handsewing hexies
09-20-2014, 12:02 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 838
First off, I like your quilt - the rows of black diamonds are different from anything I've seen before, and I think it will be really striking in the end.
I whip stitch my hexies, like you, and I understand your pain; no matter how well you sew, the stitches always show. I try to use a matching or neutral thread that will blend in. I would suggest that you use a medium-dark grey, since most of your seams include a black half. Right now I think your stitches are standing out because they're white on a fairly dark background.
Using a finer thread will help, too. I got some silk thread for hexies. I hated it at first, but now I like it. It's 100wt, so very thin. It has more of a sheen than cotton, so at first I felt it stood out way too much, but now that I've matched the tone better it isn't nearly as noticeable.
I've been looking at the Silamide thread Geri B. suggested; I think it will be my next experiment.
What size are your hexagons? If they're 1" on a side, then your stitch size is good. If they're bigger than that, you you could try smaller stitches. Also, it looks like you've taken out the paper pieces, even on the edge rows. If you're taking the paper out before you join all sides, it will be much harder to keep your stitches consistent.
I whip stitch my hexies, like you, and I understand your pain; no matter how well you sew, the stitches always show. I try to use a matching or neutral thread that will blend in. I would suggest that you use a medium-dark grey, since most of your seams include a black half. Right now I think your stitches are standing out because they're white on a fairly dark background.
Using a finer thread will help, too. I got some silk thread for hexies. I hated it at first, but now I like it. It's 100wt, so very thin. It has more of a sheen than cotton, so at first I felt it stood out way too much, but now that I've matched the tone better it isn't nearly as noticeable.
I've been looking at the Silamide thread Geri B. suggested; I think it will be my next experiment.
What size are your hexagons? If they're 1" on a side, then your stitch size is good. If they're bigger than that, you you could try smaller stitches. Also, it looks like you've taken out the paper pieces, even on the edge rows. If you're taking the paper out before you join all sides, it will be much harder to keep your stitches consistent.
09-21-2014, 04:54 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,018
Jennifer23: yes, do try the silamide thread..it is cheaper than silk- which was my first choice too, less slippery and does not shred......comes in all colors of the rainbow too...I only have one...natural...and because it is so thin it seems to bury itself into the fibers if the fab...but yes, you still have to take tiny stitches, but they are sooo much easier now! JMHO
09-21-2014, 05:17 AM
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Michigan. . .FINALLY!!!!
Posts: 6,726
Jennifer23: yes, do try the silamide thread..it is cheaper than silk- which was my first choice too, less slippery and does not shred......comes in all colors of the rainbow too...I only have one...natural...and because it is so thin it seems to bury itself into the fibers if the fab...but yes, you still have to take tiny stitches, but they are sooo much easier now! JMHO
http://www.equilter.com/category/296...de-for-beading
09-21-2014, 05:21 AM
#26
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,074
I'm working on POTC by Lucy Boston using the elongated hexie (honeycomb) There is a big group on Facebook doing the quilt as well as the Hexie Insanity Quilt. The Insanity pattern in now available to buy, the one that was printed in the magazine a few years ago has a few major mistakes. Many pictures and how to sew hexies are posted on the page and some are so perfect they look like a painting. I think a lot of hex sewers love the process more then the end result so to them stitch length, type of stitch, and invisible stitches are very important.
09-21-2014, 05:22 AM
#27
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Location: Southern USA
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09-21-2014, 05:35 AM
#28
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 170
I had the same problem when I tried to use a whip stitch on hexies. Ended up simply piecing the hexies together, same as one would hand piece any block pattern -- using a running stitch. Jinny Beyer hand pieces this way, if you have access to her book and/or video demonstrating what she does. Her running stitch is very fast because basically she is manipulating the fabric onto the needle (rather than moving the needle in-and-out of the fabric). I never got as fast as she is, but it went a lot faster for me than whip stitching did -- plus, my stitches didn't show afterwards. A la Jinny Beyer, I do a small backstitch every couple of inches when doing a running stitch to piece.
When I did the whip stitch it would show on the top. Running stitch not so if you use small even stitches.
09-21-2014, 10:06 AM
#29
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lowell, MA
Posts: 14,083
First, let me state that I've done very little work with hexies. However, I saw a demonstration on a quilt show or tutorial where the quilter used small, even stitches - like yours, but she used silk thread which she said was almost invisible. I think you have great small, even stitches, so I might try a silk thread or a thinner thread and see how it goes.
09-21-2014, 11:19 AM
#30
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
Posts: 2,283
Since my original post, I have been diligently working at smaller stitching. Unfortunately, I am sitting at the hospital with DH, so switching to a new thread won't happen yet. I feel concerned though about the strength of the seam when I am only catching a couple threads. Will the quilting help to keep the seams from pulling? I just don't want the quilt to fall apart after a couple washes.
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