Just a minute here and there, and soon the little piles start to grow. Glue basting my one inch hexagons is a great activity for those spare minutes between tasks or when the mind just needs to idle a while with the hands busy, or even when the light isn't good enough to work those fine stitches needed to sew the hexies together.
Above are my minimal supplies which work so well for me. I have found that a small flat lid from a plastic food container is the perfect platform for glue basting. As I quickly glide the hexagon paper and fabric over the rim of the lid it becomes so easy to flip the fabric over onto the glue-lined paper.
I use a pin to help tuck the last corner neatly under which is then secured with one final dot of glue.
Carefully packed together into a snack sized ziplock bag, they make the perfect mobile kit to slip in my compact handbag. While out and away from home I have found the small plastic lid makes a great mini table to work from, even on my lap. The same lid offers some stability to the mini kit once stowed away in the ziplock bag.
Only two flowers have been completed Fresh Fields quilt over the last two very busy weeks but my eyes delight in the gorgeous stacks of fabric hexies which have steadily grown over the same time, evidence of minutes captured here and there.
Sharing at WIP Wednesday, In Hand EEP.
45 comments:
Każdą wolną chwilę chcesz wykorzystać do postępu prac w wykonaniu pięknej kołdry. Nawet przygotowałaś sobie pomysłowy zestaw podróżny. Podziwiam Cię. Pozdrawiam.
Every moment you want to use to progress in the implementation of the beautiful quilts. Even you prepare yourself ingenious travel kit. I admire you. Yours.
Seeing the stacks of growing hexies would make me happy too. Your two flowers so far are lovely, as always.
Great little kit you've made up.
Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady
That's a great system. Love the flowers.
Its a neat trick, but how do you remove the papers? Is it a water soluble glue?
I just love your choice of fabrics for this quilt Karen - gives such a sense of calm. And thanks for the tips - I haven't tried glue basting yet, but am definitely going to give it a try.
Love the colors in your fabrics and looks as if you are making progress! Going to be lovely
The colors are so pretty and you are doing such beautiful work!
I love your fabric choices! Very interested in your glue method as opposed to the hand basting method I currently use!
Lovely! Using the lid is such a clever little idea ~ I'll have to see what I can scrounge up. I have my glue stick, and some papers. A template with a 3/8" seam allowance. lots of scraps... I'm just about ready to begin my EPP :-)
Where did you land on thread? It seems several people recommend Bottom Line by Superior (in matching colors) I looked online a bit last night, but got frazzled ~ the matching colors thing (though quite sensible!) is problematic for me, as my project will be a whole mess of colors.
Happy Stitching ~ Tracy
so in love with all those hexies, wonderful colors
These are fantastic! I need to learn how to do this!
you are doing such beautiful work! :)
I just love all of the wonderful colors you have chosen for this quilt, Karen!
I just love these calming, sweet, yet perky colors so much that I enjoy every single time you post this project. :D And thank you for the tips of how you line up your cutting and do your glue basting.
Hi Tracy, The Momma
It’s great that you have almost everything ready to start! I’ve not seen Bottom Line thread but have also seen it recommended. I have settled on using Gutermann 100% polyester thread. It’s fine, strong, is available locally for me to buy new colours plus I already had some colours from my pre-quilting days. (Sometimes I will use a fine cotton thread if I only need a small amount and already have it on hand, instead of waiting and buying yet more thread.) You may find choosing a few neutral colours will work for most your mixed fabrics. Using a very fine needle is important too - I chose the finest of what I already had on hand.
Enjoy!
Karen
Criatividade, gosto!
The colours are so pretty. This is going to be the loveliest quilt.
du ja system i tingene :-) flott !
Hi SelfSewn,
Yes, the glue is water soluble. You only use a thin line of glue where you need it which is much easier to apply with these special refillable glue pens. The SewLine glue pens are like a cross between a regular stationery glue stick and a pencil. I’ve sometimes needed to reposition a basted hexie, it’s easy to remove the paper (the ones I bought are a light glossy card which is even better) by just running a pin or needle around between the fabric and paper. I plan to leave the papers in until I’ve completed the quilt top, then I’ll remove them all before putting the quilt together. Sometimes the papers start to come undone all by themselves. Any glue residue will just wash away when the quilt is completed and washed.
Karen
Hi Clare/SelfSewn,
Another reason I now really like glue basting over stitch basting is that it uses different muscles, offering a change of pace, and no chance of pricking your skin. It’s also really easy to do in poor light. No thread, needle or scissors are required either making it easier to manage while away from home.
Wish you were close by, I would run over and watch you make them. It looks so hard. Beautiful colors.
such wonderful colors you are working with! I especially love the blueberry print fabric :)
your hexies are so pretty!! They make me want to make some too!!! it certainly is a project that looks pretty at all stages! Thanks for sharing your process; it seems so doable to get a few hexies done here and there!!
The hexes are so pretty! The colors and print are lovely. I can just imagine the beautiful quilt.. Wishing you a happy day and weekend ahead.
You are so right Karen, those gorgeous hexies are a delight to the eyes. Such pretty colours and such an informative post with helpful hints.
This post is beautiful . . . I love your hexies and the colors are fabulous. I've tried gluing, but I went back to basting . . . to each his "her" own, right :) I can't wait to see your quilt . . . it is going to be amazing. Your first two flowers are a delight . . . pure eye candy :)
Have a lovely day.
Your blogging sister, Connie :)
What a clever and convenient kit. I love it. The hexies are like works of art even before they become flowers. Such beautiful fabrics!
These hexies are so delicious! You are a great photographer!
Esther
esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo dot com
It's almost to the stage where I need to introduce myself, I'm sorry for my absence but there's been no time to 'visit' anyone of late. It's so nice to catch up again and to see where you're up to with this amazing quilt. Hope all is ok at your end. Renee
Truly loved seeing your tricks...or maybe they are just the sure path to take. I was looking at those perfectly formed hexagons and wondering how you were able to make them so totally straight, then I read the defining text!
Have a blessed day Karen!
I loved the Hexie Update. Great work... I felt myself relax just reading your post. I'm still enamoured by the blue and white dots. Can't wait to see where they end up. :)
You are full of bright ideas. Excuse my ignorance when it comes to quilting, but what happens to the paper inside the hexagons when you wash the quilt?
Hi Diane,
You remove the papers prior to sandwiching your quilt together. They can easily be removed by quickly running a needle or pin around between the fabric and paper - some will loosen and begin to pop out by themselves. I’m planning on reusing my papers as these are light card weight and slightly glossy which will make removal easier.
Your EPPs get more and more beautiful by the day. I just adore these soft colors and look forward to seeing how this beauty goes together! I bet it is nice to have a project like this to work on when free time allows.
Beautiful little stacks of hexies in my favorite colors. And thank you for sharing your process! This may be a silly question, but after you've sewn the hexies together, do you remove the paper?
Hi Kels,
I'll remove the papers prior to sandwiching the quilt together. They can easily be removed by quickly running a needle or pin around between the fabric and paper - some will loosen and begin to pop out by themselves. I’m planning on reusing my papers as these are light card weight and slightly glossy which will make removal easier.
Hi Tracy, The Momma,
Just be way of an update, today I ordered some Bottom Line thread so will try to let you know how it performs once it arrives from way over the ocean.
Great idea to travel with a few hexies in hand for "basting" -- think I'll gather up a few right now before I head out!
Your photos are always so lovely. I could certainly use some lessons! And maybe a perfect white backdrop as that works so well. Your piles of basted hexies are beautiful too...so many pretty fabrics to play with. Enjoy.
Your color palette is so beautiful! Can't wait to see more of this project!
Beautiful colours and nice pictures.
your mini kit is brilliant! so compact, too. love the color palette and all the photos.
thanks for linking up with "in hand"!
Love that blueberry print fabric. Lovely hexagon flowers.
Your hexies look beautiful and what a great way to carry them around!
Lovely hexies & flowers! I've being glue basting a few lately, mine are 1.5" hexies. However, few years ago I started w. 1" hexies, thanks for the plastic lid tip!
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