Hexies Archives - Gray Barn Designs

In a previous blog I mentioned my “To Go” project involved hexies. I have a serious long term relationship with this project. When I say long term, I can’t actually remember when I started it, but it might have been eight (I’ll say it again) eight years ago or more!

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I originally wanted to make a Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt, but after starting the project I scaled back my ambition. I think I will make a wall hanging instead! I love all the small, bright prints in these fabrics and I made all the flower centers yellow for consistency.

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When I started this project, I wanted to be purist about English Paper Piecing and use recycled paper for the templates (note photo below). This quickly created a problem because I had to cut out a lot of hexies from paper AND my hexie cutting accuracy was not the best! It didn’t take me long to buy a jumbo pack of 1 inch hexie templates.

I like the purchased hexie templates because they are made from a card stock weight paper and they don’t bend as easily as the paper templates I made. They also travel very nicely!

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Here is one of my favorite blocks!

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I have 13 blocks total and only one more block needs the white hexies surrounding the feature print.

The next phase of this project is to come up with the right color fabric (maybe even a print) to join all these blocks together. I was thinking a 30’s green might be nice but now that I’ve photographed the blocks on a dark background, I might just break tradition and use a solid, dark color to join them.

What color should I use to join my blocks? Let me know what you think!

Mine is filled with everything I need for my hexie project!

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Here’s what’ in my bag: a hexie flower in progress, hexie templates, fabric covered hexies, hexies in the process of being covered with fabric, a small pouch, thimbles, two colors of silk thread, straight pins, safety scissors, and my needle case (missing from the picture…oops!)

This colorful “To Go” bag is really a ‘free with purchase’ make-up bag. The larger bag has a handle for easy carry and better yet, a zipper for no spillage. The smaller pouch is the perfect size to hold hexie templates, it zips up and fits neatly in the larger bag.

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Let’s talk about traveling with scissors! These babies belonged to my son when he was about 6 years old and I dug them out of the crayon box he no longer used…can you imagine going to high school without a crayon box?! These scissors have made it through airport security many times and with the blunt ends, I don’t have to worry about them poking through my fabric when they get jostled around.

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I’ll be traveling again soon so I took some time to re-stock my “To Go” bag which is always packed in my carry on bag. I often meet other quilters who stop and talk when they see me hand stitching my hexies. It’s fun to hear about what other quilters are working on.

So….what’s in your “To Go” bag? Let us know!