We have returned from Australia to a wet and cold Portland. Last week we were on the beach enjoying the weather and now we have freezing rain. It is meant to be spring but definitely feels like winter. To get myself out of my weather rut I decided to make a sunshine and beach inspired quilt this week.
Too start I raided my stash and pulled all the golden yellow/orange and sea blue fabric I could find.
This bright a cheery collection was then cut to make block pieces for a simplified Iowa star block (Block Central has an Iowa star paper piecing pattern that can be used) . I am not sure what the official term for this block is, so if you know please enlighten me.
In my jet lagged haze this block was about all I could handle. It is made up of four 5 inch blocks and all I had to do was sew down the two sides of the central triangle. Easy peasy. I managed to make quite a few block pieces before the sleepy haze took over. Going back to Oz is fun but the time difference is a killer.
There was, however, one advantage to the 14 hour flight back to the USA – I had some time to do some hexies. I had never done English paper piecing before but I had been drooling over other people’s hexies for months. Then, just before I flew out the Portland Modern Quilt Guild did a tutorial and I was hooked. To prepare for the flight I:
1. printed a pile of 1 inch hexagon blocks (I used the Hexagon creator at http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal/) ,
2. cut a stack of fabric squares – lots of fussy cut bits a pieces; and
3. found a pair of small travel scissors that would not freak out the airline security guys.
So in between sleeping I managed to make this wonderful collection of hexies…. 51 down, 549 too go.
I am not sure what I am going to do with them. My husband is encouraging me to work out what I want to achieve before I get to far into making hexies (he is concerned by my lack of a plan!). I have been toying with the idea of doing the classic hexie flower and I may try to a couple to see how they look.
Now it is back to sunshine and the beach…..
WOMBAT QUILTS 
Gorgeous!!
Love the orange and aqua – it’s one of my favorite color combinations. I’m adding you to my feed, I love finding good blogs through WIP!
I am loving WIP Wednesday for finding great blogs and lots and lots of inspiration.
I love the orange and aqua. Not a combination I would have thought of, but I like how it looks. I also like your fussycut hexis.
I’ve been intimidated by hexies for ages, but I do have to fly from Colorado to Barcelona later this year- maybe I/ should follow your plane-piecing lead!
Be warned that hexies are addictive, but great for plane trips.
I love the aqua/orange blocks…. Bu those hexies are sew cute! I can see why it is easy to get hooked.
Everyone told me it was addictive and I did not believe them. It is so fun, easy and portable.
Your blocks are wonderful!
Thank you for stopping by!
I am also in LOVE with the paper pieced star from the last post! What a doozie!
I love aqua and orange. And I was just thinking to myself this weekend that I needed to learn how to make hexagons. Thanks for the inspiration!
Your blocks are beautiful.
Thanks. I am having so much fun at the moment.
I cannot handle how much I love your hexies. They are adorable, and that photo is gorgeous with all those deep colors! My husband would say the same thing – but eh, plans, who needs em – keep on 🙂 I love them and I can’t wait to see what they turn into!
I love your projects–although, I’m not sure which is a bigger accomplishment, all of those hexagons or getting a small pair of scissors safely past airline security! 🙂
Small pair of scissors. They are tiny and blunt but I was convinced I was going to get caught!
Oh that aqua and orange is fun! I also love the hexies! I just bought a whole bunch of 1″ pieces to make them. I know I could have just printed them and I’ve done that before but I hate cutting paper.
I have just found a site that sells the card hexagon precuts. I am with you in the cutting out – the thought of cutting another 500+ bits was a little daunting.
Love those vibrant blocks! And those hexies are beautiful!!
Love that bundle you pulled! And lucky you with only a 14 hr flight to Oz, it’s 24 from here o.O
I lived in Bristol for 7 years and know the horror that is the flight back to Australia from the UK. It doe make the hop I now have to make seem like a breeze.