Monday 20 October 2014

Hexagons

During my holiday, in September, I worked on a hexagon project and posted about it here while still in warmer climes. But these are only the orange "flowers" as the post was for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge link up and September's colour was orange.

In the meantime more flowers have grown, along with some loose petals and some leaves. I haven't decided on a layout yet, but, at the moment, I favour a random sprinkling of flowers and leaves, something like this:


although the loose petals have all blown together in colour groups in my photo!

What do you think would be a good layout for a scrappy hexagon quilt? Does this work well or would it be a good idea to surround each "flower" with an outer ring of hexagons in a neutral colour?A more traditional layout.

Almost all the flowers have six petals of the same fabric, which I believe is the traditional style. However, a couple of the flowers (blue, lower left, and the adjoining aqua) have petals of different fabrics (simply because I couldn't cut six the same from the contents of  the scrap bin). It works for me as long as they're in the same colour-way. What do you think?

These may seem strange questions but with a design as traditional as this I'm worried about how many conventions I may actually be breaking. I first wrestled (unsuccessfully) with hexagons at the age of nine and vowed I would never touch one again. Although I now enjoy mindlessly sewing the pieces together and in most projects happily go my own way, in this matter there is a little voice at the back of my mind telling me how they should be done!

Wedneseday update
Following the encouraging comments I have decided to go ahead with this layout. I must also add that when I was playing with this during my holiday I couldn't remember ever having seen anything like it before. This morning I read Lee Anna's blog , "Not afraid of Color", and took a good look at her title photo; now I see where the idea came from. I must have seen it 20 times without LOOKING properly. Thank you Lee Anna for the inspiration!

I'd welcome your ideas and I'm linking up to


stitch by stitch  Val's Quilting Studio  Sew Fresh Quilts




Happy Sewing

Marly.

10 comments:

Vireya said...

I love the slightly random arrangement of your hexagons. I like the way it challenges one's expectations of hexagon quilts - that they will be very regular and controlled. Having them overlap in places, and with leaves appearing here and there, makes for an interesting layout. The viewer can't just glance at it and understand it - one has to look and see how the leaves fit in, how you put it all together. I love it!

And as for using a combination of different fabrics in one flower, why not? Again, it adds interest.

Carla said...

Good morning! I spied your hexies over at Anything goes Monday. Had to come take a look. They look very pretty. Aren't they addicting? I love making them

Jayne said...

I admire anyone who does anything with Hexies! And I think there shouldn't be any rules how you want to arrange them, sew them or what fabrics should or should not be used!

Do what you feel is right! Its gorgeous right now and I am sure it will be when it is finished too!

Lisa J. said...

I also like the random arrangement, and I like that some of the flowers have all the same petals and some of the petals are slightly different. I wouldn't worry about the rules.

Ruth said...

Rules schmules! This looks really pretty to me!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Oh I love this layout Marly!! (I think we both like that scrappy look!) The first thing I really liked was the leaves....so keep going with this is my vote! It's unique and fun! Thanks for sharing at Tuesday ARchives!

Wendi said...

I love the pattern you have formed with your hexagons! Beautiful!

molly b quilts said...

I like that there is no pattern and that you've put the greens in as leaves to break up the flowers. It's very cute!

Crafty Ashley B said...

Love the non-pattern to this! I clicked on your link from Sew Fresh Quilts just to see what you were doing! Cute!

Marly said...

Thank you Ashley. I find your, and everyone else's, words here very encouraging.