Help with Hexagons, PLEASE!
12-27-2011, 06:51 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 386
Help with Hexagons, PLEASE!
I couldn't wait to start using the repro fabrics I just got in the mail. I cut 2"squares and started folding little 1.5 inch hexagons and piecing them in a random fashion. I really enjoy the hand piecing during quiet time and suddenly I'm about 1/3 finished with a long table runner for my MIL.
Here's the problem...I'm looking at this long rectangle and have no idea how I will layer it with batting and backing, nor how I will finish front and back to one another. The only idea I can come up with is to even out all the edges with white hexes/half hexes and then turn and topstitch. If I want to keep the uneven edges, what do I do to make it work?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.
Here's the problem...I'm looking at this long rectangle and have no idea how I will layer it with batting and backing, nor how I will finish front and back to one another. The only idea I can come up with is to even out all the edges with white hexes/half hexes and then turn and topstitch. If I want to keep the uneven edges, what do I do to make it work?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.
12-27-2011, 09:41 AM
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,229
There may be several ways but how I'd do it is: You would sandwich your three layers like a regular straight sided quilt (backing, batting, and front), then baste and quilt. After quilting it you would trim the batting and backing even with the front, then put the binding on as usual. It would be important that the binding be bias (cut on the bias, not on the straight of the fabric) so it will have enough 'give' to go around all the angles smoothly. Alternatively, you can add the half-hexies to make it straight sided so it wouldn't be necessary to use bias binding, but either way would be nice, and make a nice gift for your MIL. I didn't check, but there are probably loads of tutorials on the internet for this if you want to google it. Good luck! And please post the finished table runner so we can all see it! 
12-27-2011, 01:01 PM
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,416
For our guild, we have to make a quilted name tag to wear to meetings so I did a hexagon one. I made it with 3 rows of hexagons, put backing and finished piece right sides together, sewed with a 1/4" seam from the 2nd row of hexagons, and then turned it. I don't know how to attach a picture in an already started article so I will start a new thread so you can see it.
12-27-2011, 02:10 PM
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,538
You can add the half white hexagons to the edge for a straight edge. You can also create a "facing" edge or do the "pillowcase" edge. The facing is just like a facing for a collar where you sew rights sides together around any irregular object and then clip the curves/corners and turn right side out. This method allows you to do all the quilting first and then the facing/strips are turned over to the back and hand stitched to the quilt back.The pillowcase is when you lay the odd edge top, right side down on top of the backing (right side up) with the batting under the backing. You stitch around the edge following the odd shapes and leave a section open to turn right side out and then quilt it. You should be able to find a site for both doing a "facing" edge or "pillowcase" style edge.
12-27-2011, 02:23 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 386
There may be several ways but how I'd do it is: You would sandwich your three layers like a regular straight sided quilt (backing, batting, and front), then baste and quilt. After quilting it you would trim the batting and backing even with the front, then put the binding on as usual. It would be important that the binding be bias (cut on the bias, not on the straight of the fabric) so it will have enough 'give' to go around all the angles smoothly. Alternatively, you can add the half-hexies to make it straight sided so it wouldn't be necessary to use bias binding, but either way would be nice, and make a nice gift for your MIL. I didn't check, but there are probably loads of tutorials on the internet for this if you want to google it. Good luck! And please post the finished table runner so we can all see it!
All good info, though...thanks for the reply!
12-27-2011, 02:25 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 386
You can add the half white hexagons to the edge for a straight edge. You can also create a "facing" edge or do the "pillowcase" edge. The facing is just like a facing for a collar where you sew rights sides together around any irregular object and then clip the curves/corners and turn right side out. This method allows you to do all the quilting first and then the facing/strips are turned over to the back and hand stitched to the quilt back.The pillowcase is when you lay the odd edge top, right side down on top of the backing (right side up) with the batting under the backing. You stitch around the edge following the odd shapes and leave a section open to turn right side out and then quilt it. You should be able to find a site for both doing a "facing" edge or "pillowcase" style edge.
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