Tutorial - Quilt As You Go Hexagons

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Since I posted my picture a few weeks ago of my Quilt As You Go Hexagons, I've had a couple of people ask me for a tutorial. 

So of course, I obliged.  I'm very good that way. 

Now, this is the way I did it.  It's probably not The. Correct. Way. to do it but it's my way.  And it worked for me.

Go here and download the template.  If you don't want to, you need to draw a hexagon - any size will do but remember the smaller you do it, the more fiddly the end result will be.  Once you've drawn a hexagon, you need to draw another hexagon all the way around it that is ONE inch bigger all the way around.  Seriously, it's just easier to download the template.

Print out two copies.  Glue to a piece of firmer cardboard or paper.  From one piece, cut the larger hexagon.  From the other piece, cut the smaller one.  You want to have two hexagons, both backed with cardboard when you are finished.

Collect from your stash two complementary fabrics, one that will be big enough for the larger hexie, the other that will be big enough for the smaller.  Also collect some wadding scraps.  Or Batting.  Same stuff, different word. 

Using your larger template, cut out a hexie from the larger piece of fabric.

Using the smaller template, cut out a hexie from the smaller piece of fabric.  Also, cut a hexie from the wadding.

Now, this step may help you - or you may leave it out if you've got a good 'quilting eye' - or in other words if you can guess a seam allowance okay.  I can't, which is why every single one of my hexies was a different size and needed to be persuaded to fit together.  Totally up to you what you do.

I have drawn a line one inch in on the wrong side of my largest hexagon.  I've done it in fat biro so that you can see it.  Don't do yours in fat biro.  Do yours in pencil.  Trust me.

Lay the wadding hexie over this one, so that the lines are covered and you've got an inch of fabric all the way around.

Lay the smaller hexie with right side up over the wadding hexie.

 

Turn on your iron.

Fold one side of the outer hexagon half way so that the raw edge lines up with the raw edge of the smaller hexie.  Pin as I have done.  Press if you wish, or you may wait until the other steps are completed.  Doesn't matter.

 

Skip the next straight line, and fold the second one over like in my photo. 

Again, skip the next straight line and do the final one.

Now, starting at the top, fold the edges over again, so that they lay folded over onto the smaller hexagon and your raw edges are all enclosed.  It's a bit hard to understand, so I hope my photos suffice in that regard.

Skip a side, then do the same on the next edge.

Again, skip the next side and do the final one.

Fold all remaining sides over and pin well. 



Now with needle and thread, baste around your shape so that it is nice and secure.

All that remains is for you to stitch the seams down, and I used a blind stitch for my hexies.  I haven't done this on this tutorial because it seems to be long enough for now! 

You can also quilt them and to do that I used a slightly heavier thread (handquilting thread) will do.  You stitch in about 1/4 inch from the inner seam.  Again, I haven't shown you that though I am happy to do a future tutorial to cover that part.

Press well, and any boofy bits should just press out. 

And there you go!  I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and it is clear enough.  Please email me if you have any questions - I'd be more than happy to try and help.

All the best,

Suzie