Cutting fabric for epp hexies
 

HEXIE fabric cutting
 

I use 1 1/4 inch paper hexies--cut 2 1/2 strips of fabric and cut into 2 1/2 inch squares--and clip off the corners as I sew them. Always have a small bag of squares and papers, needles and neutral thread and small scissors with me--surprising how many can be made in waiting times or riding in car. I fold down the edges and take a double stitch in each corner so I don't have to sew thru the papers and don't have to take out the basting later. Be sure to use a new needle that is fine and sharp. I have made almost 2000 hexies since July and have a sore thumb so taking a couple weeks off to finish up on the sewing machine the ones I have made table runners from. All will be fund raiser donations this fall---lots of work but enjoyable and time filling for me.

I add all bug mm more than 1/4" seam allowance for EPP, justified easier that way. If using 1" hexies I cut a 2" strip of fabric, cut into 2" squares, then you can just trim off the corners, either ahead for time in stacks with rotary cutter or as you go with scissors. Make 1 & see what seam allowance works well for you then cut your strips. When making many I cut numerous strips, stack them & cut lots quickly.

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*** I took one of my hexies and enlarged by a little more than 1/4".
*** Cut this out of plastic can lid (used this for my pattern).
*** I then had to hand cut the fabric (using the pattern).
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*** Can fold several time and cut more than 1 at once.
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*** I don't know how other do it, but this works for me.
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I use the square/rectangle method like Gladys and trim each one as I make baste it to the paper hexie. I do leave more than 1/4 inch because I find it isn't enough. I've gotten pretty good at eyeballing it once I pin the paper hexie to the fabric square. My seams allowances aren't all exactly the same, but it honestly doesn't matter! I did make my own width ruler out of a leftover piece of craft material so I carry that with me if I am cutting strips rather than a ruler and rotary cutter/mat. I just cut the strips with regular sewing scissors.

When I made my GFG using the same punch making 1" hexies, I cut my material into 2 1/2" squares and basted only through the material, not the paper (110 weight card stock). I also used a regular paper punch to put a hole in the center so they would be easier to pop out after whip stitching them together. I used a tiny office supply binder clip to pin the paper to the material as it wouldn't stick me like a straight pin would. I started out not trimming the corners, then decided that it would be easier to hand quilt if that extra bulk was not there. It is easier to trim them before sewing together if you decide to trim. No need to remove basting thread unless you used a very dark color on a very light patch. I used up some old cheap white thread that wasn't good enough for the actual sewing the pieces together. Might as well use up that old thread that has no other use than basting. Basting the hexies is a good project for trips. I basted a lot during auctions. The light wasn't good enough to sew the pieces together though. I needed my "Mag-Eyes" and a good light to see those tiny stitches. Good luck.

I also use the fiskars XL punch, which makes the 1inch hexies. I cut strips with my rotary cutter to 2 and 5/8 wide, then hand scissor cut them with the paper pinned on. I use the cheap poster from walmart, 33cents, for templates, and I do the sew through the template method, just the way I got started, and it works for me. So, to have take-along ready, I use a plastic school box, have lots of papers, fabric squares, small scissors, thread, needles, pins, and chap-stick to condition thread, and I'm good to go! You will be surprised how fast they accumulate, I think I started making them some time last summer, and have done well over 2 thousand, completed one baby quilt, and about to put together a full/queen quilt top!

I bought an acrylic template online on eBay. Smallest one of the set is perfect for cutting them from a 2.5" strips. I use the smallest Olfa rotary cutter which I believe is 18" mm.

I have been making hexies for years now out of scrap material.

The first thing that I got tired of was making the papers for the hexies by hand. So found a web site that will let you set up the perfect size hexies you want.

**You can go on line at: http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/ and fill out the numbers to make the size hexies you want. Print several copies.
**Next I take 3 or 4 sheets of typing paper (8.5 x 11") put one sheet of the printed hexies on top and staple the sheets together (one staple in each corner, in the middle of a hexie). This is a good time to use recycled copy paper.
**I unthread both top and bottom threads of my machine. If you have a denim or heavy duty sewing needle replace the needle in your machine with that needle. You can use a regular needle, but you will need to use less paper in your stack.
**Now start sewing (without thread) around all of the lines of the hexies. I usually start with the long rows and then go between for the short rows. When you are finished you will have a lot of hexie papers made and all you have to do is tear on the perferated lines to get an individual hexie. They practically fall apart for you.

I used to cut out the hexies but found that I wasn't accurate enough and some corners would be a teensy smaller/larger and they wouldn't fit together nicely. By being careful and sewing on the lines your hexies come out perfectly.

For the fabric, I either cut strips 1/2" bigger than the size hexie I am using and then cut them into squares or I use scrap fabric.
Either way I pin a hexie to a square piece of fabric (using very small sequin pins) cut off the corners and sew around each corner, folding the fabric as I go. Using the small straight pins helps to keep your thread from tangling up with the needle. If I am using scraps, I pin the hexie to the scrap and eye-balling it, I cut a 1/4" seam allowance around it. When you are through you take the straight pin out and you have a little hexie waiting to be put togher with other little hexies.

If you are making a number of hexies all the same color, I will take a needle and thread and poke the needle through the center of the hexies to keep them all together when I finish sewing them.

I keep my hexie project in a metal lunch box or a make-up bag (the larger kind you can put bottles in. They have enough space to keep your thread, scissors, needles, papers, scrap fabric or squares in them. With all the space you have you can store unused paper hexies, the scrap fabric and the finished hexies in separate plastic bags. You will also have room to keep the straight pins, a pin cushion and whatever else you need to use in your bag.

You would be really surprised at how many hexies you can make while waiting for doctor appointments.

When I took a class on EPP hexies, we were taught to use the precut paper templates, to cut 2 1/2" squares for the 1" size, baste through the paper and fabric and join with a whipstitch using a fine milliner's needle/straw needle. I have since bought the Fiskars hexie punch and like index cards, bought cheap in bulk. I like basting through the paper because I find Ii have a firmer edge than just basting the corners. I leave the papers in until all sides have been joined with another piece. Love taking them along in the car or on vacation, for those quiet times. I find a neutral color fine thread doesn't show the stitching on the right side. And like others, I use thread leftovers on spools or bobbins to baste. JMHO.