I am getting ready to do a bit of traveling and need to get some sewing ready to take along. English paper piecing is a GREAT take-along project. I have a hexagon project I started awhile back--just to refresh your memory...
Well, I have started working on it again and will be taking it along on my trips. I read somewhere that sewing the hexagons together in rows might be easier than sewing them the way I was doing it (in clusters of sorts). I gave the row method a try, and I like it. The picture below shows you what I've been doing. It doesn't look like a lot, but there are LOTS of hexagons in those four rows!
This piece is the very top of the design on which I'm working; the first picture is the center of the design.
To get the project ready to take along, I needed to cut some fabric for my hexagons. I have a system worked out that I'll share with you. I can cut a bunch of hexagons in a short time.
First, I cut one hexagon to size and use it as a template for cutting others. For my size hexagons, I cut a strip 2" wide and fold it over so that I have four layers to cut through. I place the "template" on top of the four layers.
Next, I use my ruler to cut the segment I need. (For the size hexagons I'm using, I cut approximately 1.75 inches.)
After that, I stack the cut segment back onto the strip.
Now, I have a stack of eight layers with my "template" on top. Next, I use my ruler to make a cut at 1.75 inches again.
I line a small ruler up with the edges of the hexagon and slice off the corners of the fabric.
I continue to move the ruler around the hexagon "template" and cut all the corners off. When I'm finished, I have a stack of eight hexagons.
It doesn't take long to get quite a few hexagons cut.
I LOVE how all those little hexagons look!
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