Sunday, January 22, 2017

Bricks Series Returns - #8 In Progress

Does this look familiar?
If you've read my posts over the last few years you've seen this top.

Click Here to see the first post on the Bricks Project

I am taking up the Bricks Project again. I've  been on hiatus from this for too long. I had to switch gears when a few other projects took priority. . . but I'm back.



I still want the answer to the question I asked in  2011:

 "How many small quilts could I make out of this one top?"

See the first 6 small quilts here
And #7 here 

I once swore that I would never make a hexagon quilt but you know what they say, "Never say never!"

For # 8 in the series,  I've decided to experience the technique of English paper piecing - the old fashioned way; trace and cut out my own papers. I know you can order them pre-cut but part of why I do these small quilts is to learn, experience and appreciate the way things were done before we had so many 'helps' on the market.




For paper I am using the little annoying inserts that fall out of magazines...a good weight I think for cutting the hexagons and making them removable.







After tracing and cutting the first few one at a time, (duh) I decided to staple 4 papers together, draw as many hexagons as possible on the top sheet and staple the center of each one enabling me to cut out four at a time.
Generous friendDawn (Collector with a Needle), gave me the metal template for tracing, (okay, I'm not a total purist), and she gave me a quick demo on basting the fabric to the paper. She has a lot of experience with hexies.

I did two the first night and my thumb joint hurt! Yes, after just TWO! I was having second thoughts about this.




Today it went more smoothly.  I tried using a small applique pin to hold the fabric to the paper and another of those pins to hold down the starting fold. That helped keep things from slipping.








I'm using up old spools of thread to baste. I don't go through the paper so once I've joined each hex on all sides I will remove those papers and re-use them.

Here's my growing pile:



My new question: 

"Will I ever 'use up' all the fabric gleaned from that c. 1910 top?"


4 comments:

  1. I did my first EPP hexies that same way. Now on my second project I have purchased the papers. : )

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    1. thanks dear faithful Janet! Nice to see you are still out there and checking in on my blog as lazy as I've been. I can't see doing a 2nd project. This may be enough!

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  2. An even easier way to do this is to buy a paper punch for cutting your hexies. You can get them in several sizes. Much, MUCH easier - and more accurate!

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Gayle, and for reading my blog. I have seen those punches. Very handy and accurate! I am a bit old fashioned and for this project wanted to do it the old way but if I were to take on a big quilt I think the punch or ordering pre-cut papers would be my choice, too.

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