Giant Hexie Quilt Love

[sew and snuggle].

I have giant hexie quilt fever. 

Its almost an exact replica of my last Blueberry Park-inspired hexie quilt, the one that got away, but with more low-volumes in it and a touch of cream with the teal/gray combo. And of course the pop of cherry-rosie-pinky-make-me-feel-happy red. Which really does make me feel happy.

Hello Anna Maria Horner backing. I still love you. That's why I scooped up yards and yards of you and your cousin in red. She's next on the chopping block. Quilt backology is an art unto itself I am finding ...

Just add lots and lots of children and you've got a recipe for warm snuggles in the winter. 

And maybe a book for the quiet times? This week I've been captivated by God's Smuggler, my New Year's attempt to have an inspirational spiritual classic on the go most of the time. Oh, I love this book!! You could read this aloud to your kids, I think, at least there is nothing so far that is not appropriate. There are two things I love about this book: first, reading about the countless incidents where God works incredible miracles and how Brother Andrew responds. Second, this was a bit of a personal wake-up. Andrew describes his time at the Evangelization Center headquarters, and how they all get up very early to have quiet time with God, pray, read Scripture, and so on. Hey, I've read about people like this many many times, and I have friends like this who are disciplined and get up early (as in, before the kiddos wake up), to have a Holy Hour with the Lord. I've always thought how good that sounds. Yet I've considered myself *exempt* in a way, because my kids get up early enough as it is, I often stay up late to recharge my own batteries in the peaceful quiet, so as a result I fit in my "prayer" time whenever and however I can during the day. Its never a quiet time with God except of course for night prayer. Reading this excerpt however, it just struck me. If they are getting up early to centre their day on Christ, well gosh, why on earth can't I? I mean, I love the Lord, passionately, just like them. It made me think maybe I'm not so exempt. They have no special gene that makes the getting up easier. 

So it all has made me rethink very carefully what I'm called to do right now. I'm not naturally a morning person but once I'm up, its all good. I wonder if I could sustain this kind of habit. I don't have a lot of confidence in myself to do this. The spirit is willing but the flesh is just so weak, and the snooze button is well-used. 

Lets just say, it all struck me and stood out for me. So I'm contemplating. Contemplating is a very good start I think.

Linking up to Elizabeth's needle and thREAD. Go and check it out, always lots of fun over there.

Giant Hexie Quilt - Done and Gone

[sew].

Sewing till all hours of the night before you leave to Grandma's house for Christmas is fruitful. For my sister. Who ended up with this gift I like to call "Friday Night on the Farm in Saskatchewan in the Middle of Winter when your Husband is Away." Its a hexie quilt, a collection of romantic comedies on DVD, and a bottle of Baileys. 

Am I right?

I removed the borders.  I originally added them to make the quilt bigger since my first run didn't seem big enough for even a lap quilt. But, I didn't want to go through the work of ripping out half-hexies along the bottom and adding a couple of rows. All those zig-zags and pivoting made me a little dizzy. So, borders it was.

While the borders were ok (better in real life compared to photos posted), they just weren't doing it for me and I decided to lengthen the quilt the proper way. Late in the game considering I only had a few hours, but oh well!!

I did some simple quilting, as suggested in Karen's Giant Hexie Quilt pattern, outlining the hexies about an inch away from the edge. My word, it is VERY exciting seeing a quilt come out of its first wash and dry after being quilted and bound. The quilt rumples up and gets really cozy I tell you.

By far the best surprise for me was the backing because I fell in love with it. I had some of this Anna Maria Horner Night Garden in my stash - and saw that it was going to work colour-wise. But wow, when its quilted up? Wow. Let's just say I've ordered a LOT of it in this colorway (and in the pink because that looked delicious also) because its really rather stunning when quilted.  And exotic-looking. I like stunning and exotic looking, so I might just become more of an AMH fan. At any rate, I had just over a yard of it, so I had to creatively piece it with my Outfoxed Circles to come up with a full backing. 

I really loved making this quilt and loved giving it away, especially to my sister who totally appreciates this sort of thing! The hardest part was committing to fabric choices on the front, and to be clear I pretty much imitated Karen's gray/teal/yellow combination, throwing in a pop of red. I think it works ....

Happy New Year everyone xoxo. Hope to talk a lot more sewing with you very very soon :).

Edited to link up with Elizabeth at needle and thREAD.   And on that note, I suppose I forgot to mention what I'm reading ... I've got a few things on the go as usual, but one that has me glued to my handy dandy kindle is A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS and Dangerous Days at Sea by Rich Phillips.  Because I went to see the movie Captain Phillips the other night and it was amazing. The book is equally so.

Ok and that's really all for now my dear friends!!

Hexie Progress

[sew hexie quilt].

I've been playing with this. I'm not sure I love the colors yet, its not quite what I was going for, but then again, its experience.

The giant hexie pattern is from Blueberry Park. I really really love her samples, one in the teal/gray combo, and another in a beautiful coral/aqua colorway. The only modification to the pattern is I didn't do half-hexies sewn back together. I used her Y-seam tutorial and it worked perfectly. MUCH faster than half-hexies I *think.* 

I am in love with hexies.

In love.

OK, on to reading. I have been digging into Ann Voskamp's Advent book, The Greatest Gift.  Its good; her writing style is unique, and I find it interesting to read it through my Catholic eyes. Enjoying it very much.

I'll be back later to link with Elizabeth if she posts a needle and thREAD. Otherwise, my dear sewing friends, I will see you after Christmas!

And here is that link.