Thursday 17 May 2012

So What Was I Afraid Of?

When I did my bee block for Miss April in the Brit Bee - Jo, I did a few hexies to form the requested circle in the block. To do so I had to have a stab at English paper piecing. Honestly, I didn't want to do it really. Not the bee block, the whole paper thing. I have had a mental block about it for just about forever. I admired what other people accomplished but thought to each their own.

Well, as so often happens, I was wrong. I really liked it. Far more surprising was how quickly it all went together. I think that had been the main part of my mental block. It wasn't that I thought it would be difficult or anything. More that I thought it would be tedious. Wrong!

Seeing as how the Royal Mail is holding onto my sewing machine oil for a little longer, today was a hand sewing day. I started the third hoop for the Sample Swap but then decided I would like to try something new.

I printed off a couple of sheets of diamond graph paper. A few minutes playing scissors and I had the diamonds I needed. Not much longer and I had fabric cut and needle and thread in hand.


And I formed those diamonds into a large hexie. Feeling rather pleased with myself I cut up another piece of paper into diamonds and made another one.


I am already picturing how I would like to hand quilt these blocks. Fortunately, I am also aware of my character flaws. Primarily procrastination and lack of long term attention to any one project. Let's just put the stars down as a WIP to put onto the list of the next quarter of the FAL. They will get done when they get done. But I still rather like them.

Susan

28 comments:

  1. I think your hexies are great. I especially love the purple and green fabric that you used (both my fav colours). I can see a wonderful quilt ahead!

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  2. Eeee! So pretty! I so want to make a spring carnival cushion, but alas, I have no patience for hand piecing...

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  3. Well done Susan - with projects like these it is important to just love the moment! I hope you are hooked!

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  4. I've decided that I really want to try these diamond blocks! Yours are lovely!!

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  5. Ah a new convert! These are gorgeous! You could always put them onto cushion fronts and get a finish under your belt more quickly! Jxo

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  6. Yeah, welcome to hexyland!!! I love them and your fabric choice is fabulous!

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  7. I put off trying English paper piecing for years but once I tried it I loved it. Still not quite finished that project so thanks for the reminder. I love your star hexagons.

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  8. What you need is a big stack of templates and already assigned scraps in a nice bag hid behind the sofa for the next time the girls are unwell and you're stuck in the one spot... They're pretty and fun :-)

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  9. they look great. Aren't they fun?

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  10. They look so pretty. You might become hooked!

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  11. These are gorgeous - well done you! Love EPP it's the freezer paper piecing that scares me!

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  12. Pretty, very pretty, I'm sticking with my mental block, and severe discrimination towards EPP! On the grounds of pure praticalities of ongoing projects already started you understand! I definitely visited the post office today with your magic tool!

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  13. yay, you've done it! I think it is so addictive and such a portable project. The hexies look great

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  14. You have every right to like them- they are lovely! EPP is so relaxing!

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  15. I like them a whole lot! I seriously need to learn more about this...they look fantastic.

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  16. Took me 13yrs to "get it". Now planning a Spring Carnival for my holiday project.

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  17. Ooh they are gorgeous. I am glad that you are enjoying them. Di x

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  18. They are so so pretty! My reluctance to paper piece is more to do with my general crapness than anything else ;-)

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  19. Lol, you'll probably be like me with my hexies, picking at them sporadically, still, they'll look fab when they're assembled :o)

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  20. And they look fantastic. Hexie piecing is quite relaxing for me. I just need to find time to glue some more down so I can do it in front of the telly at night.

    Love those fabrics too Missy!

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  21. Perhaps this one could just be a wee lazy, slow time project that you can enjoy without a deadline to work to. They are beautiful BTW.

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  22. I am going to take the EPP class at the retreat. I think you could always make a pillow or a table runner. It does not have to be a big thing. The results are always so nice, yours too.

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  23. I like your stars but agree, I need faster finishes. Hand piecing is lovely, but the time it takes I could have several projects finished.

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  24. Really pretty Susan - I`m looking forward to some handstitching over the summer!

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  25. They are so cute. I'm still in the "it's just going to take so long" phase, but your experience is encouraging :).

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  26. My sewing machine is not working at the moment either so I too am having a go at exactly these. I love them hexy styly like yours but my daughter is trying to persuade me to do them like the Isle of Man three legged flag. I can't decide so I keep cutting them out, tacking them up and putting them back in the biscuit tin I took them out of :S

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  27. They would make a stunning quilt of stars.....imagine all sorts of colors around the white stars...it would be like the aurora boriallis!

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