Hexalong!

I have a major deadline looming -- oh yes, indeed -- but my little bits of sewing time are more important to me than ever.  I knit my way through my master's thesis, my dissertation and my first book, and it's clear that I'm stitching my way through my current writing projects. 

A little handsewing on the side seems just the thing for me right now: I can pick it up for just a short break and I can take it on our upcoming roadtrip, short as that may be.

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My first foray into English Paper Piecing happened last summer, when on a whim I threw some pre-cut paper "tumblers" and hexagons into my cart at Connecting Threads.  I used the tumblers to make a little summer stroller quilt for Miss F.

I went purely on instinct as I did my first paper piecing -- and it seemed to work. It was so nice to be able to work on a quilt project without sitting at the machine (I made most of this during our neighbourhood street sale).

Anticipating the need for a little handwork during a trip last spring -- we were heading south to visit my in-laws -- I started to play with the little pack of 1" hexagons I had in my stash.

Soon I had a little pile of hexagon flowers.

I had exhausted my supply of paper picees and cut some of my own from printer paper, but these were not nearly as easy to work with as the precuts...so I invested in a really big bag of 1" hexagons, purchased directly from Paper Pieces.

For a while there my little case of hexie supplies stayed close by my side.

I started to piece the flowers together into a Grandmother's Flower Garden, and this is where I left it, shifting attention to some sewing projects that offered more immediate gratification.

And now I have to admit that I have been lured by the Hexalong being hosted by two amazingly creative quilters: Lynne of Lily's Quilts and Gayle Brindley. 

As much as I like the sweet little flower garden I started -- and to which I know I will return at some point later this year -- I am really excited by the possibilities of making a Candied Hexagons quilt a la Lizzie Broderie.  So I am going to be working with much larger hexagon shapes: 4" per side. 

I plan to make a good number of "star" hexagons, made up of  2" 60 degree triangles; some tumbling block hexagons, made up of larger 4" 60 degree triangles; some "divided" hexagons, using the Paper Pieces templates available here; and of course some nice big solid hexagons.  I also want to try some of the more unusual and ambitious hexagon designs....Yippee! 

My supplies are ordered, I have lots of future stitchy happiness to dream about, but now I have to get back to work.

Happy Monday, everyone!