Glorious Hexies, The Perfect Traveling Companion

After a summer of working from my home office, this Fall has been travel, travel, travel.  What's a girl to do?

 

About three years ago my quilting friend, Charlotte-the-Tall, and I embarked on a project that we thought would be oh so fun!  And, honestly, it is fun.  But, it is not a FAST project.  We got off to a good start:  July 18, 2016.
After that, it has been spotty at best: May 20, 2017.

When I'm traveling for work I've been known to drag along Miss Ellie (my 1951 Singer Featherweight) or my Ukulele to give me something to do in the evenings in the hotel and keep me out of trouble.  But for the past few months I've been focusing on Hexies.  They are the perfect traveling companion.  They take up very little room, I don't have to feed them and they don't talk back.

At 30,000 feet

All laid out on the tray, including some
Snappy Tom sans alcohol.

Carter Conlon on the iPad
(he's a preacher at Times Square Church)

Done

Working on Hexies is a good conversation starter, also.  "What are you making...?"
Who knows, perhaps I've help bring another quilter into the fold.

Packing my bags:

I could carry this on, but I generally put it in checked baggage.
The rotary cutter needs to be in checked baggage either way.
Cheap packing cube from the Dollar Store

Cutting and Hexie preparation

What I carry on
Bag by RuMe

Everything I need fits perfectly.

Making Progress

I am currently in Edmonton, Alberta and working on Hexies in the Hotel in the evenings (it is 9 degrees farenheit outside.)  I'm preparing to return home today but have a quick, 3-day turnaround back to Canada.



I'm ready to fly away again.



Making your own:

Visit Paperpieces.com.  Paper Pieces Search New Hexagon.  You can purchase everything you need in one neat package.  AND, it's on sale.

Santa says: "Only 82 More Sleeps"

Well, mostly... if you are of a certain age it is debatable as to whether or not you'll actually sleep... just sayin...

Every year in January, without fail, I make my "Christmas Quilt Gift List" for that year.... 358 days to plan, fabric shop, cut and piece to be all ready for Christmas Quilt Giving for that year.  And every year, about this time of year, without fail, I find myself racing the clock.  (Don't judge.)


Here is what needs to be done and in the mail or gifted in the next 82 days...or about then, anyway.

Church ladies brunch silent auction. Due October 31st  (but needs to be delivered before I leave on a business trip so make that October 13th.)

As you might guess, this is the one I am furiously
working on this very moment.

Designed in EQ8

Son's new-baby quilt. A Girl.  (YES!  I am going to be a g-ma again!  This time to a sweet girl.) Due for the shower October -- Oh wait, it has been postponed...again.  I don't actually have a shower date, but the baby is due Christmas Eve.
(OH!  They should name her Christmas Carole! I'm texting Matt right now!)
  

Mommy & Me

Niece's baby quilt.  It's a boy. Quilt is due for the shower October 13.  (But I'm not attending the shower because I'm leaving on a business trip so she will get it before the end of the year.)

As you can see, it has a way to go.

Designed in EQ8

Niece's older-daughter quilt.  Different niece, but she lives in the same city as the above niece (the babies will be cousins).  I'm planning to send them together, sometime before the end of the year.


























My Brother's and Sister-In-Law's scrappy lap quilts.  And, HALLELUJAH,  the brother's is COMPLETELY done and the S-I-L top is done.  I'm going to tie the S-I-L top on my up-coming business trip.  They may be the only two who actually receive their Christmas Gift Quilts for Christmas!

An I Spy quilt with fabrics from
many, many previous projects
for my Brother

Crazy Quilt Blocks from Scraps for my S-I-L

 
  
I think I'm going to call in to work sick for the next 80 days....

National Quilt Museum

As I do a couple times a year, over Labor Day I traveled to Paducah, Kentucky to visit my family.
Paducah is known for the BIG quilt show every April (and now they've added a show in the Fall), Hancock's of Paducah, and the National Quilt Museum.   My baby sister and I made a visit to the Museum. (I meant to post this pictures then....) 

On exhibit were some amazing collage quilts by Danny Amazonas.

My Favorite

I have completed two collage quilts to date:  Laura Heine's Cat and the Piggie Quilt in memory of my mom and my quilting Auntie, Nyla. They are not as easy as you might think.  Choice of fabrics and getting the colors and shades just right is the trick.  Danny Amazonas is a very talented artist, to be sure!  Google his name.

Laura Heine is probably the most recognized name for collage quilts.  She is a featured speaker at a lot of guild meetings across the country and she makes a presence at quilt shows. (I was introduced to her patterns at the Road to California show.) But here is another option, The Collage Quilter. I LOVE her Adoration quilt.  I also found a a collage quilt tutorial.  While not exactly the way I would do it, it was pretty good.  This has kind of given me 'the bug', again.

Spinning Out by Helen Remick of Seattle, WA - My sister's favorite display.

P.S. While we are talking about the Quilt Museum, they also sponsor a BOM* every year.  Last year's blocks were part of the exhibit. The blocks were very imaginative and very good, but not out-of-this-world.  Don't be intimidated!  At the bottom of the BOM page, click through the blocks. They do an excellent job of giving you all the tools for creating the blocks. Check it out!  YOU can do it!

*BOM:  Block of the Month