger project.  I used to just flip right past those fussy, time consuming little projects, too small to be worth the trouble.  But not anymore..

Hexie pin cushion, top measures 4" x 4 5/8"

Having all of those basted hexagons ready to sew whenever the creativity strikes is a really empowering feeling.. (quilting can be empowering, right?) My work was cut in half.  Making the whole damn thing was practically mindless (until the assembly part, which kicked my butt, but I'm guessing that's 'cause I'm still going on less sleep than I should be..), but most of all, VERY enjoyable.

And isn't it cute?!  Hope my friend likes it. 

p.s. I have some news to share in the coming week... make sure to stop back and see what I've been hiding. ;)

Somewhere to put my pins

If you follow me on pinterest then you will have seen this (and had a good laugh) already, but on Monday I came across Ayumi's pricked pincushion and it totally made my day. I love it so much I had to make one for myself (I asked her permission first of course). I told Costas about it and he said, "oh, so are you going to give it to me?" and I'm like, "but you don't sew.."

heheeh.  here's the back:

very inspired, I've been playing with my stamps and fabric ink, writing all sorts of nonsense..

It's like talking to myself while sewing. 

I made this one too, for a guild friend I miss hanging out with..

It's been fun to do some stress-less sewing this week.  Have you made anything silly lately?