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Saturday, November 29, 2014

ON THE EDGE IN HEXAGONIA


I've spent the week since last we chatted (lol), figuring out how to fill in my edges in  and with what fabrics.  Finally--ta-da--I saw the Light (house...hahaha). (DH collects them...)

On this side and its opposite I filled in with black/tan prints--can you see them????
 so that the serrated edge is even....
AND
On this side in front  I used this field of flowers print that I found (rather ransacked) out of  my stash...they are only pinned as I am in the process of sewing them all in after cutting and papering them--four sides each--takes a while and I don't want to turn them the wrong way either...(so, lots of "ouch!" being heard as I get pricked while sewing.  )Keeps me awake in the evenings when I sew...

and here is something really pretty:  my two Christmas Cacti --both in the same pot getting ready to put on their show--a bit early--but it's been SO GREY here that I am happy to see that color blazing.

Last evening my DH retired early as he has thrown his back out moving our ride-on lawn mower into its winter resting place--and I went into my room and cut more freezer papers and ironed them onto more blue lagoon batik hexies to add somehow...this is really all so "by the seat of my pants" sewing.  BUT I am so enjoying it. ;--))))

I hope you all had or are having a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday....
A big hexie-hug from Julierose, La Blageuse

Sunday, November 23, 2014

PUZZLING OUT IN HEXAGONIA

All the edges of Monet's City ended up differently--some with two spaces some with one; i am puzzling out how to set this one up...I want to make this center piece on point and work out from there.  
I cut the extra black hexies to fill in and hopefully will work out from there...and so it goes when you didn't start with a "PLAN" (note to self--draw a plan BEFORE you start!!).

I hand basted all of these this week and some of these:
But I really didn't like how they looked filling in and moving outward --I had laid them all out and kept on walking by and knowing that something wasn't right.....

I don't have any of the original black print left so I am going to use these....
this afternoon I will be basting ....and auditioning.....

And that is my "take one step forward, take a big step backward" PROGRESS (????) this week.  
Hugs from Hexagonia, Julierose La Blageuse

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Hexi garland - made a couple : )

Susan posted a link earlier, to a really nice Christmas hexi garland tutorial, so I gave it a go.
I made one garland like the tutorial suggested but then one using paper hexi shapes and left the papers in, since its unlikely to ever need washing -




http://hexagonalley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/great-hexagon-garland-tutorial.html

I also made up a matching Christmas fabric, log cabin, scrappy banner to hang across a pelmet of sorts.



       

                       Not long now till Christmas - arghhhh!!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

VALDEREE--VALDERAA


Here is how I've started my morning with a cup of "Joe" and travels along the mountain trails of Hexagonia.  (Are you old enough to recall this song ????
"I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track, and as I go I love to sling my backpack on my back--valdereee, valderaaah, valder-ahahahahaha ....")My backpack being full of hexagons of course, lol. 

 I often have songs whirling through my head as I sit and sew.....I have found that I can baste about 10 hexies before I begin to feel it in my thumb.  It's the holding between thumb and forefinger that does it to me.  

So far I have made:

This pile of basted  bright turquoise and hand dyed blues; French writing and more batik blues ironed are waiting in the wings. I will most likely iron more papers on the rest of the cut batik blues --that fabric looks like water, so I think it will look like the rivers near Monet's Jardin.  

It is a grey, cloudy and cold day here; but my hands are warmed by the simple stitches I am taking. 
My little angel is keeping watch over my aloe and pothos (excuse the wires on the side!) . She keeps me company while I stitch....
I hope you are having a relaxing Sunday.  I am linking with Hexagon Alley and with Slow Sunday Stitching.  Hope to see you all there...
hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse

Thursday, November 13, 2014

FIRST VISIT TO HEXAGONIA


Here is my very first hexagon piece; all hand done (except for sewing binding and borders on of course). DH asked that I hang it in our living room as he really likes it ! 
 It doesn't even have a name-- way back in the 1980's that I made this one. You can see where I picked it up a few years ago and had run out of that lovely pink for the pathways--I still like it!  ;--)))
 I had a kit that I used to take to a local lovely historic park overlooking the ocean and DH and I would sit..... and I would sew.... and he would watch the shipping with his binoculars under the trees.  Lovely memories --perhaps I should call it "Sea Flowers" and make a label....

Anyhoo..here is how my  current piece-- Monet's City is coming along:


I have all the center rows put together, but I would like to expand this piece by adding rosettes around it.  I will have to figure out a configuration that will fit--perhaps half-rings??
Anyone have any suggestions for me...???

And here is my little kit--right now being used for basting the French writing and water hexies that I have ironed (yesterday).  I will need to cut some more I am sure (you GO!BABY! lol).


(I got that little labeler for my Birthday this year from DH..) .Sooo, I have been quite busy on this one...Come and visit to see what else I am working on at my blog.  

I am truly happy to be a part of your group where I am seeing absolutely stunning hexagon quilts....hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

G'day!


Hello!  I am so excited to be part of Hexagon Alley.  You are all so inspirational!!!!  This is my current hexie project.  It is half inch hexies and I think there is enough to do one more round in the lighter fabric.  After that I'm thinking of adding some applique and making it the front of a bag for my cutting mat.

I am attending my first quilt guild meeting next week and we will be learning how to make hexies from a circle of fabric.  I'm looking forward to it and I will share what I learn!

I moved to North Carolina from Australia mid June and was going to write a bit about myself, but would like to share this article instead....I'm very excited about being featured in the Mount Airy newspaper.  It's about cooking, not quilting, but it tells "my story"!

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

HEXAGONIA PROGRESS

Hello to all you hexagon fans out there!  I am thrilled to be included in your hexagon adventures.  (You can see all my hexagon travels on my blog at Julierose quilts)

Here is the beginning of my "Monet's City" piece. 
And here is a little about thie background of this piece: Many years ago I used a different method for making those 1/2 hexagons:  I sewed two long strips together and then placed my freezer paper hexagons with two points right on that pressed open seam.  I had taken notes about  this method from an old Quilter's Newsletter Magazine (can't recall which one) and thought I'd give it a try.

(I had traced out a whole freezer paper of hexagons and stapled three sheets together and hand cut them--yikes). 

Now I have this wonderful die:

My Accuquilt GO!BABY makes one pass and gives me 24 fabric pieces and 8 paper ones that fit perfectly.  So much easier--These happen to be hexagons with 1" per side. 

Here's what I did in 40 minutes yesterday afternoon:

These will be added to my piece : French writing and waterways around the "City"...
I am now doing quite a bit of this:
(excuse the well-worn ironing board cover there!)
I am anxious to see all of your hexagon works and to add my humble attempts to learn as I go along on my travels in Hexagonia. 
Hugs to all, Julierose, La Blageuse



Monday, November 10, 2014

New Blog Contributors

I've added two new contributors with lovely hexagon projects. On the sidebar, you will see their blogs, julierosequilts (Julierose) and Ditch Lily Quilts (Sue J.). Welcome to both of you! Please post about your hexagon projects right away, and then continue to update us with progress reports. Please put your name as one label, then the size of hexagon you are using as another one. Thank you!

I'm looking forward to seeing what our new members are creating. Once again, today I had hexagons on the list, and I didn't get that far down the list. I'll try again later this week! If we haven't heard from you lately, how about posting an update on your projects?

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Great Hexagon Garland Tutorial

I had hexagons on the list for yesterday, moved to today, moved to Tuesday now. Sigh. It just isn't happening around here! But I did see that Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times has been bitten by the bug - cute frog fussy cuts. Tonight, I found this on Hexie Weekend. Hexie Garland Tutorial and I think there's just time enough before Christmas for someone to make this!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

My October hexies

At last I got the time to report my hexie sewing from last month. First I passed 2800 hexies on my La Passion.
























And I have a mini too. After trying different fabrics, I found the right one to put on the next row.


































As every month I made six new blocks for each of these. Here you can read more.


























At last two new stars, number 17 and 18. And there will be more the next months.















I didn't find the rest of the dresden plate blocks, so you'll have to wait another month for them. Welcome to read more about these projects on my blog.