Tutorial: Do You Hex?

If you do...you will love Geta Grama's blog! She is from Brasov, Romania...and does a lot of work with hexagons...and so much more. I first became a fan and follower of her blog "Geta's Quilting Studio"  because of her work with shadow applique as a trapunto technique.  She has a really good tutorial for creating hexagon templates, and a super source for printable sheets of templates in different sizes. Please check them all out! I used her One Inch size template sheet...but do things a bit differently. Not better...just different. We all have out "techniques". So, here is mine: Tutorial for Creating Hexagons Step One: Follow the link above to download Geta's template sheet...and print the One-Inch size page.  

Step Two: Assemble these supplies: Roll of freezer paper, scissors (or rotary cutter), iron, two copies of the one-inch size page.  

Step Three: Roll out about 22 inches of the freezer paper. Fold this into fourths and cut along those folded lines. This will give you four pieces of freezer paper approximately 9 x 12 inches  

Step Four: Place paper template sheet face down on your ironing surface. Place one sheet of the freezer paper on top, wax side down, and press with hot iron. Try to keep the "bubbles" of air from forming by pressing from the center out towards the edges.  

Step Five: Repeat Step Four with a second sheet of freezer paper.  

Step Six: You have two more sheets of freezer paper...and one more template sheet if you followed the instructions so far...so, go ahead and repeat Step Four and Step Five to create your second sheet of templates.  

Step Seven: Using paper cutting scissors or a spare rotary blade...cut the "margins" off of one of the printed template sheets.

Step Eight: Cut the sheet into columns following the lines.  

Step Nine: Cut the columns into squares...following the lines.  

Step Ten: Cut each Square into a Hexagon Shape...following the lines.  

Step Eleven: Use a standard hole-punch to create a hole in the center of the finished hexagon shape. This will help you later on to "pop" the template out from the finished fabric version once it has been surrounded by other finished fabric templates during the assembly process for your project.  

Step Twelve: Repeat these steps to create hundreds of these templates for your use. The One-Inch size (measurement of one side of the template...not across the center) hexagon will fit nicely on a 2.5 inch strip of fabric...so is great for using up pieces of Noodles. It also fits nicely in groups of four...on 5" square Nickles.  

Step Thirteen: To cover with fabric...place the one-inch hexagon shape in the center of a 2.5" piece of fabric. Fold the fabric over one side...then fold the fabric over the next side...and stitch the "fold" with 2-3 little tiny tacking stitches just in the fabric seam allowance. Do not stitch through the paper.  There is not need to start with a knotted thread, just leave about a half-inch tail of thread...and the tacking stitches will hold sufficiently for this technique. This saves time too!  

Step Fourteen: Fold the fabric over at the next side...and stitch 2-3 tacking stitches. Repeat this all the way around the shape...end by cutting the thread.  

This completes the first hexagon fabric shape. Do not remove the paper template.  

Step Fifteen: Place two paper/fabric hexagons together and using a small slip stitch...sew one edge together. You can hide a tiny knot within the seam...or again start without a knot. Take a couple of tiny tacking stitches to end off the seam.  This is the method used to attach all of the hexagons together...just be careful to match the correct adjacent sides...or you'll have a bowl!  

This is the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden setting for hexagons. The center fabric is the "middle" of the flower...and the outer hexagons are the flower petals.   

This is a quick scrappy setting idea for small groups of hexagons.
Whatever setting you choose to design...creates these "sets" then assemble multiple sets together to create the quilt top. 
Hexagons are great projects for on the go. A stack of templates, a stack of 2.5" squares of fabric, a needle, thread, and scissors...and you're ready to create many, many little fabric hexagons on the train, bus, car, doctor's office, ball game, etc. You can also use this time for stitching them to each other...or wait on that until you are nested comfortably in front of the television with your good lamp. Hugs!