So how was your holiday/Christmas break? I hope it was fun and constructive and full of family and friends. Mine was definitely constructive on the paper piecing front… this is what I got finished in December….
This is a stack of 84 hexagon flowers… does not look like much so maybe this photo will help…
I became a hexagon demon this Christmas…it is the only quilting I have done for over a month which is a little unusual for me but there is a reason why. You see in October my husband casually told me that his doctor had found a “fullness” in his neck. Fast forward a week and CT showed a 8 1/2 cm tumor in his neck. Those of you that have met my husband know he does not do anything in halves and his tumor was no exception…it was twice the size of what they considered large!
So after specialist appointment and some more tests we were given a date for surgery – 22nd of December. We were allowed to go to Australia which put me into full hexagon production mode. In preparation for the month or so we had ahead of us, I bought a Fiskar hexagon punch, one of the best investments I ever made.
The punch does perfect 1 inch hexagons, so for a couple of nights I sat watching TV and punching out hexagons from scrapbooking paper I no longer use! Hundreds of them. Then scraps were then gathered from my stash and acquired from friends and I was set.
Our Aussie trip allowed me to make lots and lots and lots of hexagons… 16+ hours of flying each way allowed for a lot of sewing. I used my trusty hexagon travel kit..
and filled my hexagon storage to over flowing…
Medical appointments, surgery and recovery allowed me to turn my little hexagon collection into these…
My colour scheme is bright and consists of grey, green, aqua, blue, purple, magenta, pink, apricot, red, orange and yellow. I have a few repeats on the fabric but not too many.
I am pleased to say that the surgery went well. My darling husband has a wicked scar across his neck but the tumor was not cancerous. So now as he sits on the couch recuperating (playing computer games and listening to the cricket!) I am slowly sewing the hexagon flowers onto the main quilt.
I am trying to fill the gaps and get a straight edge happening, instead of the willy nilly placement I had going earlier. My husband declared that he wanted this quilt earlier in the year so it seemed fitting that I threw myself into its production during his medical hi jinks.
WOMBAT QUILTS 
What an achievement! I once spent a year making a hexie quilt (my first ever patchwork) and vowed never again.
I hope the invalid is recuperating well.
I can not imagine starting with hexagons…they are such a commitment. This quilt has taken me over a year already and I can not see it being finished any time soon!
It was all I knew about: I was living in Seychelles with no access to quilty books or magazines. Fabrics were unbelievably cheap: I made 7 dresses, plus shorts, skirts, bags sheets and tablecloths, all by hand, without patterns before I decided on the hexies, which kept me sane during the long evenings (it got dark soon after 6pm every night)
I see bicycles! I have an obsession with bicycles in quilts! And.. that looks like a LOT of work!!
Fabulous!
Glad your husband is doing well and you were able to enjoy your trip. Great progress on your beautiful hexi quilt!
Wow congratulations on your hubby getting through his surgery and all. Your hexies look great! So which is better? Hexies or paper piecing? 🙂
Lynne it has to be paper piecing. I love how mobile hexies are but it is such a slow process.
All my wishes and prayers for renewed health and a blessed New Year. So glad the news is good. Your ability to stay balanced in all this is AMAZING!!
Oh there was a lot of crazy in this process. Tears, stress and fear. I do not think I breathed properly until they wheeled husband into recovery. But my husband set the tone for this whole thing, which included lots of laughter and positive thinking!
I have been obsessed with hexies for a year now. I made a blanket from scraps from my travel trailer bed sampler quilt, a hexie BOM quilt top not yet completed (still assembling it) and a Christmas table topping that is on my table but not yet quilted. I just finished it at noon on Christmas Day. I also have a couple of wreath hexies on my tree. I normally do not go for a lot of repetition, but, I seem to be totally hooked. It could be worse and wouldn’t be so satisfying, I am sure.
It’s wonderful and beautiful! My hexies kept me sane while flying around for work. I wanted to make my “hexy pelt” bed-sized, but after 2 years plus, I quit at “generous lap-size” – https://www.flickr.com/photos/24334738@N07/13821644535/in/set-72157633875807483 can you find the Aussie bit you sent to me? 🙂
Oh, dear, and best wishes for a speedy recovery for your hubs!
Oh I had not realized you had finished. I love this quilt it is eye spy heaven, though I can not immediately see the darling little Snugglepot and Cuddle pie piece…it is in the yellow section I assume.
WOW, it WAS hard to find (the quilting casts tricky shadows)! BUT, the longarm quilter took a few close-ups while she was quilting, and that piece was in one of those! https://www.flickr.com/photos/24334738@N07/15964328118/in/set-72157633875807483/
Glad to hear your husband is recovering and all is well. I live in the States and subscribe to you blog. Thanks for sharing your quilting knowledge and your personal experiences. Much grace to you and your family
Thanks Jeanice.
Phew! Glad to hear it’s all gone well and the results are favourable. Your hexie collection is seriously impressive, and I can well understand that he wants to start using this beauty. We have been wondering how it was going, but I didn’t like to ask in case it was all impossibly difficult.
Kate you are a friend, so always feel free to ask. I am adding in your flowers too, they work well in the crazy of this quilt top. I have also been cutting fabric for your hexies. A package should be in the post to you next week.
Brilliant! I have another corner ready to start sewing together, but after that I have to launch into new fabrics; I’m guessing your pieces will arrive in time to feature in corner 4. I have a couple of fun photos I’ll email you, featuring Himself pre-scar, posing nobly with my Amistad quilt and the Husband of Chiconia cracking up beside him!
Super on all levels!
Hello Cath, your hexies are wonderful and will be a lovely quilt!!! For the upcoming New Year I wish you all the best – especially HEALTH; HELTH; HELTH for your husband! Warm regards, Annett x
Glad to hear your hubby is on the road to recovery. Wow that’s a lot of hexies.
the hexi flowers are beautiful. Wonderful news that the hubby is recuperating well.
Glad to know your husband is doing well. The quilt will be so meaningful.
How incredibly scary an experience, but how wonderful that something beautiful and bright and cheery will come out of it. I love hexagons, and usually have some sort of hexie project on the go, in addition to whatever other sewing I’m doing. I find it soothing and focusing. I’m busily trying to finish off my current hexie quilt for my mum so I can gift it to her back in Oz next year. Hope the recovery (for both of you) is rapid and worry-free.
Your progress is incredible and oh, so lovely! Glad to hear your husband’s surgery was a success and that he is doing well. All the best to you and yours in the coming New Year! 2015 is going to be awesome!
Thanks Lorna. 2014 was better than 2013 and so it follows that 2015 will be better than this year…right! I hope you have a wonderful new year too.
That’s a wonderful collection of hexies! I envy you your patience. So glad that your husband is in recovery and that all is well. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!
Oh gosh, I’m so glad your husband is doing well! It’s amazing you were able to make something so beautiful during a time that was probably fairly dark and scary.
Thanks Anne. I must admit I have turned to making this quilt a couple of times when things got tough. As others have mentioned it is very therapeutic to hand sew when there is not much else you can do!
I got so excited when I saw your hexi’s. I am obsessed with them. I got some precut 1″ at a shop in December last year when I was “sitting” with my sister during her recovery. When I got home, I had 100 done. Off to the quilt shop & and then another package and then I was hooked.Quickly I realized I had better make my own papers, so I invested in that FISKARS XL punch and I put a hole in the center too. Old business cards (from all those doctors visits, the hairdresser, mailers, magazine inserts get punched. I have stitched about 900 and only joined a few into flowers. I am just not sure what I want to do with them, but have a full box, and many more to stitch in the evenings. I find it so relaxing. I showed a photo of my box of hexi’s in my 2014 wrap up blog post yesterday. Good luck to you and your husband during his recovery. Blessings that the tumor did not present cancer.
I must admit seeing all the hexies together is a little daunting and seems to be taking forever to do. I am persevering…for now.
Wow! I’m so glad everything turned out well with your husband’s surgery. You certainly put your time to good use. The quilt will be beautiful like all the rest.
Thanks Nancy. I hope you had a good holiday period.
So glad to hear that your husband is doing well! That must have been so scary! The quilt will be all the more meaningful as you remember how each one got you through various stages of the journey. And, of course, it is lovely! All the best to you and your husband in 2015!
I have been looking for this punch! My question is how do u know which one is a one inch punch? I can find one that says fits into a 1 inch circle is this the size I would need to make a 1inch hexagon? Thanks Lori
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That’s a lot of completed hexies! I’m sorry for the reason behind it though and hope he is recovering now. What is the case you use for your scissors and thread? Looks really convenient
Marti the case is a tin pencil case that I got years ago. It was perfect for my hexie stuff.
Love your hexies.
Best wishes to your husband for a speedy recovery.
Hope all is well with you both. Best wishes and speedy recovery. It looks like you have become a “hexie” princess. They are very pretty and I know it was a good thing to have something creative to focus on while everything was happening with your husband.
Oh I am so glad to hear that he is recovering -what an end to 2014 you have had Cath. I LOOOOVE hexies and find them therapeutic as well, have 2 quilts on the go … ongoing for 3 years now, but I from time to time return to making those flowers. So easy to sit with. If you are in for it I would like to swap hexies with you Cath……. A happy new year to you and thank you for all your inspiration in 2014 and a hope for good and speedy recovery to hubby
Oh a hexie swap sounds like fun. Count me in.
I will write you a message on FB =0)
What a luck your husband is getting fine and that it wasn’t cancer. I had a surgery, too, on December 22th but it wasn’t as hard as your husband had. Now I’m laying at the couch, too, and read all the interesting posts, because I cannot sit at my sewing machine and cannot fly into the honeymoon either.
Greetings from Germanyand all the best for you and your family for the next year, Rike
Rike i hope you are doing well. Surgery before Christmas is not fun but at least you have Chtistmas ti recover. Enjoy the relaxing time, if you can.
Love your colors (as usual)! My Hexie quilt is languishing though I did make a 60 degree diamond quilt (2100 diamonds!) while recovering from a knee replacement. Actually it took about a year….
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband! I hope the surgery goes well. I’ll keep you both in my prayers!
Beautiful! You are so organized…makes me want to dig out my hexies!
Thanks for sharing your hexies. Got me all inspired and so I too bought the fiskars. Deep into making hexie flowers. I enlarged your photo and do not see any stitches. Mine often show on the seams when I connect the hexies. Do you have any tips for joining that would make the stitches less obvious?
Health is a precious gift I have taken for granted until presented with my own struggles. Good and healthful new year wishes to you and your hubby.
Neame My stitches show through often but I have got better the more I do. I use a small sharp needle and lots of small stitches to attach my hexies together (I found that it was my big stitches that show through). I must admit I do not worry to much about my stitches showing, I think it is a sign that the quilt was hand made, and I know that I made each and every one of those visible marks!
I am so glad that the tumour is gone and he is on the mend. What a fright you must have had before he got the all-clear! Nothing beats hexies for aeroplanes and hospitals – I agree.