Nicole has not shown a lot of interest in sewing. Before we moved from Missouri a couple of years ago, I asked her if she wanted a sewing machine. She looked at me like I was crazy. That didn’t bother me . . I get that look often! 🙂 Before I went to visit them in March, she mentioned that we might make curtains while I was there so would I please bring a sewing machine with me. I asked her if she wanted me to bring one for her to keep .. you never know when you might need to mend something! She said “No! They scare me!”
The whole time they’ve been here, she’s shown more of an interest in sewing than ever before. A couple of times, she mentioned that she needs a hobby. We talked about knitting, and she’s tried knitting before. She does crochet. One night I was telling her about hexagons and how easy they are. After Addie went to bed, we headed to the sewing room. I dug out the Accuquilt Go! Cutter, which I had not touched since we moved here but I did at least know where it was located. I ran a few pieces of card stock through the cutter, using the 2″ hexagon die. Then I ran fabric through using the 3″ hexagon die. We each took a paper piece and a fabric hexagon and I showed her how to turn the edges under around the paper piece. She was loving it and I was loving that she was showing an interest in quilting.
The next morning, as soon as she got up, she said “You know what I was thinking during the night?” and it was something about the hexagons so I knew she was hooked. As soon as Addie was down for her nap, we were back in the sewing room. We cut lots of hexagons.
Hexagons
She printed hexagon graph paper so she can draw designs other than the basic Grandmother’s Flower Garden. We cut lots of paper pieces.
Paper Pieces
We created a little “kit” for her. It includes the “Frostings” bobbins with a good variety of thread colors for joining the hexagons. It also includes a spool of light and a spool of dark Aurifil thread for basting the fabric over the paper pieces. We got her a thimble at Wal-Mart. I gave her a package of my favorite needles. She’s going to use Addie’s fingernail scissors for her scissors for now.
A Kit
She couldn’t wait to sit and sew a bit.
Nicole sewing
She was doing an amazing job! She has never really done any kind of sewing before. I am so proud of her!
Progress!
We were up way past our bed time! Chad and Vince had long since been in bed. By the time she put it all down, she had all the purple hexagons completely sewn down and the paper from the yellow center removed. I’m betting by the end of the day today, she’ll have the next round done and she’ll probably have me back in the sewing room cutting more hexies for her to take home with her.
I’ve been very careful not to push Nicole into quilting but I do think I have a quilter for a daughter-in-law now! She’s talking about taking a sewing machine home with her but they don’t think they’ll have room in the car so I’ll bring her one on my next visit. Oh . . that makes me so happy!
Judy D in WA says
How exciting!!! That’s a great size to get totally addicted to hexies. 🙂 I hope she will share her progress with us! It’s so fun to watch new quilters.
Susan says
Yay! Hexagons are definitely addictive. Wish I had that cutter here. I’m using dozens of 2″ size on my Redwork Hexagon Embroidery and running out of the bought ones. You may have hooked her to quilting. It’s a step down the slippery slope. =)
JudyJ says
Best of luck to Nicole in her new hobby. I have made quilts for many years but just started my first hexagon project and just removed the paper from my first yellow center. 🙂
vickie van dyken says
Whooop Whooop 🙂 it’s always good to get a convert!!! You just never know which of the techniques will catch a quilters fancy but when you find one that works….reel em in. LOL We all have to have a starting point. Soon she will be sending you tops to quilt, or visiting and doing them herself…How great!!! I am extremely happy for you.
Cindy B. says
You got me hooked on “Dimples” fabric. I volunteer with a group of homeless women and a couple of them dig for the Dimples now as well.
Ranch Wife says
And so it begins! I think you snagged her…hook, line, and sinker. I didn’t have any interest in sewing until our first child was born. Even wormed my way out of home ec in high school. Why would I ever need to learn THAT stuff? LOL. You might as well cut her a box full of hexies – I think she’s a goner. The spell has been cast. Cheering you on Nicole!
Emma says
I’ve fallen in love with EPP in the last year myself…I’ve been sewing since I can remember (cross stitch by age 4-5), quilting by hand (piecing and quilting) since 8th grade, and quilting by machine since I got married a little over 4 years ago. I started EPP (I’m doing an art design based on M.C. Escher’s “Lizard Bat Fish” artwork, I’ll put a link at the bottom if you’re unfamiliar) 15 months ago. I can’t use a Go! Cutter or anything to cut my pieces, unfortunately, as I’m using 1″ per side equilateral triangles. Two triangles are complete and I’m 3.5 rows done with a third (attaching the 4th row to the previous 3).
Anyways, just figured I’d share!
Link to picture of the artwork I’m making into a quilt: http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/escher/lizard_fish_bat.jpg
kathy pfaltzgraff says
How much fun to share a common interest, besides Addie and Chad, of course. If Nicole wants to get ideas for other hexagon designs, I would suggest to look up Hexagon quilting and just browse pinterest or other similar websites.. Lots of eye candy out there. Also when she is on her own, she might like to do as I do, just cut squares of fabric 1/4″ larger than her hexagon template and I find that works great also, Good luck ladies, Kathy
Tammie Stephens says
So excited for both of you!!! You may already know this but craftsy.com (not an advertisement I just happen to like them) has two free mini classes, one on sewing machines for the beginner and one with a tote and bucket shaped tote. The second class has the instructor talking for a moment about people being scared of sewing machines. I know you will give her lots of instruction, and encouragement on the machine part. But if you run out of time due to her hexie fever she might watch the free classes for some added comfort. I’ll be praying she can find room for the machine : )
Marion Morgan says
And so it begins, how wonderful. You have taught her well. Can sneaking in fabric be far behind although Chad probably knows all your tricks, bet he even covered for you a time or two. This has indeed been an historic visit.
Vicki W says
SWEET! Mission accomplished!
Joan in NE says
Yeah! She will never be sorry she started to quilt. I am still fascinated by what can be done after some 46 years of quilting. It is still a challenge to create something new -I hope she is hooked for life. After all there is a tiny little quilter waiting to be taught. grin
AngieG9 says
That’s so neat! I made a hex for my mom years ago. She liked the top well enough, but it is on her bed with the backing showing, so people see the hand quilting, rather than the front flowers. Still not sure how I feel about that, but when it comes back to me, I’ll put the top on my bed and leave the backing where it belongs. I’m in no hurry to get it back though, even though my mom is 93. I hope to still have her around several more years.
Paula says
That sounds so good. What could be better than getting to sew with a daughter-in-law while visiting.
Paula in KY
Sonya wood says
Well I’m impressed. Her hexis looks really good!!!! I’ve been quilting for 13 years and hexis’ kind of scare me!!!! Good job Nicole!!! Happy mom in law!!! win win
Carol Yoder says
She looks so pleased with herself!
Lee Ann L. says
Triple Like!!!
Diane says
So happy for you and Nichol!!! I remember the day it clicked for me. My husband’s aunt and Granny made quilts and I loved looking at them and sleeping under them, but didn’t want to make one. On one visit Granny needed to go to town and I took her to buy fabric. We searched and felt every bolt in the store (Fred’s- like a small, itsy, tiny Walmart, before Walmart). She got me so interested in picking fabrics that I thought about it the whole visit. It wasn’t long before I bought a Georgia Bonestill book and learned to piece.
Eileen Eisner says
That’s awesome!! She has the perfect teacher!!
Nancy Angerer says
That is wonderful!
Dana Pellerin says
lucky girl to have you for mother in law and teacher. Once that sewing bug bites her she will be caught.She loks like she is enjoying herself.
L Carolyn Ghearing says
YAY! A new quilter! …no wonder Addie is so pretty, look at her Momma…your family is great. I look forward to your site each evening! Thanks for sharing…
Pam Gonzalez says
How lucky you are that she finally found her way to quilting!! I wish my mother had done that with me. My grandma taught me how to sew clothes but passed before we could get to quilting. Enjoy your time together.
pdudgeon says
Judy, as a thought you might also show Nichole books by Jinny Beyer, the hand-piecing quilter. She makes ALL her quilts by hand piecing them.
it may not be as quick as machine piecing, but Jinny’s quilt parts are certainly small, easily portable projects, and it’s soo easy to convert machine piecing patterns to hand piecing. I think that hand piecing would be right up Nichole’s alley since she also likes to knit, and she is loving the hexies.
Nancy says
The 5 inch hexi on that AccuCut die works with the precut 6 inch hexis from Moda. Also, the AccuCut hexi die runs thru the GO! Baby so Nicole could have her own cutting setup fairly inexpensively.
Linda Steller says
Those hexies are so addicting! It’s exciting that Nichole wants to do some crafty things, and who better to teach her? I’m so excited for you both. Perhaps needing to take her a sewing machine will mean that you’ll visit sooner than later!
Linda Steller says
Argh – I spelled her name wrong!
Sheri says
How fun!! It’s great to share a hobby with a daughter (or daughter in law)!
Cathy Stoddard says
So happy for you Judy that your DIL has shown an interest in sewing/quilting. How special your time spent sewing with her will be!!