Happy Birthday Mom and a new hexagon project

Today is my Mom's (aka Anne H) birthday and I wish her the happiest of birthdays yet! Many years ago I made this block on her birthday so I called it July 6. I used my foundation paper pieced English paper piecing technique to make it!

It is one of the blocks in my quilt Loopers in The Sky With Diamonds. July 6 is in the bottom row.

Loopers in The Sky With Diamonds, Karen H 2005

I've been casting my eye about for a new hexagon project because I need some handwork for the evenings. An old quilt that has caught my attention and I've drafted most of the pattern. I'm still undecided about the border but that won't stop me from getting started.The little calico print will be used for the center of the rosettes and the turquoise will surround it. I reckon that I will need fifty of them!

That's a lot of turquoise hexagons to cut out but it won't take me long. I previously wrote about how I cut and prepare my fabric when I need a lot of hexagons. If you aren't familiar with this method you can read about it here. I plan on using 3/4" hexagons for this project so I'll start with 2" strips. In no time flat I can cut hundreds of hexagons and prepare them for basting! Yesterday I cut most of the hexagons and I started basting them. Fun, fun, fun!

So what does this quilt look like? Lorraine of Granny Loz very generously agreed to allow me to publish pictures of the quilt on my blog so here it is! It was one of several quilts that were found at an auction.

The center of the quilt is pictured at the lower edge and it is just off center. There is a pink fussy cut center with a darker pink border. All the other shapes radiate out from that point. This is a fun quit where solids can be used and fussy cuts. There is a lot of gingham in the quit and I think it adds charm!

Fussy cuts don't always have to be exact or perfect. In the following example they are similar but not identical. In the quilt they will look perfect!

If you are a lover of hexagon quilts there are a few others pictured in the same post. Go here to have a look!

Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H