Hexagon hints - how to help your stripes hit the spot

Still on my hexagon kick, and I've been trying a few ways too ensure more accurate placement of the stripes:

1. A dab of water soluble glue in the centre of the hexagon to hold it to the fabric - good but the far corners still tend to move about and go askew


2. A strip of glue along the side edges of the paper - not so good as the glue catches on the needle and makes it very hard to stitch


3. Swiss iris lace pins pinned parallel to the stripes through the middle of the hexagon, and then with another pin at right angles - perfect.

Off to west Wales this week, with my hexagons, and hoping to visit the Jen Jones Quilt Centre and the National Wool Museum, in between canoeing, climbing and beach activities here.

Holiday Hexagons

A week without a sewing machine has to mean lots of hand sewing. Thankfully, I managed to get a fair bit of preparation in before we left for the Isle of Wight, and so got to a lot more hexagons. Not many photographed as the camera was in use for beach photos of the boys and the inflatable boat.

Stripey hexagons are an interesting exercise in how much precision is needed when cutting and stitching stripes.

Recommendations in Ventnor: Rainbows haberdashery, on Pier Street, a great organised muddle of wool, fabric and sewing items; El Toro Contento, family-owned Spanish restaurant with eccentric decor and genuine Spanish food; Minghella's ice-cream; Botanic Gardens.

Hexagons have got a hold of my heart

Thanks to pre-cut papers from Jackie Wills, and some decent drama on the telly, I've been stitching away at hexagons.

Strangely relaxing in a mindless sort of way, only decision is what to put in the middle. These are 1.5 inches on the side and take about a 4 inch square of fabric for each hexagon.