SWEET HEXIES
Get creative with pretty floral prints and embroidered details to make a super-cute mini with sewing style
GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR HEXIE ILLUSTRATIONS – YOU COULD EVEN DRAW YOUR OWN DESIGNS!
NOTES
Minki’s mini quilt is inspired by Nicole of Modern Handcraft (modernhandcraft.com). Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. WST = wrong sides together. For templates, see p85.
FABRICS USED
Print fabrics are all from collections by Lecien Fabrics.
PREPARATION
1 Using the templates, trace the following onto thick paper or card: Forty (40) large hexagons. Four (4) medium hexagons. Two (2) small hexagons. Cut out the shapes neatly.
2 From the binding fabric cut two (2) 2½in x WOF strips.
EMBROIDERING THE MOTIFS
3 Take the 3in cream squares and trace an embroidery design centrally onto the right side of each one. Minki recommends using a temporary fabric marker for this.
4 Using the embroidery templates, trace the outlines of the illustrations onto the
paper side of the fusible webbing and cut out roughly. Plan which fabric scraps you would like to use for each shape – not all of the shapes need to be covered with fabric so you can be creative. Fuse each shape onto the wrong side of your chosen fabric scrap and cut out neatly, then remove the backing paper and place each shape in position on the appropriate cream square. Fuse in place.
5 Sew over the lines of each design, making sure that you sew over the fabric shapes to secure them in place. Minki recommends using dark brown embroidery thread and an open-toe appliqué foot for this.
MAKING THE HEXAGONS
6 Take fifteen of the 2in hexagon templates. Place a template on the wrong side of each embroidered cream square, centring the motif within the hexagon. Pin in place. Cut around the template, leaving a ¼in seam allowance all around.
7 Take one of the cream squares. Fold the seam allowance of one edge over onto the template. Finger press in place. Repeat around the shape, then secure each side by stitching across the fold. Press well and carefully remove the template. Repeat with the remaining cream squares (Fig A).
8 Repeat steps 6–7 with the 3in print squares and the remaining hexagon templates to make the following (Fig B): Fifteen (15) 2in embroidered cream hexagons. Twenty-five (25) 2in print hexagons. Four (4) 1½in print hexagons. Two (2) 1in print hexagons.
ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP
9 Take the 22½in background square and place it right side up. Draw a line approx ¾in in from the raw edges using a temporary marker – this will be the stitching line for the binding.
10 Arrange the hexagon shapes on the background fabric as desired. Place the hexagons approx 1/8in apart, with their top and bottom edges parallel with the top and bottom edges of the background square (Fig C). Mix up the print hexagons with the embroidered cream hexagons. Minki also used a Hera marker to mark creases for some of the lines of her quilting pattern, to help with positioning (Fig D). She positioned her side hexagons so that their top and bottom corners will be aligned with the binding when trimmed after quilting. Once you are happy with your layout, baste each hexagon in place using a small amount of fabric glue.
QUILTING AND FINISHING
11 Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. The backing and batting are slightly larger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together.|
12 Quilt as desired, making sure that you sew each hexagon point in place. Minki quilted a diamond cross-hatch pattern using cream thread.
13 Trim off excess batting and backing fabric and square up to 21½in square, trimming ¼in beyond the marked guideline.
14 Take the 2½in x 10in print strip and the two 2½in x WOF strips binding strips.
Sew the strips together end-to-end using straight seams, with the print strip placed between the two binding strips. Fold in half lengthwise, WST, and press.
15 Line up the raw edges of the quilt front and the binding. Minki positioned the print strip at the bottom edge of the quilt. Pin or clip in place (Fig E). Sew the binding in place all the way around, taking care to mitre the corners.
16 Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.
PICK OUT YOUR FAVE FABRIC AND PIECE IT INTO THE BINDING STRIP FOR AN EXTRA PRINT POP