Tutorial: Pieced hexagons and open dounts

Earlier this month I showed you one of the rosette designs that I will use in the border of my Birds in The Loft hexagon quilt. I will need 36 of these rosettes for the border.

There are many ways to make these "pieced" hexagons. I could cut the paper hexagon in half, cut fabric for that half hexagons &thread baste and then stitch the two halves together to make a the hexagon. That's a lot of work, too much work given that I need 36 rosettes. I could use my foundation paper piecing technique to make the hexagons but then I have to remove the paper in pieces. Instead I decided that the fastest and easiest method would be to use my "made fabric" method. Today I thought I would demonstrate how I am making the hexagons in a manner that is efficient for me!

To start I cut a 1 1/2" strip across the width of the fabric from each of the two fabrics. I placed the two strips right sides together. The stitch length on my machine was shortened and the strips were sewn together with a 1/4" seam allowance. If you do not shorten your stitch length your seams will open when you cut your hexagons from the "made fabric". I pressed the seam allowance open.

I use my Elmer's Washable Glue Stick - Disappearing Purple to affix the paper to the fabric. It is more of a starch than a glue. It holds the paper to the fabric but the bond is not strong so when I'm ready to remove my hexagon papers they just pop out!

I find the most efficient method to cut the strip set is to trim the selvages, fold the strip in half and then cut 2 5/8" squares of fabric.  From each strip set I get 16 squares. I apply the glue to the paper (in the picture I've drawn the glue with purple to demonstrate where it goes but I don't need to apply the glue this heavily). I apply it in a circle (I drew this on with a purple marker - I don't need so much glue) making sure it is close to the corners that will line up with the centre seam. I place the paper on the square lining up the seam with the points. Give the glue a moment to set and the trim the corners with scissors being sure to leave a generous (roughly 3/8" or more). This makes the process of basting much easier.

I baste with thread in the usual manner. In the following diagrams I've just folded over the edges so you can see what I am doing. The dark fabric is coarser than the light fabric so I fold the darker fabric first and then fold down the lighter fabric. This will reduce some of the bulk at the corner. Before I baste this corner with needle and thread I turn over my hexagon to make sure that the point is on the seam. If it isn't I adjust and if it is then I start basting with thread.

I generally fold all of my seam allowances in the same direction however at the seams I've folded both so that the light fabric is folded over the dark fabric because the dark is coarse. I find it makes the sewing together of the hexagons much easier!

And now for the math! Six hexagons will make one rosette. I need 36 rosettes so that's 216 hexagons. I can cut 16 hexagons from one strip set so I'll need 14 strip sets. Each strip set is made of 1 1/2" strips of two different fabrics so 1 1/2" multiplied by 14 equals 21". I'll need 21" of each fabric! I'll cut the strips, sew them together, press the seam allowances open, cut the squares, glue the hexagon papers and trim the corners. I'll toss all of them in a zip lock bag with basting thread, scissors and needles. If I need to take some sewing with me they will be ready and waiting!

I'll sew six hexagons together into an open donut and then I'll set in the centre hexagon. A reader asked why I stitch my rosettes in this way. I find that it makes it much easier to set in the centre hexagon rather than stitching it into a closed ring and I can use one length of thread for the sewing. If the ring is closed it is much more difficult to line up the edges of the centre hexagon with the outer hexagons because you are dealing with a lot of paper which adds bulk and makes things shift. Sewing the outer hexagons to the centre hexagon one at a time is tedious - there is too much stopping and starting. Also there is the risk of losing hexagons if you set the project aside! Well at least I tend to lose them OR my teenager cat Jinx will steal them!

Here's how I set the centre hexagon into an open donut. I place the centre hexagon on the open donut with the opening to my right. I start sewing at the green arrow and sew across to the red arrow. I always take one extra stitch at the end of a seam. It keeps the seam closed tight for the next step.

I fold down the hexagon on the right; that extra stitch I took at the corner keeps the seam from opening up so I can move the centre hexagon making sure to line up the seam. I sew to the corner on the left taking an extra stitch at the corner.

I fold down the hexagon on the right and sew across to the corner on the left again taking the extra stitch at the corner. I continue in this manner until I've stitched all six sides of the centre hexagon to the open donut.

Again I took an extra stitch at the end of the seam which is in the red circle. The centre hexagon paper is removed to make the folding of the rosette a snap!

I fold down the rosette for the final time and stitch the seam closed!

I can stitch a bunch of open donuts and that keeps them together until I'm ready for the middle (sometimes I don't know what I want to use in the middle so I can audition fabrics with the open donut). 

I suppose that in the end how you sew your hexagons together is a matter of personal preference but I find that stitching the open donut make the most efficient use of my time and thread and I can be more organized & efficient with my sewing!

Wow - that was a long post. Sure hope you enjoyed seeing how I construct my rosettes! Until I post again, happy sewing!

Karen H