A Modern Hexie Encounter

From the first time I saw Nicole/Modern Handcraft's modern hexies, I thought they were amazing. Like truly beautiful and unusual and just so cool! But I thought to myself, "hexies really aren't my thing." I'd made them a time or two for special projects, but though I didn't mind basting them, I really didn't enjoy sewing them together.

But it came to pass that I wanted some handwork to take on our recent vacation, and well, I had just done an 'On Trend' feature on modern hexies in my newsletter, so they were on my mind. I had even started filling a Modern Hexies pinterest board for goodness sakes. So right before we left, I stopped and bought some pre-cut hexies, downsized a couple of stashed charm packs - Kate Spain's Sunnyside and Cuzco - and I was ready to go.

Miraculously, I managed to baste all the hexies I took with me - nearly 100. Mine were 1 1/2", slightly larger that the ones Nicole uses, because that's what my store had. And I did try the basting tutorial she suggested, one by Ellison Lane, which was new to me. (You don't sew through the paper, which is what I usually do. It seems to me it's just a matter of preference, but I was game to try.)

I ordered Aleene's Fabric Fusion while we were away, and I arrived home just before it did. So when I was ready to go for it, I just had to look up the Modern Hexies tutorial and decide on background fabric. I auditioned several solids and none of them did it for me, so I finally chose a light gray Timeless Treasures Sketch (maybe "mist"?). Because my hexies were rather large, there was no way they would all fit on the fat-quarter of fabric I had laid out. So after playing around with them some, I settled on a relatively cool palette with just 27 of the hexies.

Then came the sticky part. I mean the tutorial is perfection, the glue did just what it was supposed to do, but I must be glue-challenged. I left mid-glueing several times to wash my hands before continuing on, and I confess not long into the process I decided this technique wasn't for me.

 

But then! I quilted them, just like Nicole, and wouldn't you know but I fell in love. The quilting part was seriously fun and it just got better and better. And that night when I added the binding in Carolyn Friedlander's Crosshatch in Cadet, I was smitten. I still can't stop looking at it!!

My mini finished at 18"x22", and despite the glueing, I will be doing this again. Like I still have hexies left, and I ordered some finer tips for my glue bottle to see if that helps me, and Kate Spain herself commented on Instagram that my hexies were stunning! So yeah, I'll be doing this again. Stay tuned! And while you wait, try it yourself!

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.