Saturday, April 24, 2010

hexagon quilt along... block #2

jaybirdquilts
The Hexagon Quilt-A-Long Posts
flickr pool block 1 & layouts   block 5
supply list & faq block 2 block 6
button & participants   block 3 block 7
cutting instructions block 4 finishing directions


block 2
 { fyi...you can join the hexagon quilt a long at any time }

block 2
basic hexagon block
simple.. but still my favorite!


sew another 3 sets of strips together
and
follow the cutting instructions to make your pieced triangles

then take 6 from one strip.
and lay them out like this.


next
you are going to start to piece your hexagon together...
but only put 3 parts together... and 3... and leave it in 2 halves
see below.

in the cutting instructions i told you to press the seams towards the dark fabric
which means that all your seams will be going in towards the center
or towards the outside
so... in order to "nest" them like we did last week..
you'll need to press 3 in the other direction..

you should end up with one half like this
{ in-out-in}
and the other to be 
{ out -in-out }

and then like last week
you'll be able to "nest" your seams together to match points.
put two triangles together and sew a 1/4" seam.
press this seam open.
repeat to add one more triangle.
and press this seam open.



that's it!
remember we aren't sewing the entire hexagon together yet so that we avoid Y seams!

you have enough strip sets to sew 6 blocks.
but i only made 5.
it's up to you how many you want.
but 5 is a good number for now.

--

some notes

i've been getting a lot of e-mails... {that's ok!}
and i wanted to clear a few things up.

1. there really are no rules!  this whole thing is about having fun & learning new things.

2. blocks.... lots of people in the flickr pool have been coming up with more blocks... and making more than 5 each week... and that is ok.. but don't feel like you have to!  everyone works at their own pace... and that is a-o-k with me!

3. blocks.... i'll be teaching you at least 5 blocks.... but if you fall in love with one... it's ok to decide to make an entire quilt from that one block!

4. layouts.... similar to #2 lots of people in the flickr pool have been coming up with their own layouts.... this is also ok... but don't fret... or worry that you'll have to come up with your own layout... for those that want a step by step the entire way... i'll be providing that!

5. rulers.... as some of you have learned... just because it looks like a 60 degree ruler.. doesn't mean that it is one!   make sure that if you are buying a ruler that isn't one that i listed.. that it is a 60 degree one..

if not you could end up with something like this...
which happened to a few people
modern jax via flickr


if you have a question
feel free to email me
i just wanted to put some things here that have come up a few times!

10 comments:

Michele said...

I'm so happy to hear I wasn't the only one who used the wrong ruler for step one. Thanks for the second block! I was hoping we'd make some like these!

grendelskin said...

Thanks Julie! I think we're going to see some genuine beauties come out of this quiltalong and the pace is just right!

Stef said...

Now I'm wondering what I did wrong because I don't have enough pieces left to make this block. I only have 4 or 5 matching pieces left, after making the mixed blocks from last week.

Anyone else having this problem?

Susan said...

Stef, I think we're supposed to sew another 3 sets of strips together and then make these blocks.

Thanks for more great instructions, Julie! I was just upstairs playing with the layout for mine, which is way different, at least for now, from what you're having us do, but I'm having so much fun and can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Stef said...

Oops! Did not read the directions completely! Thanks Susan!

Simone de Klerk said...

Good tips for if you haven't started yet, like me!

Beth said...

*hangs head in shame*

I've cut down all my wrong triangles so they are 60 degrees, added anoer strip of fabric to the bottom so they are 4.5", and now to assemble.

Then I need to make my week one blocks correctly, and then make my week two blocks. Nothing like falling behind in week one!!

KarrieLyne said...

Phsew! I just got my hexie fix! :)

Crap. I just realized I don't follow directions very well. You said to choose 3 more sets of strips...I did 5 like last time..Doh! Good thing I like this block..LOL!

~ Sara ~ said...

I'm so glad I wasn't the only on the had the wrong ruler... on the upside I had to buy fabric to do the do over strips... that was such a hard thing to do. :) I was SO thankful that my LQS had the line I was using.

ANYWAY, I found that if you use a FQ for the larger prints it works out so much better on the finished block, rather than the jelly roll strip. To the point (at least with the fabric I'm using) it's almost like I fussy cut them.

Jeannie said...

Thanks for the PDF!!