Hex- a- Go Go Day

Hexa-Go-Go
Yippee Yeah It’s My Day.
I hope you have been following along on the Hexa-Go-Go book tour. Tacha has outdone herself on her Hexagon English Paper Piecing book and has asked us to tell you what we think about it.

 August 20th Katy Jones – imagingermonkey – http://www.imagingermonkey.blogspot.com

August 22nd Beth Wilson – Sew Mama Sew – http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/
August 24th Cathy Underhill – Cabbage Quilts – http://cabbagequilts.blogspot.com
August 27th Lynne Goldsworthy – Lilys Quilts – http://www.lilysquilts.blogspot.com/

August 29th Jennifer Mathis – Ellison Lane – http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com
August 31st Angela Pingel – Cut to Pieces – http://cuttopieces.blogspot.com

September 3rd Jeni Baker – In Color Order – http://www.incolororder.blogspot.com/

September 5th Nettie – A quilt is nice – http://aquiltisnice.blogspot.com

September 7th Lissa Alexander – Moda Lissa – http://modalissa.blogspot.com

September 10th Sarah Fielke – The Last Piece – http://www.thelastpiece.typepad.com/
September 12th Michele Pacey – Michele Made Me – http://www.michelemademe.com/

September 14th Kimberly Jolly – Fat Quarter Shop – http://www.fatquartershop.blogspot.com/
September 17th Aneela Hoey – Comfort Stitching – http://www.comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/

September 19th John Adams – Quiltdad – http://www.quiltdad.com/

September 21st Elizabeth Hartman – Oh Fransson – http://www.ohfransson.com/

Hexa-Go-Go
This is just once example of the happy colorful projects in the book.
Is Happy a color? It should be. If my unmade bed looked this good, Iwould never make it again. 

English Paper piecing or EPP dates back to the 18th century. This method was often used to stabilize fabrics such as silk. EPP continued to the art form it is today by using the smallest bits of scraps and transforming them into today’s heirlooms. I can imagine that learning EPP was similar to the craft of
teaching stitches by making embroidered samplers.
The luxury of EPP for me is that it is so portable and requires so few tools and supplies. I  even keep a small bag in my car with a clover needle threader, needle and thread, hexagon papers and scraps.
One of my favorite quilts in the book is a huge union jack quilt.
pics compliments of Stash Books

 I really want to make it, but instead I started on a smaller version of the US flag quilt. I worked on this during the London Olympics, so it is kind of the same, right?

This is my table runner in progress. I ran out of time to finish the field of stars
as hexagons so I am going to quilt it to look like hexagons.
I talked to my friends at Accu-Quilt and ……..
I have one  Go Baby for some lucky person.
Then I am going to throw in a hexagon die and mat. You will have the complete package to aid you in this addiction to this relaxing, therapeutic form of handwork. Leave a comment and let me know what you would make from hexagons. The winner will be drawn at random Sunday night and announced Monday morning. (thank you AccuQuilt)
 As you know I do love hexagons. There is something just so pleasing about it’s simple shape.
Warning: EPP does become an addiction as you will see in these pictures.
I have two different quilts started. I probably have enough hexy’s made to complete both quilts
but I keep making more.
I have even started machine piecing some of the hexy’s together.
Read how in previous blog posts here and here.
Sneak peek on my I Spy hexy quilt for a future grand child. No one is pregnant yet and I do not want to tempt anyone to get pregnant just to get the quilt. I have a long long way to go.More on this project in a future post.
Tacha has taken the traditional EPP flower garden to an entirely new level.
The hottest trend is the new English paper piecing. Amazing how great quilters are making a craft from the 18th century trendy again.
What would the acronym for that be? NEPP

There is an old saying: Nothing good comes from boredom. It’s said that idle hands are the devil’s workshop, an old saying dating at least as far back as Chaucer in the twelfth century who called idle hands the devil’s tools.
Keep your hands busy with Hexy’s and start with Hexa-Go Go for inspiration and direction.
Thank you Tacha!

62 comments

  1. Melody says:

    I love that quilt on the bed and I'd love to make it. However, your post reminded me of the squares I have from an exchange. An I Spy! I checked and my large hexes from Paper Pieces are just the right size to fit them. Good idea.

  3. krisgray says:

    I am already addicted to EPP – two projects going! However, the traditional Grandmother's flower garden isn't my thing and this book looks great. I love the colorful quilt in squares – so simple. Thank you for a lovely giveaway.

  5. Lisa Marie says:

    Having never tried EPP it's a little intimidating to me. But I would like to learn and would start with a small project that combines hexies and piecing so I could have the satisfaction of completing a hexie project. Thanks for the info about the book and for the great giveaway!

  8. Shirley says:

    I have wanted to try EPP for quite some time and the Hexie I Spy quilt would definitely be my choice to do. The Baby Go and hexie die would be the enabler to start such a fun quilt for my gandchild!

    Thanks so much for the chance to win.
    Shirley

  9. Ellyn says:

    I love to use hexagons in small projects, a hexi flower on the front of a zip pouch, or a tote bag, on little girls dresses. Would love to one day tackle a true hexi quilt!

  10. Sherri says:

    Oh…I just love all of your hexagon projects! I had just started working on mine again this week…and now I want to work on them even more! I'll definitely be working on them tonight during half-time of my son's football game!

  11. Christy says:

    I love EPP! I've mostly been working on small projects with my hexies, but someday I might be ready to tackle something bigger. I love that rainbow bed quilt from the book!

  12. Mommarock says:

    I've been wanting to make a quilt for my future grand child that is a take off of the I spy quilt. It is a match game quilt. When I point to Sponge Bob, they will have to find the other Sponge Bob somewhere in the quilt. It has been hard enough finding Novelty prints, much less to find enough different ones to make an entire quilt of different prints, so I figured this way I could do two of each thing in the quilt. I've been trying to collect the prints, but hadn't settled on what shape I would do the quilt it yet. If I win, It will certainly be hexagons.. PICK ME!!

  13. Mary says:

    That looks like an awesome book. I think I would like to start with something small like a tablerunner or purse, but I love your idea of an I Spy quilt. I have two little granddaughters who would love that.

  14. giddy99 says:

    Oh, yeah, definitely an I Spy hexy quilt… but for whom? I fear all of the new moms in our combined families would want their baby to be the first recipient! 🙂

  18. ferne says:

    I love working with hexagons and figured out a few years ago how to do them by machine, once I did that I never went back to doing them by hand. I could do a lot more of them if they were all cut out though!

    I am loving the scrappy hexy squares!

  19. Kay says:

    One day I absolutely must make the union jack quilt, being bristish i feel it calling to me. Thank you for the giveaway.
    ks(dot)eyles(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

  21. Lisa E says:

    Wow, what a great giveaway. I'd have to start off small — a pieced pouch. But what I really want to make is that rainbow quilt. Maybe a wallhanging at first so that there is some chance of it getting made in my lifetime.

  22. Judith says:

    EPP hooked me two years ago when I joined a class. I have not stopped since then. Yes, it is addicting. I am almost finished with a lap quilt and will mark it off my UFO's. Thanks for sharing. Judit, Texas

  25. Tressa says:

    I think I would start with something small so that I could feel good with a finished project and then that first quilt with all the hexagons in the rainbow of colors is just lovely so perhaps I'd have to do something big and happy like that.

  27. Cecilia says:

    I'm already addicted and have quite a few flowers made using 30's fabrics. I hope to make a Grandmother's flower garden quilt one day. This book is on my wish list because it has a lot of neat projects in it. Thanks for the giveaway.

  33. scottylover says:

    I learned how to do English Paper piecing last spring and have been wanting to get back to it. I hate cutting all the pieces, so this would be WONDERFUL! I have a pattern for a bag made out of hexies and would love to make some for Christmas gifts.

    Thanks for the great give away!
    Sandy A

  34. Kate says:

    I have been dying to try hexagons and the beautiful rainbow bed quilt is just stunning so, that is what I would make 🙂 Have the perfect fabricfor it ,just need the book and cutter!! Fingers double crossed LOL

  35. Sarina says:

    Wow! Awesome giveaway! I am so very drawn to the hexagons but feel totally intimidated too. I'll love to have all the right tools! Love the quilt on the bed! Absolutely darling!!!

  36. Marcia W. says:

    If win and have Tacha's book, then would like to attempt her hexie squares quilt, or an old-fashioned grandmother's double flower garden quilt. Thanks for the chance. Awesome giveaway!

  37. Karen says:

    I've never tried EPP and honestly when I think about it I feel overwhelmed. I still don't fully understand how to pop the paper out. I loved Katy Jones' Hexy MF quilt and wish I could have quilted along.

  38. DonnaM says:

    I'd probably make something small to get the hang of hexagon piecing before taking on a larger project. Maybe a tablerunner to start. What a generous giveaway! Thanks.

  43. Anita says:

    Wow, there are so many amazing things to make with hexagons I'm not sure where I would start. I would love to make a little tote, wallhanging, lap quilt, pretty much everything hexie 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!

  45. ledamewood says:

    I haven't tried EPP but would love to. All the cutting is what has deterred me fron attempting it. I love handwork, so the Go Baby and die would take away that hurdle. No doubt I would make a quilt, but I love your idea of the American Flag too.

  48. ritainalaska says:

    i'm working my first epp project and loving it! love the book for its inspiration and addition projects. thanx for the opportunity to win your go!baby! it would be a boom to my oldachy fingers!

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