Originally Posted by
applique
I don't use any knots in basting just a couple smallish stitches to start and stop and chain stitch til the thread runs out.
This sounds similar to what I do - I latch on with 2 - 3 stitches in place, baste around, and latch off with a couple of back stitches again. I don't clip at this point, but hold my next hexi between my thumb and first finger. The previous hexi is held behind in my second and third fingers. I latch on to the new hexi with backstitches leaving a half-inch of thread connecting the two. Then I clip this wee link and I'm ready to baste second hexi. No knotting and very little waste of thread or time :-).
The other shortcut I use: I use the same thread to baste as to join hexies together, so I frequently use the same trick to join a new hexi straight on to a flower, so I'm seeing progress with every hexi lol