The pattern is Mediterranean Hexagons from the Quilts in Morocco book, but I'm going to call mine Tropical Hexagons because my colours are hot, rather than the blues and greens of the Mediterranean.
Although this quilt looks simple in the book due to the large hexagons, there's a lot of work required to ensure that the star points are balanced through out the quilt.
You need some variety in you star points, but you don't want to use the same fabric for adjoining stars. So you need at least 6 different fabrics for star points. I used these fabrics:
When it comes to assembly you need to be working rows ahead at all times. I decided that the easiest way was to lay it all out on the kitchen floor. It's way too big for a design wall.
I would pick up one piece and sew the relevant star points, and then put it back in position. It's the only way to keep the pattern correct and not get the star points jumbled up.
Eventually I got 4 rows together:
Each time I had to clear the kitchen floor I would stack the rows up in the correct order so I could lay them out again the next day.
I'm still not finished, but on Sunday I had 8 rows together. That means there's just 3 rows left to go now. We have a long weekend this weekend for Queen's Birthday, so hopefully I'll get the hexagons all sewn together this weekend. Then I have to think about borders.
I love the colours in the fabrics in this quilt. I'm so glad I stepped away from blue and green and tried something different, and I'm so glad I got to attend the Kaffe course. I really enjoyed watching Brandon and Kaffe take their time, and mull over the fabrics in each quilt. I now know that they refuse to be rushed, and keep trying different fabrics until they are really happy with their choices. That's the approach I like to adopt too.
I love the red and gray combination
ReplyDeleteLooks great, I feel warm already looking at it :) I lay out things like that and put them together one at a time, helps save confusion later and makes for a bit of exercise as well.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you machine sewed them Wendy. Is that correct? Like the colour choices! I lay out my quilts on the floor too - but thankfully in the sewing room, not the kitchen, so I don't need to keep taking them up. I would definitely get muddled if I had to do that. LOL I also have a flannel backed plastic table cloth on which I lay out quilts which are going to travel e.g. to my Friday morning quilt group. The flannel holds the pieces of fabric in place, and I can roll up and fold the table cloth up to transport it. I have one in my table cloth at the moment which has come to quilt group 3 weeks in a row now. Perhaps you could use that idea for quilts like this one instead of your kitchen floor so that it would be easy for you to roll up the quilt to put it away when you need to use the kitchen.
ReplyDeletethis is coming along beautifully, like you I use my kitchen floor, such a pain though to keep having to pick it up. Liking the idea of previous comment with a flannel tablecloth
ReplyDeleteGreat KF project. Fun fabrics to use.
ReplyDeleteAnother cheerful quilt Wendy. I giggled to myself at your quilt laid out on the kitchen floor. I am so fortunate to have a second lounge to muse, although it means running up and down the stairs. Good to see your progess.
ReplyDeleteLovely progress on your quilt Wendy, love all those black and white fabrics you chose to use against the Kaffe fabrics.
ReplyDeleteI took a workshop and lecture from them many years ago but never finished it. I shall have to go and get it out. Ours were squares which became octagons when you sewed small squares onto the corners to become triangles.
Enjoy the long weekend!
beautifully done! This looks a bit like Jen Kingwell, such a big project. I guess there wasn't dinner the nigh the floor was used as a design wall :)
ReplyDeleteGreat looking quilt. I have cut some out for this quilt too. I have many blues cut so far. I should get back to that quilt some day.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a mission. I love how you used the kitchen floor for your design pad! Unless you number your bits and bobs you are up the creek.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAh-maz-ing!!!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to take a class with Kaffe. And you have made beautiful fabric choices--just like always!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous ! I love the combination with grey fabrics.
ReplyDeleteso very pretty...looks like you paid close attention!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt. I have just bought the book. How difficult was it to do as only made 2 previous quilts? None with hexagons 😏
ReplyDeleteNikki
Beautiful quilt. I have just bought the book. How difficult was it to do as only made 2 previous quilts? None with hexagons 😏
ReplyDeleteNikki
Hi Nikki - you're a no reply blogger so I can't email you back sorry. This quilt isn't too hard to piece, but you do need to cut the pieces accurately. I recommend buying the big hexagon and triangle shape. PaperPieces.com sell them online, but local shops might stock them too, or get them in for you. It's HEX375 from PaperPieces.com each edge is 3.75". Do you have Quilts in Morocco? The piecing method is all explained there.
ReplyDeleteYour color compositions are extraordinary! I love all your quilts for this very reason,no matter how busy the fabrics everything is well defined!
ReplyDeleteWendy, your quilt is absolutely one of the best I have seen. It is my favorite. ❤️
ReplyDelete