Wednesday 21 August 2013

Hexie Blog Hop

Hi everyone,

It's my showcase day for the hexie blog hop and here is my project:


It's made up of 578 1/2" hexagons and measures 25.5" x 16".  I got the idea from the fabulous Hexa Go Go book by Tacha Bruecher who had a union flag in the back of the book but I didn't like that design as I am a true Brit and like my flag to have the bottom left hand side having a wider white part at the top of the red diagonal.  So I downloaded some blank hexagonal grid paper from www.incomptech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal and got busy designing - three evenings later I had finally ended up with a Union flag that looked correct so I purchased a set of Sizzix hexagonal dies cut out hundreds of .5" hexes from freezer paper - ironed them onto spare red, white and blue fabrics and got stitching.  Imagine my horror when I had it completed and compared it next to a picture of the Union flag to realise I had got it wrong!  (lesson learn't there to check out the item I am replicating first!)  So, being the fussy person I am, I unpicked the top left and bottom right hand sections and redid them (only took a couple of extra hours - no biggie really!) - it means the red diagonals don't got right into the corners as the true flag would but at least the blue sections are correct - who knew that the four middle blue sections are the same size? Not me anyway!

I was a bit worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew taking on this project as I only had four weeks in which to complete it but I managed to get the whole thing done in just two weeks! I was rather pleased with myself even if the house was a bit of a tip for a while!

For my second project I have done the table runner from the above book:


The white doesn't look so good on the picture but it does stand out in real life - here is a closeup:


 - and just to add my own twist (the above is basically straight out of the book) here is my own design on the back:

 
here is another closeup:
 

I used some wonderful Westminster Christmas fabrics that I won in the Ho Ho Ho hop last year.  I can't wait to use it as it will make a fantastic addition to my Christmas table this year!

Hope you have enjoyed my entries - here are the other sewers who are sharing my hop day:

Sunshine Girl Nicola you are here!
    Fish Kopp   

So pop along and check out all of their creations too :)  Also I want to say a big thank you to Debby and Mdm Samm for organising this wonderful hop.

Just edited this to add that if you were in the Dresden plate hop earlier this year you may remember my cog quilt - well its being published this month (September issue) in the British magazine Sewing World - very exciting!

Reedited again to add the Dresden link http://sunshinegirlnicola.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/i-dared-to-dresden.html - never thought of that - thanks KaHolly!

Thanks for looking - addicted to hexies from Solihull

95 comments:

Amy said...

Oh my goodness! I really adore your Union flag. Sew hexing cute! The snowflake table runners are super adorable too! ;)

Vickie said...

Oh my goodness 1/2 " hexies ! And you made it in record time ! I am in awe of your talent ! That pretty table runner would really look good in a certain persons house....MINE !!! Great job !

Heidi [Banks of Frog Creek] said...

Wow! That flag is amazing! And your snowflakes are quite fun, too :)

Gina Loomis said...

Wow! The flag looks fantastic! Love it and the runner! Thanks for participating and inspiring us!!

Wendy said...

Fun, fun!! I really like your snow flakes from hexies and 578 hexies for the first project! Goodness lady!! Awesome job!!

Judy B said...

What a wonderful job you did with your hexies! Thank you for sharing.

Tami C said...

WoW! Your union flag is very impressive! Your tablerunners are really nice as well. Thanks for sharing!

Mara said...

This is AMAZING! .5" hexies are so hard, great, great job!

jan said...

I love lovw your Union Jack! Great job! The table runners are pretty too.
Thank you for sharing.
xo jan

Brandy said...

Way cool snowflakes! Thank you for sharing your projects with us!
~Brandy

Tina said...

Your Uniion Jack is super, super awesome.
I am in owe of you.

kay said...

Awesome flag x

Frederika said...

Super your work. Thanks for sharing

Michelle said...

Wow, 578 hexies! Amazing work, I'd still be sewing. Wonderful job! Love your table runner too. Your right, white is so hard to photograph.

Heleen Groot said...

Two weeks? TWO WEEKS? That had to be day and night right? It looks amazing. I love, love, LOVE the table runner. Especially the fact that you can use both sides. Well done!

Jenny Marples said...

My goodness you've been busy Nicola. Love the Union flag - and spot on with the design! Kudos to you for your attention to detail. And what a super runner too. Ideal for a Christmas table in those colours. Looking forward to seeing you very soon. Hugs, Jenny x

Missus Wookie said...

Amazing amount of work and talent there! Lovely to see what you've been up to.

charlotte said...

Amazing job on the Union Jack!! Love the table runners.

KaHolly said...

Both projects are brilliant!! You really raised the bar with that flag! congrats on being published!

Vera said...

Cool projects!

JoyceLM said...

Congrats on the publication of your project. Thanks for sharing your lovely hexie quilts.

Debby said...

I am gasping! That is amazing and to think you did that with such detail. It is truly beautiful and I'm not a Brit! But I can appreciate your love of country and I know you and your family will treasure it. Your lovely quilt is awesome, too!

Elizabeth Coughlin said...

Your Union Jack is awesome! And I really like your table runner too. Congratulations on becoming published!

Unknown said...

I just love your union flag it is awesome....and your table runners are a wonderful addition...great job.

Britt-Inger said...

Your flag is sew awesome and the your table runner is stunning. Thanks for sharing your creativity and being part of this blog hop

Gill said...

Wow!
Your projects are stunning!
Thanks for sharing!

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Wow!!! your flag is stunning..

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Lovely projects, congrats on the publication and thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

You did a wonderful job! I think I should also start a Swiss Flag, that would be something different :-))
I like the table runners a lot, well done!
Thanks for sharing, you did a great job!

Just Quilt It said...

Great projects! I love the table runner! Thanks for sharing!

Bente-I like to QuiltBlog said...

Wonderful projects, the flag is stunning!
Congratulations to beeing published, that great!

Jodi said...

Love your Union Jack. So impressed.

Margaret said...

I love the way you used hexies to make that flag. Very creative

Quilt Doodle Designs said...

Beautiful projects! Love the Union Jack flag, awesome :)

Carol Swift said...

Congratulations on being published! Your hexie projects are beautiful and I'm in awe that you made a quilt with all those tiny hexies!

Jeanie said...

Your flag and the runner are wonderful! Soooooo many hexies and sooooooo little time, yet you finished. Great job!

DeAnna said...

Very nice projects! Congrats on being published!

Pieced Brain Quilt Designs said...

Wonderful projects! The Union Jack looks amazing (and complicated!). Thanks so much for joining the hop!

beaquilter said...

uhhh cool projects!

Linda said...

How pretty! and congratulations on having he dresden design published!

apple blossom said...

pretty burst of Red, white and blue...lovely snowflake Christmasy project....nice job today thanks for sharing

Lou said...

Love your projects!
I would of had to unsew the hexies to so I could be closer to the exact replica:) Great job!

Lisa said...

Your projects are beautiful! Congratulations on the publish! I loved your dresden!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on getting published. Super cute hexies

Jane's Quilting said...

I love how you made a flag. It is beautiful!

BizyStitches said...

Congrats. I enjoyed your projects and this is a fun hop. I like your statement - even if the house was a bit of a tip for a while

I'm going to remember that. LOL

Teresa in Music City said...

Too cute! Love the flag quilt :*)

Sarah said...

I've looked thru the Hexa go go book several times and really enjoyed the flag - congrats on a great project!

Mary said...

Wow! Love your flag. Great job!

Grit said...

Wonderful hexie work. Fantastic flag.

Carla said...

What a darling project. That's a lot of hexies and you were so fast! Nice job and thanks for sharing.

suemac said...

Great job on the flag. I tried one 1/2" hexie project for my hexie bee. That was enough for me. My fingers just did not want to cooperate.

Deonn said...

Love your projects! Isn't it amazing how versatile these little hexie shapes can be - your flag is perfection! Oh, and congrats on becoming published!

Unknown said...

Wonderful job and so beautiful! I love the snowflakes. I want to try them soon. Your flag is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing with us.

Sparky said...

YOU have risen to Queen in good standing..your projects are pretty amazing..soooo much detail your runner at first looked like 3 large quilts on your line...I was thinking where will she be putting that....lol

Agnes B. Bullock said...

WOW! Rule Britannia! This is gorgeous!

Suze said...

Congrats on your being published in September. I love your flag - I'm at least 1/4 British so maybe that has something to do with me loving it. It is wonderful. I cannot believe that you did all that in 2 weeks. I think I'm insane for starting a GFG with 1" hexies. I guess not after seeing some of the other projects. Your table runner is amazing and I like that you added your own touch to the back. Thanks for participating and again congrats on your publish.

Cherry's Prairie Primitives said...

Loved those Hexie snowflakes!!

Calicojoan said...

Wow, wow wow!!! You have been stitching your fingers to the bone! Beautiful!

evelyn said...

Congrats on being published! Your flag is awesome-so many pieces! How nice to have a Christmas runner finished at this time of year. Happy sewing!

Kwilt Krazy said...

Wow, that is alot of Hexing :) I am sure your fingers must me sore! Nice job!

Linda C said...

The Union Jack is amazing! It probably would have driven you crazy if you had not taken the time to fix it, right?

Cool snowflake runners, Nicola!

gpc said...

Fabulous!

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Lovely projects. Love the flag.

tink's mom said...

Wow, that's one heck of a lot of Hexies in one place. Great job on everything. I think I like the smallest snow flakes the best. Lovely work.

Needled Mom said...

Your hexies are fabulous. I love the flag!

Needled Mom said...

Your hexies are fabulous. I love the flag!

sandra said...

Wow your flag is totally amazing and I am happy you did it right.lol Seriously though you must have such patience. Your table runner is lovely too.


maggie said...

Wow! The flag is awesome!! Very impressive. I can't believe that you were able to do it in 2 weels! Good for you!
cheers
maggie

maggiemine42@gmail.com

quiltmania said...

Wonderful quilts, and all that in 4 weeks. l You are amazing!

Sherry said...

Oh my goodness such like hexies, it is stunning!

ShirleyC said...

Now that is just too clever for words!

Michele T said...

Your flag is awesome!!!

Janarama said...

Holy moly, 578 half-inch hexies? Wonderful quilts.

Vickie said...

Beautiful work

Audrey said...

Your flag is fabulous. All your work paid off. Thank you for sharing with us during this blog hop.

Qltr89 said...

I love your hexagon snowflake table runner and your UK flag, wow! Thank you for sharing.

Katherine said...

I'm in awe of your beautiful hexie projects. Wow. You sure know your way around a hexie! That hexie Union Jack is so striking. Well done!

You are a Hexie Queen!

PS. Congrats on being published!!!

Pin It and Stitch said...

They both look fabulous!!

Rhonda D. said...

Love your Union Jack & snowflakes!
Thanks for sharing.

Stacey Napier said...

Great projects - love Hexa Go-Go as well! The Union Jack is just awesome!! Those are so teeeeny tiiiiny!!

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

Jolly good!!!

Anonymous said...

Love your projects, especially the flag. What a unique idea.

Jackie xxx said...

OMG!!! Nicky this looks fabulous ! you are so skilled and very, very patient.

Well done x

Teatime Creations said...

Wonderful flag and so many really tiny hexies. Such patience you must have. How nice that you are being published.

Emily C said...

578! Oh My! too many tiny pieces for me. Looks great.

LJ said...

Congratulations on having your quilt published; totally exciting! I loved your flag quilt - huge # of hexies. To think you accomplished it in just a couple of weeks is outstanding - even with unsewing! You are a marvel.

Robin said...

Cool flag! I LOVE the snowflake runner!! Awesome job.

Anonymous said...

Hiya!!! OH WHAT FUN!!! You did a fantastic job on the Union Jack, it looks incredible. And I love that table runner. Snowflakes are one of my favorite things. Thanks for sharing. Blessed be, hugs!!! Pam

pamspretties57 at gmail dot com

Carol said...

Wow--love the flag and those snowflakes! Thanks for sharing.

Anita said...

Great job! LOVE your Union flag! Your table runner is beautiful as well. Thanks for sharing!

Josie McRazie said...

OOHHH I love your snow flakes!! Thanks for sharing!!

Cathy's Chatter said...

Oooh, love the flag! What an awesome job!

Shannon said...

Wonderful flag!! That is a lot of hexies! I also did my projects out of 1/2 inch hexies. They are so fun! Your snowflakes are so cute. Hexies are great shapes to make snowflakes out of. Great job!

Deb said...

I really did not know you could use hexies for such a variety of projects!!