Ring Around The Hexies

This has been one of the most fun projects ever!  

I love handwork, but I don't love projects that take years to produce results.  This quilt was a perfect blend of scrappy piecing and spurts of handwork...and better yet, it didn't take forever!

I started a few months ago making the background designed by Bonnie Hunter (one of my favorites, as you all know).  This was finished before I went on a retreat and took a class with Mickey Dupre for the pieced Hexie portion.  The original pattern did not include the 2 borders, but I wanted to make it at least a lap-sized throw quilt.

Ring Around the Hexies (background)

Then, I added the pieced hexies fleurettes I made during Mickey's class.  Man, were they fun to do!

Ring Around the Hexies

 Then, came the quilting...no one told me I wasn't supposed to quilt over top of the fleurettes once they were appliqued down (until the first time I showed it in public).  Ooops!  Well, the quilting went smoothly and I like the results, so I'm guessing no harm done.

Ring Around the Hexies (quilting on back)

...and here's the backing...pieced chunks of all the leftover fabrics from the front, complete with hanging sleeve and label!

Ring Around the Hexies (back)

Ring Around The Hexies

65x65"
Pattern Designers:  Bonnie K. Hunter & Mickey Dupre
Panto:  Fire Lily (Patricia Ritter)

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WIP: Ring Around the Hexies

It's retreat time!  This year, one of the guilds I belong to (Heartland Quilt Guild) is hosting a Quilt Away.  Pat Speth (Nickel Quilts), Cynthia Bonds (wool applique) and Mickey Dupre (Pieced Hexies) are all coming to teach classes and I'm so excited!

A ton of preparation goes into this type of retreat as you can imagine.  Of course, the hosting guild's retreat committee has been planning for several years to bring together the event and the instructors must organize and pack for their classes.  But I've never thought about how much the participants need to do to prepare!

I've spent hours choosing fabrics and cutting hundreds of 5" light & dark squares for Pat Speth's class.  I'm not sure what to expect from Cynthia Bonds' class as our supply list sheet was very vague (for ex. bring wool....how much??? measurements???).  I'll be bringing my Buttermilk Basin BOM wool applique project and supplies.  I've decided that if I can play along during the class with what I bring, great!  And if not, I'll have the project sheet to do later and I'll just work on my BOM.

Ring Around the Hexies

Now, I've been looking forward to Mickey Depre's class since I heard she was coming (Pat Speth, too).  A while ago, I purchased the Ring Around the Hexies (from the Collaboration Celebration with Mickey Depre & Bonnie Hunter) as soon as it was available.  It's been sitting on my bookshelf ever since.  Well, I pulled that pattern out and sewed up the top.  The pattern features 4 pieced hexies and I'm hoping that those large blue squares will be the perfect background for the hexies I make in Mickey's class!

Now all I have to do is pack up everything else...

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