Constructing, deconstructing and reconstructing the hexagon, Saturn rock and more!

The hexagon…..a simple six side shape with all kinds of possibilities! The six sides are equilateral. I’m not a math genius but I know that a circle is 360^o. Since there are six sides to a hexagon this means there are six angles so if we divide 360^o by 6 each angle in each corner is 60^o. This is interesting, helpful and necessary information if you want to construct your own hexagon patterns. That may be the subject of another post but not today – today we are going to take the hexagon apart (deconstruct) and put it back together (reconstruct)!

There are many ways to deconstruct a hexagon but today I will show you two simple methods along with a couple of suggestions as to how to reconstruct them. A hexagon can be divided into three diamonds. We know that all of the angles will be 60^o and the sides will all measure the same length. Three diamonds make a hexagon!
 

Use three diamonds and fussy cut the fabric to reconstruct hexagons that looks like this!
 

Six diamonds make a star motif.

 

Another six diamonds to fill in the spaces brings you back to the basic hexagon but it will be considerably larger than the original hexagon.

 

And you can make interesting hexagons. Here are a few examples!
 

Do some of these fabrics look familiar? They should…I used this fabric to make Flora and Fauna, Partsof the Garden!

The second deconstruction I will show is this: divide the hexagon into six triangles! Note that if you put two triangles together it takes you back to a diamond shape. More on that another day! For now here is the hexagon divided.

 

And here is an example of what you might do with the triangles!

And now for the “Saturn Rock” part of my post, I present a curio from Misery Bay on Manitoulin Island. About 16 years ago we were hiking with a gaggle of kids and one of the lads came across a very unusual rock. We all remarked that it looked like the planet Saturn hence the name! I fell in love with it but it was heavy and the hike back was very long, hot and bug infested so we had to leave it behind. The next morning I went out on the cottage deck and there was Saturn rock! One of the young lads knew how much I wanted the rock so he stuffed it in his backpack and lugged it all the out. During the night he came to our cottage and delivered it! We’ve said that we will save the rock and when he settles down in his own home we will give it to him as a house warming gift! Isn’t it interesting? It now lives in our garden just waiting for its new home!

 

And last of all, the Siberian irises are blooming. Yesterday they were just buds and today they have burst open in a riot of purple! They are so lovely!

 

Until I post again, happy sewing!