In the sewing room...Hexagon Tutorial

Temp at 9am was -25C, though it feels like -39C with the wind-chill...
Over night the temp is to be -28C, though it feels like -40C with the wind-chill...
Time for Spring time weather!!!

So I did do some things in the sewing room today! I prepared a small tutorial on how I do my hexagons... I think it was Faith that wanted to know different ways, though this is the only way I have attempted hexagons thus far... 8-)

My way was learned from my very first quilting lessons on hand piecing.

Photo 1.)
My scrap, hex template, and pencil.

Photo 2.)
I trace out my hex on the backside of the fabric.

Photo 3.)
I cut out my hex approximately 1/4" from the drawn lines.

Photo 4.)
You have your hexagon all cut out...








Photo 5.)
Glasses is a must (for me), a couple of small pins, a small needle, and beige or light grey thread. Put 2 hexagons together good sides facing.

I shall continue the tute tomorrow...

Till then...

Hex Tute continued...

Today we sew 2 hexagons together.

My rule of thumb is to have a thread cut the length from your elbow to the tips of you fingers, this helps prevent knotting while sewing. No need to knot the end...

Please read through all instructions before proceeding... Normal practice, I know, but every once in a while we need a reminder... 8-)

Edit: Very important! You only sew on the lines, end to end. You don't sew to the end of your piece of fabric, as you will have problems with pressing out your seams later...

Photo 1.)
Insert your threaded needle into a corner of your marked hexagon, and looking at the back of your second hex make sure the needle comes through on the corner. Snug your fabrics together on the needle.

Photo 2.)
Make sure your needle is on the mark at the back...







Photo 3.)

Do the same with a small pin in the other corner and lock on the line, checking the back to make sure they line up. Then match pin in the center on your marked lines, checking the back once again.

Photo 4.)
Bring your needle up into the line to take your first stitch, looking at the back for accuracy. Pull through leaving about a 3/4" tail.

Photo 5.)
At this point, make two back stitches in you corner making sure everything still lines up with the marked line.

Photo 6 & 7.)
Take 4 to 6 stitches onto the needle. Check the back just to make sure you are not majorly off. If need to adjust, adjust, but if all looks good...

Photo 8.)
... pull needle through. Make one back stitch and...

Photo 9.)
...load up another 4 to 6 stitches, check back marked line, make any necessary adjustments, and pull through. One back stitch, and continue in this manner to the end corner.

Photo 10.)
At the end you will do 2 back stitches like you did at the beginning.

I usually do my single back stitches about every 3/4 to 1 inch...

Photo 11.)
I'm showing you the back side...forgot to take a photo of the working stitch side...

Tomorrow we will attach a third hexagon...

I hope my instructions are understandable, and am sorry if some of the photos are a bit fuzzy...

More of Hexagon Tutorial...

*** I forgot to mention in my past instruction that you only sew on the lines, end to end. You don't sew to the end of your piece of fabric, as you will have problems with pressing out your seams later... ***

Please read through all instructions before continuing... 8-)

Now it is time to add a 3rd hexagon...

Photo 1.)
The thread/needle from the first 2 sewn together sits in the middle of the 3. We then line up the new hex with the first that we started with.


Photo 2.)
Match pin your stitch lines in the same manner as you did the first two hexagons.

Photo 3.)
Check the back to make sure everything lines up properly. Some fudging may need to happen.

*** Please remember to; do 2 back stitches at starts and stops of each hexagon; when you are picking up your 4 to 6 stitches to peak at the back to make sure you are on track; and to back stitch about every 3/4" as you sew... ***

Photo 4.)
You've finished your second stitch line. You many snip your thread leaving a 3/4 to 1" tail, or leave it hang there to pick up later. If you do this, you will need to take up another thread to sew the third seam to complete this unit, and carry on as with the first two seams...

Photo 5.)
At times, you may need to pass your needle through a seam to carry on with the next block... *** An example of this below. ***



Photo 6.)
Here I am connecting large sections. Working on the orange hexagon.



Photo 7.)
I've come to the end of that seam.




Photo 8 & 9.)
I pass my needle through a cross seam to the next hexagon at the corner marking. Now you have to twist your hex groupings to match up for the next seam. {Check out this post at the booboo I made when not having worked on it for a while. You don't want to do this!} Now I carry on with my pinning and stitching...

Please notify me if there are any errors in my instructions, or if you are having difficulty...

Later today I will make a post to show you some hex groupings, and how the seams should be pressed for a nice flat quilt top...

Hexagon groupings & pressed seams...

Third post for today... sheesh! What's up with that!?! 8-)

There are many different groupings of hexagons you can make. It is all up to you! 8-)

One friend of mine makes long rows of them, the width of quilt wanted, then attaches them row by row...

Another friend makes a row of them the length of what she wants, and then builds on it hexagon by hexagon, row by row...

I'm trying different groupings such as these... They will eventually all end up together anyway... Right!?! 8-)

For each of my little groupings I have stopped to press the seams before starting another bunch. That way there will be much less to press when large batches of them are put together... 8-)

Take a good look at this photo of a pressed grouping. This is the best way for a nice flat quilt top that my friends and I have learned. Some gals just press from the top and whatever way the seams end up laying, so be it!

I hope my tutorial has helped some that wish to avoid other methods they have tried and not crazy about. I also hope that my tutorial was done well enough for the new quilters just learning... 8-)

I do have a question for those that regularly use "Labels". I just started using this "Label" feature, and wonder if the tutorial posts can somehow be put in the correct order of teaching, instead of last post first?