Super Bowl Sunday...

I'm actually not much of a football fan anymore, preferring baseball when it's on or I can go to a live game. Sunday, the television was set to watch the Super Bowl, and I wanted to keep my hands busy.

I spent some time tearing up the studio this weekend, and came across my project bag holding these Plum Sweet hexies, so I thought hexies would be the perfect past time.

I still don't know what I'll create with them, but they're likely to become a table runner for my favorite aunt. shhhh. Don't tell her!

I'll be splitting my time between computer, kitchen, and studio this week. I'm going to make a To Do list to help me focus and stay on task. It always helps. I'll share my projects, as always so you know what I'm up to. 

 

I'm Hexied!...

Brynwood Needleworks - Lots of Hexie Flowers

 I've been busy with my hexie project! So far. they're assembled in groups of seven to look like flowers. (See where my logo is at the bottom of the photograph? Make that one #1, and then count five more clockwise, around that creamy white center.) I haven't sewn the flowers together yet, as I contemplate what I'd like for a finished product.

 

I'm trying to decide whether to stitch them together (like this) to make a table runner, or separate them to stitch onto a whole cloth background. Handsome said he likes them scattered onto a ground fabric to show off the flower shapes (plus the end project will be larger). I'm torn.

What do you think?

Perfect Timing...

Brynwood Needleworks - Plum Sweet Fabric Charms

I ran out of prepared hexies to join together in the flower shapes over the weekend. So, I needed to make more, and I have a full and partial package of Plum Sweet mini charms that I can use. I just have to prepare them first.

Brynwood Needleworks - Fusible Hexie Papers

 

I use these fusible hexie papers to make my hexies. These are made by Hugs 'n Kisses, and the best part about them is that they don't have to be removed. I'll only need to remove my stitching after the multi-hexie flowers have been created.

Brynwood Needleworks - Trimming Corners

 

The hexie pre-cuts are fused using an iron. There's a dull side, and a shiny, fusible side to each "paper". I just place them, shiny-side-down onto the back side of the small fabric squares, and then press the iron and they're fused!

Brynwood Needleworks - Fabric Schnibbles

 

After the fusible hexie shapes are ironed onto the fabrics, I cut the extra corners off the fabric, so they'll lie nicely without a lot of extra fabric bulk.

Brynwood Needleworks - Ready For Turning

 

I originally thought that I could simply iron the fabric to conform the hexie shape without stitching, but the pressed hexies won't stay in the shape long enough for me to sew them to each other. I still need to stitch down the fabric if I don't want to constantly stop of re-iron or reshape the hexies.

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies, Ready To Be Joined

I took all the hexies downstairs so I could sit in my comfy chair, and got them all finished except five or six. I'll finish those later. I have enough hexies to start making flowers again. Rain is in the forecast, so today will be a perfect day to do just that. Perfect timing!

Stacking Hexie Flowers...

Brynwood Needleworks - Making Hexie Flowers

 

While Handsome and I did spend some time outdoors on this past weekend, I still managed to stitch quite a few hexies together to make flowers for my project. Even though I'm feeling great, I did just have major surgery less than two weeks ago. I need to keep reminding myself, so I don't overdo it.

 

I'm going to make more hexies this week, as I'm running out of fabric combinations with the choices I have left right now. I just need to fuse more hexie shapes to the backs of my small charms, and make those up, first.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Back of Hexie Flower

I'm showing the back of one of the flowers to you so you can see all the teeny, tiny stitches I take to join the hexies together. It's very zen-like to hold the pieces in my hands and take these little stitches to join them. I'd share a short video if I thought you'd like to see me working. Let me know in the comments.

I'll leave the tacking stitches (white thread) in until I'm ready to trim and attach the flowers to my ground fabric. They keep everything neat and tidy at this point.

Tag will be here tomorrow (poor devil) to share some interesting news. I'll be back on Wednesday to share my progress with these. If you have the day off today, enjoy another day of the holiday weekend. It's going to be hot, hot outside, so you'll find me in a comfy chair with needle and thread...and my morning coffee.

 

Plum Sweet Hexies...

Brynwood Needleworks - Plum Sweet Hexies

In the spirit of doing a little more handwork, I did an inventory of what I have in process that I can work to finish now. One of the projects I've been overlooking is the bag of hexies that I've already begun.

 

These are hexies created using a fabric line from Blackbird Designs called Plum Sweet. I've had these since 2016 (I've written about them before HERE, too), so I don't even know if this line is still available, but I have an idea to finish these into a nice quilt.

I'm going to turn these into hexie flowers, and then they'll be appliqued' to a whole cloth background. I have lovely solid colored Moda fabric, so I'll use some of that as the ground fabric. I'm going to play with some layouts, and then decide whether or not the finished piece will be a bed scarf (to lay across the foot of a bed), a lap quilt, or a table cover.

I need to sew the light borders to the outside of the Everlasting quilt before I can embroider the lavender and bees, so this project will be what I'll work on until I can comfortably sit at my machine again. I'm looking forward to it! (It's about time, don't you think?)

This Might Just Work...

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies

While I was away at retreat a few weeks ago, I did have a chance to work on my hexies. I pulled out the box with my fabrics, and threaded a needle to stitch on them.

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies

The hexie on the left is how I've been sewing them. I've been using the same method with my fusible, washaway forms as I would if they were made from cardboard. I stitched through the fabric with a running stitch all the way around the hexie, through the form.

My pal, Jamie was apparently watching me, because she suggested that I only needed to anchor each fold, and not even stitch it to the form. Then, when I have them all stitched together, I'd only need to remove the thread from the back, if at all. I gave that a try, and then I had an idea.

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies

If I ironed the fabric down around the form, I could have a more crisp hexie for stitching, so I took it to the ironing board and pressed away.

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies

 

As I walked back to sit next to Jamie, something occurred to me. If I use a washable glue stick to hold the stray fabric down on the back, why would I even need to stitch anything? 

 

I could save myself a lot of work. I'd simply arrange them into a pattern, and then sew the hexies together. That would work, right? I'll let you know.

 

Plum Sweet Hexies...

Brynwood Needleworks - Plum Sweet Mini Charms

I met up with the ladies at Paneras last night. I wanted to take my hexies project to work on but needed to prep more mini charms before I could head over to Port Charlotte.

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexies

I got out my Clover iron and pressing board, and then I grabbed more of my fusible Hexies (from Hugsnkisses.net) and my Plum Sweet mini charms (designed by Blackbird designs).

Brynwood Needleworks - Hexi Prep

By the end of our evening visit, I had another twenty or so completed hexies to add to the "in progress" pile. It's definitely an ongoing project.

Today, I'm going to work on something different...and I'll show you what I accomplish tomorrow. Whew! It feels so good to be "caught up"!
 

First Things First...

I can't play in the studio yet. I have other obligations that require my attention.

I'm laundering the bed linens from the Flying Cloud, and putting our second

guest room back in order (since the studio remodel). This part isn't much fun.

 

But that doesn't mean that I can't dream about those projects I want to get back

to stitching. I have prepared more little squares of Moda™ Plum Sweet fabric,

just waiting for me to sew them into that sweet hexie shape for future projects.

  I also have more paper piecing to do so that I can complete this mini quilt. The colors in this kit make me smile. I think they're such happy colors! It's also on my Top Five list of projects I want to finish - soon.

I went to Paneras last night to see the ladies. I really missed all their happy faces. Krisann, who is a certified massage therapist, texted me in the afternoon offering to give my hand some of her special brand of TLC. (Remember, I fell first week in Wisconsin? Yup. That hand.) Of course, I eagerly accepted her generous gift. (BTW-It's nice to know that nothing is broken. It's just taking its time healing.)
I took my "Ewe-nique Bag" along to show that I'd finished at least one project while traveling, and I could see that Krisann really admired it. She massaged my hand for about an hour (it feels soooo much better now), and before I left to head home, I gave it to her. She was surprised...and tickled. She asked, "How did you know I wanted it?" I smiled and hugged her and told her I could tell. I was so glad  to be able to give this gift, knowing ahead of time how much it was appreciated.
So, now you know another project on my list. I want to make at least one more  bag for myself - and perhaps a few others to tuck away as gifts. If I can just get  my chores finished!!! Then I can get back into the studio (where I belong).

No One Can Make Just One...

My small, round Longaberger basket is just the right size for my hexies...so far.

All the supplies I need to work on them are safely tucked inside my basket, 

and when I finish stitching, each finished piece goes right back into it.

In one afternoon, I stitched all the hexies from one 42 piece Moda™ mini charm

 pack. I'm enjoying watching the pile of them grow so much I just kept stitching!

It won't take me any time at all to prepare the other little charm pack tucked in the basket behind all those hexies. I just have to iron all the fusible forms onto  the back of the fabric pieces first. Then, they'll be ready for needle and thread.   Now that I see how they look at this stage, I may have to get more supplies.  Perhaps I'll get fat quarters to create other blocks to complement these...or more Plum Sweet mini charms and fusible Hexies™ are on the horizon. 
As I was stitching away, it came to me that this just might become my first, entirely stitched-by-hand, quilted project. I'm not sure what I'm going to make yet, but I know I'm looking forward to this process. I'm going to take it one  step at a time. For now, I'll settle for stitching that second package of hexies.
Happy Monday, everyone!

Hexies On The Horizon...

I brought these along on our trip...two sets of Little Moda™ "Mini Charms", and a 

package of Hexies™ dissolvable papers. I figured they'd make a perfect portable project.

I haven't tried these papers before, but another blogger raved about them, and I'm

so impressionable! They don't have to be torn out of your hexagons after you join

them. Just toss the finished quilt in the wash and they dissolve into the batting. 

I've tried the other method, and now I want to try to do them like this.

I've taken a close-up of the packaging so you can see all the information if you

want to try them for yourself. The measurement is for each side of the hexagon.

  I'm smitten with this Moda™ fabric line. I'd seen "Plum Sweet" made into a quilt on Anne Sutton's "Bunny Hill" blog and knew I'd find something fun to do with my little charms. If you'd like to see her finished quilt, just click here. It's just so soft and cozy-looking. So, I'm going to make little hexagons with my 2.5" mini charms sets. After that, I'll let my muse carry me. I'll have 84 finished hexies to play with. I'll do all the pressing today and then stitch until they're ready to join.
Can you believe it's already Friday? We originally planned to leave Meadville on Sunday, but we're going to make a side trip to Ohio before we head to Wis- consin. That means we'll stay here until Tuesday; Ohio Tuesday night; have a little work done on Wednesday (I'll tell you about that later); and then on to Wisconsin to arrive on July 3rd or 4th. I'm glad I have things to keep me busy.
I'll be back tomorrow, as always. Happy thoughts from the road.