Hexagons Are Like Potato Chips or How Red Is The New Neutral

I have to admit that I am a sucker for scrap quilts. I have always loved making them and sleeping under them! Since I divested myself of many bags of fabric last year my scrap box has become considerably smaller, and, let's face it, one person's scrap is another person's fat quarter. My scraps tend to be quite small. 

I have never considered making a hexagon quilt before. The shape has never intrigued me. When Sujata Shah's book, Cultural Fusion, came out I bought it and then I had to have a look at her website where I found her insructions for making her "Organized Chaos" quilt. I can't say that I plan to make "Organized Chaos" as presented, but I have become addicted to making hexagon blocks. 

I turned my scrap box upside down and started choosing bits and pieces. Technically one needs pieces that are 2.5" and 2.5" X 4.5". Easy... but some of mt smaller scraps made even those small sizes a challenge to find! Red is my neutral color. It goes with just about everything hat I use and so I did buy yardage of American Made Brand Cotton in Light Red.

My problem is that making these blocks is that I cannot stop making them. I have holiday gifts to finish and another project to get started on that is important, but making these blocks is like a siren song that just keeps calling to me!

I did invest in a KaleidoRuler from Marti Michell. It makes forming these blacks a breeze! I am a gadget girl and if there is a tool that makes my life easier I will try it! Her rulers are made to work - they are very well made of thick, quality, plastic and the indelible markings will last for your quilting lifetime!

Marti Michell's Kaleido Ruler (large size) - the end that forms the blocks.
The other end of the tool forms the corner triangles equally easy!

These blocks make pressing seams open crucial. With so many points coming together, you need to reduce the bulk as much as possible. I used my tailor's ham at first and then decided to try this new to the marker, Strip Stick. It really helps the pressing go quicker and more perfectly. I also like using  a regular seam roll for this purpose, but the strip stick is an excellent tool to have. It's a rounded hard wood stick covered with a padded cover. That makes it easy to get the seams to lie flat and press well. For thinner cottons, like some brands of shot cottons, I use starch as well. Of course, these tools are not at all necessary, but the do make the prssing easier and I like that!

Now that I have gone on about how much simple pleasure making these scrap blocks is providing me with, I had better get back to my regularly scheduled sewing- since projects needs completing and I need some more scraps to work with! 

Below - the bottom, flat side of the Strip Stick