March 31, 2023

Hello All,
I am really excited about the 'Just Get Sewing' challenge with Missouri Star Quilt Co and Myself (Nicola) AKA Daisy & Grace.
I am going to go through some preparation with you, so that if you want to get ahead of the game you can, however it can be done every day as well and it should still be 15 minutes a day.
 

Choosing your Design and Fabrics

 

There are 7 designs for you to choose from and each has a design sheet, take a look at which one you would like to do and print off the design sheet.

Coloured in Designs

Design Sheets

 

Now this is where the fun begins, choosing your fabrics. Go and raid your stash or treat yourself to some new fabric.

 

For the Backing (which is also the binding that can be seen on the front)

For one 2 ½” Hexagon Back you will need:

6” x 7” or 18cm x 15.5cm

 

- OR -

 

Cut a strip of Fabric 6” wide (42” / 110cm wide) and from this you can cut 6 x Back Hexagons

 

For the 30 Hexagon challenge you will need 5 x 6” strips which

equals 30” / 77cm

For one 2 ½” Hexagon Front you will need:

5” x 4 ½” or 13cm x 11.5cm

 

- OR -

 

Cut a strip of Fabric 5” wide (42” / 110cm wide) and from this you can cut 9 x Front Hexagons.

 

For the 30 Hexagon challenge you will need 4 x 5” strips which equals 20” / 50cm (with some spare).

 

When Choosing your fabrics it is great fun to audition your fabrics before you begin, I try different combinations until I am happy, the auditions are 'sew' much fun...

 

I like to take photo's as well to help me make a decision.

The 2 1/2" inner hexagon fits onto a charm square so if you have one of these all the hard work is done for you as they are all coordinated.

Once you have chosen your fabrics you can play with the design sheet to see where you would like your colours to go.

Cutting

Here are a few hints and tips for you when cutting out your Hexagons:

  • If you are nervous about cutting with a rotary cutter, find an old pillow case or a shirt that has seen better days or anything you don’t mind cutting up, be prepared that what you will probably not be able to use any of it, its just practice. Try cutting a single outer hexagon, when cutting the outer hexagon keep the inner hexagon in the template it helps keep it steady. Then try the inner hexagon, then go on to cut more that one layer of fabric. Keep cutting until you have finished the pillow case or shirt so that you get plenty of practice as you know what they say… ‘Practice makes Perfect’.
  • Cutting Wadding (Batting for my American family), cutting multiples is a bit tricky, use a larger Rotary cutter and start with one layer of wadding then try 2, 3 or even 4 layers just do what you are comfortable with. Or if you are in the USA you can just buy it pre-cut from Missouri Star Quilt Co, you jammy lot….
  • You know when you make a traditional quilt you have excess wadding after you have quilted it, and if you are anything like me you save it because it might be useful, well now is the time that it is useful take all your scraps of wadding and start using it for your ‘QAYG’.

Here are some guides for cutting:

VERY IMPORTANT

When you cut out your fabric for the challenge, I would like you to keep your scraps as later in April I will show you what fun you can have with them.

Happy cutting!

Sewing Your Hexagons

I thought it would be good to share this tutorial I made a while back, it is for sewing a hexagon by machine. the beginning of the tutorial is the same for hand sewing I will do something later with regards to hand sewing.

Using your template cut out your wadding, backing and main fabric, put your backing fabric wrong side up, place the larger template on top so it lines up exactly.

Place your wadding centrally on top in the recess. The templates allow you to get your wadding and main fabric placed centrally which then allows you to turn the binding over evenly, this is the beauty of the 'QAYG' templates

Place your main fabric on top of the wadding.

Pin in place (I have used Magic pins for this, you will find out later why they are magic!).You can then remove the large template.

Fold the edge of the backing fabric to meet the edge of the central fabric and finger press.

Fold over again so that this folds over the central fabric, pin.

Keep folding and pinning all around your shape.

When you come to the last edge finger press the two edges that are already folded and then fold to the central fabric and then fold again, pin.

Now your shape is completely pinned.

Now you can press your shape and this is where the magic pins are brilliant as you can press right over the top of them, you don't need to remove them they won't melt as they are made from Silicone, this really does make machine stitching these shapes easier.

Now you can start machining your shapes, if you are organised you could get a few ready to sew at the same time. Stitch close to the edge of the binding.

Hey Presto one shape made.

You can go onto machine the shapes together using a zig-zag stitch or other decorative stitch, or you can join them by hand.

Here is the link for the YouTube video.

I'll be doing more YouTube videos so please don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

'Just Get Sewing'

Love Nicola X


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Written by Nicola of Daisy & Grace