Paper piecing small hexagons is fun, but a lot of work, especially considering that it may take 2000 hexagons to make a quilt. And those hexagons are all hand stitched–no machine! If you have it in your mind to hand quilt it, too, then you are a brave and determined soul. I don’t know if I have the stick-to-itiveness to execute such a quilt, as I had originally planned.
Today I was browsing the Quilt Index, looking for inspiration from historical quilts and thinking perhaps I could find a hexagon design that takes less work. Then I came across “Honeycomb Star,” a hexagon quilt with an interesting design that was not the standard grandmother’s garden pattern, though some flowers are incorporated. Each of the flowers are surrounded by triangles arranged to create a star pattern. I thought this design had some potential for being transformed into something modern. Then I read the data. It took over one hundred years to piece this quilt, and it was still not finished!
"Honeycomb Star" 83 inches x 84 inches. English paper pieced, 1833-1937, by Dr. Hassell N. Crouch and family.
The notes for the index entry say:
Quilt was begun in SC but brought to Providence, RI where work continued on it., Dr. Crouch designed the quilt pattern and color scheme, his wife stitched it together. Dr. Crouch would work on the quilt while he was pondering a particular difficult case he had to prescribe treatment for. After his death, the quilt was put away, not worked on again until the summers of the years 1930-1937.
So props to any of you who manage to finish your paper-pieced hexagon quilt within your lifetime! And if you actually finish one, please be sure to send me a link so I can congratulate you.
Julinec finished her hexagon quilt in 4 months! See her quilt in the hexagon flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22514856@N05/4997963687/in/faves-gamelia/
I just found your site. I too have a dot addiction and a hex addiction and a fabric addiction. Now I will be addicted to following your blog. Thanks for sharing.
modalissa
Wow, you’ve made me feel like I’ve really achieved something, my paper-pieced quilt is entering the later stages of completion – I decided to machine quilt it to get a better and more lasting finish. Almost finished with the quilting so hope to have the edging done by the end of this week. I will make sure I send you a picture!
I think I might be made actually as even after all the hard work I’m contemplating doing another one!!!
P.S. Love your blog!
Jo, I’ve seen your hexagon quilt top and it is amazing! I can’t wait to see pictures of the final product. What does it measure?
Lissa, there is nothing better than dots on fabrics made into hexagons. Ahhhh!
I will have to check out your blog. Love the name: Moda Lissa. Hehe.