Thursday, December 22, 2016

Bright Batik Hexagons........Progress



Bright Batik Hexagons




These are 3 inch 

English Paper Pieced Hexagons.

The 3 inch measurement refers to the length of 

one side of the 6 sided hexagon, 

not the overall size.




I thought I would share my progress:


These extra large hexagons 

go together super fast!







I am really enjoying these gorgeous 

jewel tone fabrics.

They make me happy just looking at 

and handling them.




This is the back side of the quilt top:


I use generous half inch seam allowances 

with these extra large hexagons...

it is easier to handle them with the larger seam.




 I get asked this question a lot:

When do you remove the papers?


The papers do not get removed until... 

the hexagon has been pieced on all 6 sides,

like the one in the center of this image.






I pull back the seam allowances to release the 

basting glue....then I pull out the paper.

I use a purple Elmer's washable glue stick.




I used to baste with needle and thread...

after thousands of hexagons, I have learned

that glue basting is the way to go...

much faster and also easier.






These have not been pressed with an iron yet...

the seam allowances lay down so beautifully.





Many of the blog readers have expressed an interested in starting a hexagon quilt...

don't delay.....

start now when you are inspired to do so!


Hint.....start with the extra large hexagons.

They are easy to handle, piece together quickly 

and you can finish them in your lifetime!






CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Ice Dyed Tote Bag and Bins......



Remember this whole cloth ice dye

I machine quilted in August?







Look at it now:


Ice Dyed Tote Bag and Fabric Bins




When the quilting was finished,

I mailed the whole cloth to my aunt in Idaho...


This is what she made with it...

A huge tote bag, fully lined.





She fussy cut the 2 different ice dyed fabrics for

the front and side panels of the bag...






This is the Medusa ice dye I made last March...





When she gave me the bag...

she also included all the left over scraps:


Yesterday I made fabric bins with them...

Ralph, of course, 

helped construct the fabric bins.






Ralph insists on seeing a project through 

from the very beginning to completion!






Many Thanks to my Kindred Spirit, Anny Donna,

for creating this gorgeous tote bag for me.

I love you to the moon and back again!





CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Hexagon Quilts....



Evolution of Hexagon Quilts


I started piecing hexagon quilts in 1993...


This is my very first hexagon quilt:


This Grandmothers Flower Garden Quilt is

 100 inches square

1/2 inch hexagons

more than 12,000 hexagons

took me 10 years to piece.




While I was piecing this quilt it seemed as if I would never finish it.  I would comment regularly, "I hope I get to sleep under this quilt before I die."
One morning I woke up and my partially pieced quilt was laying over me.  I found out my 10 year old son, who had watched me piece this quilt for most of his child hood, had come and covered me up so that I could sleep under the quilt.  This memory makes this quilt even more dear to me.




It would be another 10 years before I began my next hexagon quilt:


I was smarter this time around...

I used 3 inch hexagons and it is baby sized!






This baby quilt was finished 

in a few weeks......aaaaah.




I was on a roll using larger hexagons:


These are 2 inch hexagons.

I used the Tim Holtz Eclectic Fabric Line.





This was completed in a few months.

The larger hexagons go much, much quicker!



This was my next hexagon quilt:


This is also 2 inch hexagons.

I used my collections of text and number fabrics.





When this was finished, 

the cowboy claimed this one...

so it lives in our house and is used daily.

I call it the.....Textagon Quilt.




I just finished this hexagon quilt:


This is done with Marcia Derse Fabrics.

3 inch hexagons.....super fast!

I completed it in 4 weeks.

I am trying to find fabric for the last border.



This is my newest hexagon quilt:


3 inch hexagons

Bright jewel tone batiks......yummy!



I have truly evolved from my very first 

to my most recent hexagon quilt.

It has been a FUN trip...





CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Hexy Quilt.....Bright Batiks


Sunrise in the back yard this morning...



22 degrees @ 5am......brrrrr




 Yesterday I dug through the fabric cupboard

and pulled out lots of yummy 

jewel tone batiks:


I am beginning a new hexagon quilt...






I have a weak spot for 

jewel tones and batiks...







I spent the evening 

cutting out hexagons and basting them...






my train case is ready for travel quilting...




Close Up View of these batiks:




















We are heading for town today...


We need to stop by the feed store and pick up

protein tubs for the cattle and groceries for us...


I will be stitching 

all the way to town and back again!







CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi