Silence is golden

In my case the silence wasn't so golden! The entire clan was hit with a flu virus. All we've done for the past week (aside from dealing with the usual flu symptoms) is sleep. I know I'm really sick when I have no interest in sewing and I had none at all for the duration. I felt the same way about food (also uncharacteristic)! But yesterday afternoon I finally felt like I had turned the corner - I knew I was getting better because the urge to sew overwhelmed the urge to sleep. I picked up my needle and thread for the first time in four. I managed to get two pairs of rosettes stitched for my Birds in the Loft quilt.

The first pair are the same fabric but the print is oriented differently to create some interesting effects.

The second pair of rosettes are identical. I like the fussy cut centre! Both fabrics are old, treasured fabrics from my stash.

Today I'll add the partial path units and then get a few more rosettes stitched. I may also start laying out rosettes and number them so they can be stitched into rows.

Angie of A Quilting Reader's Garden did an interesting tutorial on sewing the hexagons together to make an open donut without continuously having to knot, cut and then re-knot the thread. You will find it here. What's an open donut? It is a term that I used to describe six hexagons that are sewn together to form the outer ring of a hexagon rosette.

An Open Donut

I wrote about making an open donut here and here (this second link also has a video that demonstrates setting in the middle hexagon). I tried Angie's technique and it worked really well. Angie likes to bury her knot at the corner however I prefer to start in a few threads from the edge so that the knot doesn't pop out later on. If you watch the beginning of my video you can see how I place my initial knot. When I've finished my stitching I go back a couple of stitches so I can tie my knot away from the corner. Use the knot placement method that works best for you and you'll get no arguments from me! I encourage you to visit Angie's blog and check out her very interesting tutorial and be sure to let her know you enjoyed it. Your comments mean a great deal to we bloggers!

If you are new to English paper piecing and hexagons be sure to check out the tab English Paper Piecing Instructions & Hexagon Fun at the top of this page. It is where I share what I've learned over the years and how I do things!  If you have questions or would like me to demonstrate how I do something please don't hesitate to ask. I am always more than happy to share!

That's it for me today. Hope you are all keeping well. Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H