Finishing Hexagon Edges

Of course I didn't get the sewing finished in time, but Laura had so many presents I don't think she cared, and Mum understood. I've been thinking about how to finish off the hexagons. I've tried to add a few half hexagons to straighten the sides, but I don't like it.

I put the call out on the Hexagon blog of which I am a very bad member, and was directed to this video by Valentina who doesn't seem to have a blog but is part of the Sister Hexagon blog. It shows you how to put a facing on the back so that you can keep the points. I'll take the pink ones out and give this a go. Thanks Valentina.

Progress Report

It's only 3 sleeps to Christmas and Thursday is fully booked. Therefore today (already half over) and part of tomorrow are all I have left. Laura's quilt isn't finished, but it will have to be. Mum's hexagon/cushion thing will not be finished I fear, especially since I have now decided that it is a table thing not a cushion thing. If you put your head on the left you can sort of see that the 3 hexagons are down the middle tapering to a diamond shape at the end. Another flower has to go on the right side.

How I will finish it off is another matter. Like I say, I don't think it will be finished.


This is the backing fabric for Laura's quilt. Need to get upstairs and sew the top and bottom borders on, then get the back ready, then quilt it somehow.


And here is a bird's nest that I found on the ground out the front of my house. It was empty and had fallen out of a big gum tree. What I like is that the bird, apart from making an intricate nest, has used some bark and a piece of synthetic stuffing from somewhere. See it at the front?


Have a lovely Christmas if I don't get back onto the blog before then, and I hope your last minute sewing gets finished!

Last Minute Frenzied Sewing

When I say 'frenzied sewing', what I really mean is 'frenzied thinking about sewing', not actual sewing. I'm really having to force myself. This is the 4th attempt at making a quilt for my niece who is 6 yo going on 16. Yes she has very strong ideas about what she likes and what she doesn't like. The first 3 attempts were with totally different fabric, and this one is a full do-over. It's an easy Chinese Coin inspired by much gazing at the Flickr album of Chinese Coin Quilts.

They're all along the modern lines which is a look that I like, but don't use that often. I love these albums of quilts as they really help you figure out where you're going wrong if yours isn't turning out too well. I think the secret to getting the modern fresh look is white. White fabric and clear versions of colour - for some reason this has just occured to me as an idea even though I've done this before (see blog header). Oh and it has to be pink to pass muster.

This is a pretty average photo of the top with top and bottom borders to be added. It's the best of 4 quick shots. I've been thinking at great length about how to quilt it but really it's a bit too late, or as the family joke goes "a bit too close to Christmas" to be thinking about doing something new. I've been reading the blog about free motion quilting designs, and have bought the bobbin washers and the slippery sheet, so I'm ready to give it a go, but maybe it's best not to start with this quilt considering the time pressure.

I need to go upstairs now and consider the back. I'll do a pieced back but I'm not sure if I have enough fabric. I'm going near the shops later today so I can get some then if need be. I have bought the batting which is cotton and poly, and labelled High Loft, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. It isn't thick like the poly stuff used for craft etc, but thicker than traditional cotton batting.

Boys, It's a Long Way Down

I've got to tell you that it's 8.5 metres from the ground to the top of my roof. Whenever anyone has to go up there, I fax the plans, give dire warnings, suggest cherrypickers and so forth. I draw diagrams, mention safety harnesses, and without fail the guys who get here to do the work know nothing about it. The same happened today when these guys turned up to put my new solar panels on the roof.

But even though they have harnesses, they haven't got them on. They have their Dunlop Volleys on (the roofers choice of footwear - have a look at the gallery photos if you have time to kill), but still... I walked down the street to take this shot and the boss followed me down. All along he's been calling out to them "hurry up, the barge is about to leave" and "come on, are you ready for the panels yet?". I must admit that some of his instructions were quite valid like "what do you mean you didn't take any measurements? Don't just guess!!" and "don't just stand there, wire it up while he's screwing them down!" We all know men can only do one thing at a time. It turns out that the boss was on contract ie paid by the job, whereas the boys on the roof were on an hourly rate. Gives new meaning to the phrase 'conflict of interests'.


Being a nurse I can't help but think the worst, so I said to the boss that they didn't seem to have safety harnesses on. "No, not a problem - we do it for a living" so I said "for a living I try to patch up people who have had accidents like falling off the roof. It's a long way down - the morgue or a wheelchair I would guess. I hope you have insurance as accidents happen..." I went back inside, then heard "don't stand there mate, you might slip" plus "be careful up there!" Hmmm. Anyway, they have finished without incident, but now the electricians are up there. Fingers crossed. Hopefully soon I will be generating power to send back to the elecricity grid.


As for quilty content to this post, the other half of the fabric I ordered arrived yesterday, so I am off and running with Mum's hexagon thingy. She doesn't read this blog so it's ok to talk about it. Here is the rest of the fabric. I bought far too much, but hey, that's what I do!