What the Hex?

 

What the Hex?

Finished Size: 60" x 70"

Preamble:

All my patterns are available from my NoRulesQuilting Etsy store and Quilt Pattern Mart. 

Etsy allows me to list in Canadian Dollars and being Canadian, that’s what I do. Quilt Pattern Mart only allows for US Dollars.  So, if you are looking at both sites, you will see the numbers are different, but the value is roughly the same (rounded for simplicity).  It’s a sad fact that the USD is worth quite a bit more than the CD at this time.

All my patterns have been tested by experienced quilters.  Thanks so much to all my testers – they are my reality check and always offer suggestions for improvement.  My patterns are much better for their input.  Every effort is made to ensure error free patterns, but if you do find one, please let me know so I can fix it.

All my patterns provide illustrated step-by-step instructions, a colouring sheet, construction tips, any necessary pattern/template pieces and all the usual things expected in a pattern.  And I do one of these “support pages” for each pattern because a pattern is not a book!

With that – let’s get on to it!

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What the Hex?

This pattern consists of hexagon and triangle shapes.  It may look complicated, but it's actually quite easy.  By including triangles, there is no need for "Y" seams to join the hexagons: 10 rows go together easily.  

This quilt is great for diving into your stash or for using some of your random fat quarters (FQs).  All three What the Hex? quilts I have made were made using FQs and stash fabric.  When I made these quilts, I placed the hexies on my design wall so I could move them around to the final placement.  If I used a variety of triangle colours, they went up on the wall, too.  But you can me more scientific than I am and use the provided colouring sheet!

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Here are a few process pix I took of the last couple I've made.

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Cutting

(These pix are of a top that is, at time of writing, not yet quilted - let's call it #3 as it's the third What the Hex? quilt I've made).

As with the previous two, I started with a bundle of fat quarters.  I'm a sucker for these - Carola's on the Sunshine Coast used to bring these super fun FQ bundles to our local quilt shows here in Alberta and they were so reasonably priced, I couldn't walk away without at least one or two of them!  But then I have to make a quilt using them, so that's when I came up with this quilt.  I should also note, as usual, my pix are not excellent - the "in person" colours are much nicer.

Anyway - on to the actual cutting.  . . . 

Cut each FQ into 3 strips (I cut the selvage off the left side, and that little strip is what's left on the right side).

I used the Hex N More ruler to cut the hexies, but if you don't have that ruler, use the template provided in the pattern.  Be sure to print at 100%, then double check your print to be sure it's the right size.  Stack your three strips and cut two hexies.  

It's hard to use fabric efficiently when you're cutting these - you're going to end up with those little triangles between the hexies (I need to come up with a clever project to use them - after three tops, I have many!) and the end pieces because a third one just won't fit - I tried in both directions.  The good news is that you can use the ends for some of the triangles needed in the quilt. 

(Of course if you're using yardage, the story may be a bit different.)

I didn't think of getting pix of cutting the triangles, but it's illustrated in the pattern and I think it's pretty straight forward.  If I make another one, I'll try to remember to take pix of that part.

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Layout

I think this has already been sewn into rows, but I want to note - again - that before I start sewing, I lay the quilt out on my design wall.  For #1, which has all white background triangles, the layout was just to work out placement for the hexies.  For #2 and #3, in which I used multiple colours of background triangles, I also wanted to lay out triangle colour placement.  Once I had that done, I started to sew the triangles to the hexies.  

Getting the large solid "stars" in the right location and with the right coloured points (if using multiple triangle colours) is actually the trickiest part of this quilt, so go slowly when you get to them.  

And also, I have to admit I'm not crazy about the orange, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Someone will love orange and they will get the quilt.  😎

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Sewing

The triangles have at least one squared off point, which you can use to line up against the hex edge as above.

These can be chain stitched.  Every hex has at least one triangle stitched to it.  Most have two - stitched to opposite sides.  Again, forgot to get the pix.  It's all in the pattern!  😎

Half of the row end hexies need two adjacent triangles.  Stitch one, press it open, then stitch the second so that it overlaps at the corner where they meet.  It's not rocket science but it might feel a bit weird as they are left sort of hanging there - but don't worry, it will all work out in the end.

Above - this is what that end hexie should look like once both triangles are stitched on and pressed out.

Here we are stitching the hex/triangle units to each other.  The seams come together at an angle so can be tricky to match up.  Use the little "ears" as a guide - match them up.  If there are no "ears" you can still do this by looking at the cut off spot and lining these up.  Not sure if that makes sense but once you're making the quilt, it probably will.

Above - I've matched up the "ears".

Once stitched, they line up quite well.  Not perfectly, but good enough for the guys I run with!  :)  If you fuss more than I do, you can get them even better than this!

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Trimming

I have trimmed the short ends of the quilt on all my quilts, but this is not mandatory.  You may like the "triangle ends" (what else would they be called?) - but a jagged end would be harder to bind.  Assuming that you are trimming, I have provided a detailed illustration in the pattern, but here is how I trimmed #2.  I trimmed this one after quilting, I trimmed #1 before quilting.  Either works just fine.  I didn't find one way easier or better.

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Quilting

I have provided this frond template in the pattern.  If you decide you want to use it as part of your quilting design, print it off at 100%.  It should fit into the large stars (there is a placement illustration in the pattern).  You can either just cut out the paper and use that to draw around, or make a sturdier template from template plastic - or a dollar store cutting mat - or glue the paper to card stock (junk mail!) then cut that out.

Use a Sharpie to trace the frond onto the plastic.

Then cut it out and use it to trace onto the quilt top (above).  I do this once it's on the frame using a purple air erase marker - this is #2 (below).

Here are a few pix of #2 quilting.