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Hi. I am trying to make a hexagon tablecloth, but it doesn't line up right......should i do it row by row like i do the others or should i go round and round???

Enid

Leslee

Hi Enid! I'm working with hexagon shapes right now too, all hand sewn. So far I've discovered the going 'round in circles method is best, because I'm doing little scrap flowers with different solid color centers. I'm hoping for a 30's look. The background hexes will be minty green. I'll probably be sewing in circles forever...but it's working so far!

argranny

[b][i]I took a class for paper piecing & it was a hexagonx called orental star and it was pretty easy, I did it with christmas fabric for the center of my dinning table, so paper piecing might be a idea.

Knot Sew

I watched a program on the quilting net it used hexagons and triangles' by putting the flat bottom of triangle on both sides..I'm to new to write it out but it gives you all straight seems and no set ins. Cut out some pieces on paper and try it hope this helps......tune in quilting net they repeat their programs

susan s.

So basically they make a Square out of the Hexigons? before sewing them together!.. That would make it easier by far to assemble and also give it some added pattern versatility.

vicki reno

There is a method if I could remember it, to sew them by machine. I think if you sew them end (the hexagons) end to end and have rows of them, then technically you should be able to attach the rows by machine. You would be doing like zig zaging but not stitching but the rows should look like a giant zig zag or giant rick rack. Am I making sense? If I could draw it I could explain better. I am sorry. Hopefully someone else can explain it better :)

patricej

machine piecing hexagons isn't as easy as that, whether you go in circles or make rows.

you can sew end to end at first to make either rows or columns, but it gets a bit trickier after that. it's actually a series of Y-seams.

doing in circles is all Y-Seams. if i can figure out how to illustrate and/or describe it, i'll post something tomorrow - unless somebody else has a magic system. (which would be sooooooooooo kewl! :-))

i usually do hexagons by hand. i use the smalles running stitches i can - as though i was hand-quilting. believe it or not, once you hit a rythym it isn't a whole lot slower than doing it by machine. and it's a great take along to the TV or appointments that keep you waiting. it's kinda Zen.

Norah

I'm doing hexagons now using the paper piecing method by hand. I whip stitch them together, with no more than 3 or 4 hexagons linked before sewing them together. I'm working in circles. I tried it without paper piecing and it was a disaster. Machine stitching was a disaster. Even carefully cutting the fabric and the paper (I use the inserts from magazines) seems to come out slightly uneven, but the paper seems to cut down on the distortion. I am going to post my first flower block on the 1st for the quilto block. Good luck with yours. I think this is one of the most challenging patterns.

patricej

i totally cheat when it comes to cutting my hexagons. i've tried rotary cutting. close, but never all the same size. i've tried drawing the seam allowances around them using a ruler. closer, but between ever-so-slightly different sizes and shapes and ever-so-slightly different widths (because ... really ... who can get the ruler to line up exactly the same way on all six sides of every stinkin' hex?) it's not only still frustrating, it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more work. i'd be 100 before i could ever get to stitch the first two together.

so several years ago, i started using my computer. i draw the hexagons with seam allowances and clipping marks already included. then in print them on the back of the fabric. if i need something so dark the print won't show on the back, i color in the hexagons with color mixes or patterns; treat the fabric with BubbleJetSet, and print my own that way. if i line them up right before i print, i can use the rotary cutter to do most of that part of the job, with just a bit of extra cutting with scissors. (better than just twiddling my thumbs or pushing food into my face while i'm vegging at the TV. LOL)

i will admit it uses up more fabric than if i did it the "proper" way, but they all come out the same size; my seam allowances are perfect; it's easy to match them up for stitching and clipping; and they always look good.

Norah ... have you ever tried printing your hexagons onto freezer paper? since they'll stick to the fabric and stay in place while you press under your seam allowances (and while you stitch them together) you might not get any distortion at all. i've seen that method suggested in a few places. they say they're very easy to get out after you've stitched around them and still in good enough condition to use again.

now that i have EQ6, don't think i won't really, really cheat sometimes and print them out already "sewn together" to just attach in bigger sections and quilt. oh, yes ... i can definitely see that in my sneaky little future. LOL

Norah

I will try the freezer paper. You are still my guru.