Snow and sewing

Denmark in the wintertime is completely magical.  On Friday we went for a walk in our town's downtown area and it started to snow.  The Christmas lights were lit up and strung between the buildings, which created such a sweet atmosphere.  We stumbled upon Santa Claus passing out presents to all the kiddies that walked by and women passing out Æbleskiver and mulled wine while playing Christmas music.  Danes make everything that they do cozy.  I love this about Denmark and want to incorporate hygge into all areas of my life.

We have about a foot of snow now and needless to say, we were so excited to get out in it this weekend.

Ethan has been getting more and more interested in helping out around the house.  This weekend he helped with the dishes and has been feeding Chase on a daily basis.  

This snuggle is a daily occurrence

Aaron and I laid out all of the hexagon strips this evening and it looks like my quilt is getting pretty big, although, according to my calculations, I only have 18% of my strips made.  I can't believe I already basted more than 1/3 of the hexagons I need for the quilt.  Yahoo!

What have you been up to this weekend?

New additions

Meet the new additions to the quilt!

After sewing a couple hundred of these together, I have created a system.  When sewing hexagon strips together, my goal is to make the colors in each hexagon "pop." I try to do this by placing hexagons together that are coordinating colors or colors that are opposite on the color wheel.  My goal is to use at least one or two white or light fabric hexagons in each strip and surround those hexagons with bright colors.  I also try to have an even distribution of color and have at least one "fussy cut" in each strip.  My husband now knows my system and helps me arrange strips once in awhile.  Good husband!

Like I've said before, I like making hexagon strips because that way I can make sure that there is an even distribution of fabric lines, polka dots, etc. throughout the quilt.

I have been swapping fabric like crazy and have had so much fun doing it!  I enjoy meeting people that are making a hexagon quilts, too.  These pretty fabrics are from my Flickr friend, Jan.  A bunch of the fabrics she sent me are designer, including a handful of Liberty prints (my fave).

This fabric she sent with the tree stumps and mushrooms might be my favorite fabric ever.  Thanks, Jan!

Hexed

I had too many piles of hexagons, so I started sewing them together in strips.  As I have been doing this, some story lines have emerged:

Weekend getaway

Picnic in the park

Mom's sewing basket

Midnight train

I've been having way too much fun with this project.  I think it's time to tame the crafty mess on our kitchen table.

Hexagon update

This is my hexagon set up.  They are in stacks, sorted by color.  I don't have a fancy box to organize them in, so I am currently using a tray.

If possible, I am trying to fussy cut each print.

I am using each fabric in my stash about three times and now I'm all out of fabric!  I have bought a couple of scrap packs online and can't wait to turn these DELICIOUS fabrics into hexagons.

By chance, I stumbled upon other hexagon obsessed people on Flickr.  I am so glad that I did because I have found other people to swap fabric with.  I am ready to send off this pretty bundle today.

I was talking to my aunt on Skype yesterday and she said that as far as addictions go, fabric wasn't a bad one to have.  I asked her to repeat that statement when my husband was in the room.

Handsome Hexies

I was bitten by the hexagon bug and now I am making a throw size hexagon quilt.  I joined the Hexagon Charm Quilt Piece-Along and managed to persuade two friends to join me.  (Jess and Bekah, you rock!)  These are one inch, paper-pieced hexagons; I'll need over 1,000 hexagons *gasp* to finish the project.  Melanie, who started the piece-along, is making a quilt with no two fabrics that are the same.  Yes, that means that she has over 1,000 different swatches of fabric.  You can find a link to her GORGEOUS quilt here.

These are my favorites so far.  It is going to be an "eye spy" quilt of sorts.  These fabrics are mostly Liberty of London, with a couple of Heather Ross prints mixed in.

Here is my thought process day two of making the quilt: When piecing hexies together, the colors/style/pattern of one hexagon leads to the next.  For example, on the bottom row starting on the left, the little stars in the flower remind me of the little star-like shapes in the fabric to the right of it.  Then the purple mermaid coordinates with the fabric to the left of it.  The mermaid looks like she is diving into a teal pool in the Amy Butler print and the mushrooms coordinate with the Amy Butler hexie.  This process is completely subjective and it is fun finding links between all of the hexies that I am piecing together.  I am piecing the hexies in strips of five which I can then move around in order to get an even distribution of colors and prints.

This is going to be a portable side project for me and one that will take a very long time to complete!  I want to finish up a dress I made for Sarah's Pattern Challenge this weekend.  I am so close to finishing it!

Have you been bitten by the hexagon bug, too?