Wednesday, May 19, 2010

hexes


I have been hexing! I feel like I should follow that sentence up with "but Mom, all the other kids are doing it". 
It all started when I stumbled upon a picture Ashley had posted of her new found hexagon addiction. Up until that point, I had resisted all temptation of falling into the hexagon world. But in Ashley's pictures, she didn't just have any hexagons.....she had flea market fancy hexagons. The two of those items combined was all I needed to see to start my new found obsession. Thanxs to some amazing and gracious ladies, ebay and etsy, I finally feel like I have enough FMF to make a throw size hex quilt (I have never been one to shop ebay...but in the last month my bidding has been off the hook). 

I am pretty sure that I have every print from the fabric line accounted for, even if only by a couple of hexes. I decided to go with one inch hexagons, mainly because I think they are just soooo adorable at that size. I love the basting process and I don't even mind the hand stitching part. I find it all to be very relaxing and mobile. The mobile part is probably one of my favorite aspects of this new hobby. I can hex at the dentist, doctor, school, park....literally anywhere (although my poor knitting bag has been stuck in the corner for weeks now, totally untouched). I'd have to say the the only part of these little beauties I don't like, is seeing them all sewn together. Not because it isn't beautiful, but because of my own stitching. I have been practicing and practicing and practicing, but no matter how hard I try, I hate the way my stitching looks! I don't have any other sewers around me to ask, so I need to get some tips from all of you. My problem is that no matter what stitch I use, I can see the thread pulling on the fabric on the front. I don't know if this is normal, if I am pulling too tight, or if it has to do with something else that I am doing wrong! Here is an example:


See all those little tugs on the fabric....they are driving me CRAZY!! Is it suppose to look like that? Is there anything I can do not to get them? Any tips, suggestions or assurances that this is normal, would be greatly appreciated. I want to move past this so that I can actually feel comfortable enough to start piecing them together. 

22 comments:

  1. Love your FMF hexes.
    Your stitches look perfect to me.
    Andi :-)

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  2. Your hexes are fantastic!

    I have been thinking of joining the hex club, as they are so portable I can work on them on the train, do you follow a particular tutorial you can point me towards?

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  3. What a dreamy quilt this will be! They look lovely already!!

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  4. they are way way way cute.

    I haven't sewn any yet myself (just started making some)... so i have no tips on the stitching... but good luck!

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  5. I have the hexes that I won from Ashley's giveaway, and the fear of putting them together is what has kept me from jumping in and making a couple pillows! I CANNOT wait for you to figure this out b/c I am going to suck you dry!

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  6. They are beautiful! I think the stitching is supposed to look like that... it shows it's hand done! Well that's my opinion anyhow :)

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  7. well, well my lady friend... someone has been mighty busy!! haha... the only thing i could say bout my stitches on my hexies is that i use a ladder stitch... i have no idea if you are already doing that one, but when i go too deep into the fabric instead of just grabbing a bit of it hanging just over the template... and i backstitch that area... every once in while i'll see a touch... but, i think the ladder stitch is key! :) hope that helps!!

    xo, Heather

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  8. Well, they look really good to me! I think you are doing a beautiful job!

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  9. I think is looks perfect to me! If it really bugs you,I would experiment with a thinner needle so you may catch less threads and also finer thread. Not sure what you use, but Gutermann is thinner than Coats & Clark.
    It's going to be beautiful!

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  10. they look pretty good - I use the ladder stitch, but I think a whip stitch would be stronger if this is going to be a quilt. Did you press them already? a little steam and press may help the stitches sink into the fabric a little more and show less.

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  11. It looks good to me. I don't live too far from you, if you want to meet we can compare stitches. ;)

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  12. Looks delicious!
    I found that I get invisible results on the front when I put wrong sides together and I do a modified ladder type stitch.

    I'm using hideous needles I hate and got second hand (buying better needles as we speak) with Masterpiece Thread and a comfort thimble M.

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  13. The only way I've found to have stitches that don't show is to not use the paper templates. I wrote a blog post about it here:

    http://moxyideas.com/?p=818

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  14. Do you know what? All I can see is perfection! Beautiful fabrics and beautiful stitching...can't wait to see the rest x

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  15. I am not jealous or anything...........at all ;)

    Your stitching looks fine to me.

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  16. they are absolutely gorgeous chris!! this is going to be one stunning quilt! (it almost makes me want to start making myself some more FMF hexes!) :)

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  17. gorgeous! My hexes make that same little pucker, I wouldn't worry too much! Can't wait to see this quilt...

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  18. Your stitching looks great! But I know what you mean about noticing a flaw and that's all you are able to see! Did I tell you that you 'inspired' me to start hexing after the last Sew?! Please bring to the Sew on Sunday so you can show us how to put them all together!

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  19. Beautiful hexes! Your stitching looks fine to the "normal" eye but I know what you are talking about. ;) I've found that if I use a whipstitch, space the stitches out a little further than I want to, make sure I'm catching as little of the fabric as possible, and keep from making a super-tight stitch, they turn out better. Are you using hand-quilting thread? That also seems to make a big difference in how my stitches look...

    Your finished quilt is going to be awesome!

    Jennifer :)

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  20. I love FMF and your hexes are beautiful. Once you take the paper out and the fabric isn't as taught the stitches disappear into the fabric. I've done a queen size in hexes and you can't see the stitches at all.
    Keep up the beautiful work.
    Cheers
    Leanne

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  21. Beautiful stuff! You have quite a talent :)
    Tracy

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