Sunday, August 31, 2014

Football Season is HERE!


When you live in a college town (and you are an alumna of said university), you go to all the football games. College football is (by far!) my favorite spectator sport. Here's the view from our seats this season. Now hubby also loves to go to softball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, anything with a ball involved. But football is the best! Yesterday we had extreme heat, then lightening which stopped the game for about 45 minutes in the third quarter. We decided not to wait it out - we walked to our car and drove home to see the rest on TV. Glad we did because when the game resumed, the rain started pouring down.

We had lots of good friends in and out, some staying over night. What a fun weekend! And one more day to go - yay! Tomorrow we're going to the lake for a bit to let Cooper swim and to pick up some things. Yes, I'll take my hexies with me in my nice little tackle box! I may need to cut more fabric and paper pieces in the morning.

Are you ready for the September block? I know many of you are based on our Yahoo group! I won't forget to post the pattern as soon as I wake up.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Hexie Storage!


I have a friend who is working on a Lucy Boston quilt - so pretty. She showed me how she stores her hexies. It's a Plano storage bin from Walmart - look in the fishing department by the tackle boxes. Be sure to get the one that says 3-28 on the label.



I got a couple of these today. Now my hexies are very organized. I even have a spot for my thread, needles, scissors, and thimble. I'll be taking this to Chattanooga with me in a couple of weeks!

My HQ Sweet 16 SOLD! Wow, that was fast! Someone from the Birmingham guild drove down last night, tried her out, and loved her. We packed her up in her original boxes and off she went to her new home. She'll be quilting lots of charity quilts and that makes me very happy indeed.

I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all day long. I went to Walmart twice (bought the WRONG tackle box the first time!) and also to Sam's. I'm all stocked up on snacks and breakfast muffins for the weekend - yes, we're so excited we're having guests! One couple is staying with us Friday night and another couple on Saturday night. So good to share our home with good friends.

We're looking forward to a fun weekend!

Hexie love,
Julia

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Goodbye to my HQ Sweet 16...


I have loved her for the past 5 years. She's never given me a problem…but it's time to find a new home for her. Since we've lived in Auburn (2 years) I've only quilted 2 quilts on her.  I hate for her to sit here unused. I've gotten to the point that my favorite way to finish quilts is to stitch them in the ditch on my Bernina and then add hand quilting with perle cotton.

Yes, she's for sale. Someone is coming tonight to give her a test drive and maybe they'll take her home.
Now what am I going to do with that empty space in my studio? Any suggestions?


Here's mister Cooper, taking his morning nap. We have this large ottoman (60" square) in our living room. He love to sleep under it, though at 92 pounds it's a tight fit for him. He always sleeps with the toes on one foot curled under. See them? Sweet boy.

We have a busy week going on here. As most of you know, we live in a college town and football season starts here Saturday. The entire city is decked out in orange and blue. We love going to the games, though the weather Saturday is predicted to be iffy - probable rain. We'll survive!

Hexie love,
Julia

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Teeny Hexie BOM


Two of my Auburn friends are doing the 2014 Hexie BOM using 1" circles - making 1/4" hexies. Now THAT'S tiny! But aren't they so cute! Won't this be a cute wallhanging?! (Yes, those are my feet!)

Are you caught up with me on the BOM? We're only days away from the September block - it's a FUN one! I finished the appliqué on it today. Yes, my friends saw it today and LOVED it!



Before I spent the afternoon with friends, I spent the morning working on the computer at the dining room table. Here's what was going on under my feet. Cooper thoroughly bathed MIckey, much to Mickey's dismay - you can see it in his eyes, can't you?


This house across from our driveway is almost done - the homeowners have done much of the work themselves, though they had this napping helper today. See him?

I think he spotted me photographing his legs because he quickly pulled them back in.

Hexie Progress


So here are my hexie piles. I've been a bit lax on these the last few days due to time spent learning EQ7. I'm slowing getting there, but I'm stuck on something and will probably call their support line this afternoon.

If you are new to this blog (maybe from my other blog?), welcome! As I reported there this morning, I'm not going to be posting to Greenquilts any longer. All my posts will be here on The Hexie Blog.

I'll continue to focus on hexies (of course!), but you'll also see some other quilty posts, a few doggy pictures, a recipe here an there, and who knows what else!

I'll be making a BIG announcement here next week and I may be dropping a few hints here and there before then.

Hexie love,
Julia

Monday, August 25, 2014

What I'm Working On….


I'm learning EQ! FINALLY they released a version for Mac! I waited a bit to order it, figuring they might have some bugs that needed to be resolved. Let me tell you, this has been brain taxing! But it's about time my brain got a workout.

I'm loving designing hexie quilts this way, though I'm still nowhere near proficient. Lots more practice needed.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

EPP? ME? WHAT?


And you thought I ONLY make hexies from circles? No way!

I made these yesterday. I cut the papers using my Accuquilt die - it cuts paper pieces on one side of the die and the bigger fabric pieces on the other side of the die:


So what am I making?

It's going to be something to share with you! I'm designed a really cool hexie quilt that I plan to share next year, with bits of the pattern coming out here and there for you. And I'm challenging myself to use some of my favorite fabrics - you know, those fabrics we all buy and pet and hoard and avoid cutting because they just look so pretty on the shelf? Well, I'm taking the plunge and cutting some of them up for this special quilt.

I cut up a different fabric this morning - I have the paper pieces and fabric at the ready - let's hexie!

Friday, August 15, 2014

Issues with the Sun


Oh dearie me! I've had e-mails from a few people who are making the BOM. They said their sun turned out too big to fit on their 15.5" background square. I hate that some of you are having problems.


I laid a measuring tape on mine to show that mine does fit. I'm not sure why some suns are bigger than others when they all measure one inch per side.

As for solutions, here are some suggestions that I've heard from you guys:
1. Let the end hexies on the sun overlap onto the sashing.
2. Make the hexies on the end a bit smaller (3/4" sides).
3. Make the sun center smaller.
4. Leave off the last hexie on each sun ray.

So sorry for this issue. I hope you will all get creative to make yours work!

Hexie on!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Happy Hexie Weekend!


Hello, hello! I hope you are having a very wonderful weekend! I am, though am oh, so busy! I'm making this little quilt as fast as I can - can you see a hexie peaking out there? Can't show anymore than this - it's a contest entry and it can't be published yet. The due date is later this week - keep you posted. I'm sewing the binding tonight!

Lots more hexie quilty goodness going on around here…much news to share soon…I do think you'll all like it…I hope so!


Here's my big lug, Cooper, taking a nappy on his very own big ottoman. I bought it on Craigslist and slipcovered it with some washable denim. It makes us both very happy. He has his own spot and I can keep his spot clean. It washes up nicely in the washer and dryer.

My mother (84 years young) is visiting us this week. I told her I had to do a bit of work while she's here, and she doesn't mind a bit. I put a comfy chair in my sewing room so she can sit with her feet up while I sew. Or we can sit together in the living room (with hubby) while I do computer work or hand sewing. Because she's here, our daughters and SIL have been visiting often - family time! So I'm getting a lot done and she's very happy to be here! Everyone wins! Tomorrow I'm taking her to visit a distant relative who has moved here recently. And we have a few other errands planned to get some of her wants taken care of.

Have a happy hexie week!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Test post


If you're wondering, I'm working on designing a new logo with a design firm. I'm trying to show them an example of a hexie heart.  More later!

Friday, August 1, 2014

2014 Hexie BOM: August!


We're letting the SUN shine in this month! This in our hottest month of the year - and the humidity where we live is through the roof. When you walk outside, it's like you're walking into a sauna. So we're celebrating the sun this month!

Are you caught up? Enjoy a bit of sun today while you stitch! Happy Hexies...