I’m steadily making progress on my Hexie Hummingbird! Currently, I’m stitching the rows to each other.
While I make the rows using a ladder stitch, I change it up when I’m sewing the rows together and use a whipstitch. I think it’s easier to work as a flat piece when the rows are coming together.
To start, I take the piece I’ve stitched together an place in on my design board exactly where it needs to be:
I check my layout to make sure it’s in the right place then pin the two sides where I need to start stitching:
Connecting the Rows
From here I flip it over and start my stitch a little in from the edge:
The blue fuzzy thing I’m working on is a stuffed animal in the shape of a bolster pillow. I find by using this pillow on my lap while sewing, it helps me keep the piece flat while working on it. It helps me see my stitching better, and sew with less stress on my wrist. I can also wrap it around the pillow as it gets larger.
I start stitching here and work to the edge then back up the way I started:
I’m testing a fine silk thread as a double strand right now. Usually I use an all purpose thread, and that can be used as a single strand. I’m still undecided as to which way I like better.
I like using the whipstitch here because you can really tighten it up and make super strong seams – and you can’t see them from the front:
So this is my progress! I’m looking forward to the appliqué process – it will be a new thing to try for me! I just love how quickly this project is going – and it’s because I didn’t do a full hexie background. Food for thought!
Tonight is the PMQG meeting, and they’re having a mini-trunk show of all the quilters who had quilts show in the PMQG section of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Since I’m in that group, I’ll be bringing some quilts to show tonight, even my hexie quilts! I’m a little nervous, but really excited to be able to share my quilts again!