SSTeacher

Hi Bj,

Don't laugh, but I have had a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt in the making for nearly 7 years. Please do not let that discourage you. I only work on it on occasion (especially at doctor apts.). I am not too far from completing the quilt part--then comes the border. I will try to send a picture for a border idea. I am using the 1930 reproduction fabric. That is great to use since you can just keep buying it and will never run out of that type of fabric.

For cutting (very quick and easy), I use the ARDCO HXW-1 "Hexagon" template. This makes the one-inch finished hexagon. There are many different sizes (I have them all). The company is located in Poquoson, VA. Their address and phone number is: QUILTSMITH, LTD., 252 Cedar Road, Poquoson, VA 23662. (757) 868-8073.

The templates are metal so you can very easily cut with a rotary cutter. They have a skid back so they stay in place on your fabric when using your rotary cutter. I just cut a long strip of fabric and then, with the smaller rotary cutter, just cut around the template. It works great. I am not sure I can describe the template but the center is open. The template is 1/4" in the shape of a hexagon. You use the outside size of the template for your fabric and the inside size to trace on freezer paper.

Most of my flowers were done using freezer paper, since it was easy just to trace the "inside" of the template for the exact finished size. I use a mini-iron to iron the seems over the freezer paper.

I also purchased some paper pieces from the paper piecing company. I like to use them for the white hexagons since sometimes the freezer paper can come "unglued" if you handle it a lot. Freezer paper is great for the centers, and solid and print rows.

Sorry I have taken up so much space, but if you want to PM me your phone number, Bj, please do so and I can call and talk you through it. I do believe the freezer paper is a faster method than the card stock and having to baste. Sue

PurpleBecca

Thw window you use to cut the freezer paper -is also useful for viewing the fabric - for example - you want a particular flower in the centre of your hexagon...

I hand cut - the old fashioned way - with scissors!! All my fabric hexagons (and card - for that matter!!) I dont like the waste if I cut a strip first!!

Seven years - is Ok - my last completed one took me 15!!! Including quilting!!

CarrieAnne

Wow, I also have one I have been working on foever, prbaly at least 5 years. I work on it for a while like crazy, then go off to another project for a bit, LOL!
Good luck, they sure turn out beautiful!

the red wyoming rose

Bj I have made many flower garden quilts. Im the flowergarden queen. If you have time I order card stock pieces that are cut into the size of hexagon you need from Paper Pieces, P.O. Box 68 Sycamore, Il 60178. phone # 800 337-1537. web address is www.paperpieces.com. This is a perfect project for travel and kids sporting events. rosefrench ps have fun with your project

steelecg

I love paperpieces.com - They are terrific

jolo

I cut my hexs. and hand piece, I dont like the English paper piecing method. Each to his own. lol. the first time I made this pattern, my DGD was only crawling and she would look at the pieces, then as the guilt and she grew ,it was a touch and smile,then the laying down on it, That was l9 years ago and many washing. She is getting married in June and the quilt was the first thing she packed to move to her new home. Jolo

steelecg

The container store has a great box for paper piecing it is small with compartments for the stuff and is double sided so you can put your finished shapes in the bottom compartment. Great for paper piecing and only about $3.

nursie76

I wanted a take along project and also thought of the GFG. I found this link to Brandy's. You buy mylar pieces (available in many shapes), they have a hole in the center and you get a little pop stick. You put a running stitch around the edges, pull up and on the the next, when you sew a couple together, then you can pop out the middle ones and reuse them for more hexagons. These can be a little expensive to get started, but you can use them over and over. So far have made a table topper. Love these!
http://www.brandysquiltpatterns.com/mylarpcs.html
On the other hand, am also working on a tumbling blocks hanging with the regular paper pieces that I got from paperpieces.com where I also got the pattern. I like that too, but know that I will not be able to use them again, and it is harder on the fingers.

Good luck, and remember we like pics!

pbreon

Paper!!! well in my Guild I learned about using those pesky little cards that fall out of magazines ...you know the ones to subscribe to the magazine?? it seems that I always have pulled them out and have throne them away... I have found myself pulling them out and saving them in a big envelope and also when I am sitting in a Dr office waiting I have gone through all the magazines... these are the perfect weight!!!

quilter64779

I made one all by hand. I now have it on my bed as a bedspread. I used a template but have recently found a better way of making the little pieces. Find the size template that you want I believe I used a 3" template that would finish at 2 1/2. Now I would mark a piece of copy paper with a row of the template then copy several and keep a master as you will need it later. After coping staple several sheets behind it and cut them out. Remove staple and apply to fabric with long pin then fold around and baste. These you don't have to take out until you are completely done and they don't loose there shape.