Saturday, November 30, 2019

sewing Saturday

Hexie star crazy!
Time for the sewing Saturday round-up. About all I got done this week was hand sewing my hexie ornaments. They are really so cute.
bin by bin of scraps was brought out to find suitable squares to cut out big 6" hexies using my template. This is the time to use your turning cutting mat, if you have one, but I find it possible to put a scrap of old cutting mat on top of the table and turn it as needed works just fine too.

the back of one
I used some really thin fusible interfacing to stabilize them. I got a bolt of it at Joann's during a sale for about  $6. Cut hexies with the plastic template, then make a bunch of them ready to sew at night in front of the tv.
paw prints and sparkly white
I have a button bag of loose odd buttons, so that came down too. I made a tray holding threads, needle threader, scissors, sharpie and hexies and stitched away like a little elf.

We got a foot of snow on Tuesday that is still making roads impassible as they will not plow. We tried to make it out to an after Thanksgiving sale and it was so dangerous with freezing fog we gave up and came home. DH and Milo saw a car spun out up on the sidewalk during their final walk last night.
Metallic fabric looks great with this technique
Rant and whine:
I LOVE sales and am so angry about the neglect around here. For some reason we pay much higher taxes here but they will not plow or keep up the roads. Don't get me started on neighbors who don't even shovel sidewalks. I can get to the end of our sidewalk, but not be able to cross the street for tall ice. Please do not suggest cleats. They may be fine on snow and ice, but then you hit a bit of shoveled pavement and the cleats hurt my feet. My back was injured bumping over lumps of ice and snow and pavement yesterday trying to drive.
 I'm tired of being trapped in the house, happy to have a house but I shouldn't have to be trapped inside, every other place with snow I 've lived plowed the roads for safety. I lived in Edmonton Alberta, land of -40 degrees and lots of snow... roads cleared almost immediately. Newsflash for all the people who say it melts in a day... it doesn't.
did I mention it snowed another two inches last night? Oy vey.
this one could go to a military person
So doing some handwork as I caught up on the Gilmore Girls marathon saved a shred of sanity for me. Gilmore Girls show is like my Hallmark Christmas movie salve... not as formulaic.

I learned to make these little beauties from this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq934F4_KKY

They were so fun and satisfying, and FAST to make that I made quite a number of them. Usually from scraps but I even dug into stash yardage.
What I learned
prepare all your hexie/stabilizer fabrics at one time
put all the components on a tray so you have it in front of you
you never know how a print will work til it's made
use thin fusible interfacing
have good strong thread
really crease the folded bits
Don't get excited that our tree is up... we never took it down last year.
It is tall and green and kept the family room looking cozy, so we just took off all ornaments, turned off the lights, and treated it like a decorative silk tree. I love all the hexies just clinging to the branches, the tree looks colorful like it has blossoms on it.
If you can get to a store, there are cute Christmas buttons out there



28 comments:

Mari said...

These are so cute! They seem like a perfect TV project. Sorry about your roads. That really does stink. I hope you get out soon!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Those make a festive quilter's tree!! SEW glad that you are enjoying the process. Sorry to hear that you are feeling trapped in your home. Hoping that immersing yourself in making will help you feel better!

scraphappy said...

Those Henie stars are just adorable! I might have to try one or two.

Elkes Lebensglück said...

that are wonderful works and the the christmas tree is very nice!!!
Have nice weekend!
Elke

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your ornaments are so cute! I'm going to have to watch that video - that does look like a nice evening sewing activity. And love the Gilmore girls, too!

grammajudyb said...

Sorry about your community’s inability to keep the snow at bay! Not sure where you live, we are in NE Wyoming..so I do understand the ice problems.
Loving your folded hexes. I have some of that red hat fabric. I am going to watch the video and give it a try!

sonja said...

Ruby said she likes the cat hexie star ornie the best!!
is that laurel burch fabric ? lovely tree!! hope it cheers you up!!

PaintedThread said...

Those are really cute!

Deb A said...

Very cute hexie ornaments. I'm sorry that the community is neglecting the roads and that you feel stuck inside. Do they have a community meeting that you can attend and voice your opinion? Good luck and hope the relaxing sewing helps.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,
Living in a city where snow is part of the culture..plowing, snow removal, salt, sand, gravel, people have to clear the sidewalks within limited time, like those in Canada makes Winter enjoyable!
What's up in America?
Love those hexie ornaments and a tree that can stay up all year! Fun! Thanks for the link !
More snow! Climate change or what!
hugs,
Joanne

MissPat said...

I didn't have a chance to comment yesterday. I can't believe they don't plow the roads in your area. Do you live in an unincorporated area? Here the Village plows both the roads and the sidewalks. It's just started freezing rain here which is then supposed to change to snow. The weird thing is that the freezing rain is coming from the west from the storm that hit you, but the snow is going to come from the east coast storm. I guess it's actually the same storm, but as it moves east through NY and PA, it's going to strengthen and redevelop as a nor'easter.
I really like those hexie ornaments. I don't put up a tree any more, but I could hang them other places. We'll see. I always get way more ideas than finishes.
Stay warm, keep busy, and remember the snow will eventually melt and spring will return.
Pat

Quilter Kathy said...

Your hexie stars are so pretty! It must be fun to pick just the right button for the centres!

Angela said...

Your ornaments really are cute!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

That no-plowing situation sounds dangerous. Have you written to your local govt rep? I laughed when I heard you left your tree up. How convenient. That was an interesting video on the ornaments. Yours really show up on your tree!Cute.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Those ornaments look like adorable little presents. Too cute.

Sarah said...

Such cute ornaments! In the uk lots of councils are making cut backs and gritting the roads is one of them. Not sure how we will fare if the weather turns icy!

Ann said...

Adorable ornaments. They make a good project when we're trapped inside. It's not snowing here but it's cold and rainy. Almost as many accidents because people are careless when road conditions aren't perfect. Sigh.

GrandmaCindy said...

These ornaments are so cute and glad you have them to do. Do you have the name or number of the stabilizer you are using? Thank you. Cindy
Nrsi2000@aol.com

Jo said...

Thanks for posting these hexie ornaments. I made my first one last evening and have a few more kitted up.

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

Very cute ornaments. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

Denise :) said...

These are SO cute!! Thank you for sharing the tutorial link -- I'm going to have to try my hand at this, for sure!!! :)

Marsha Cooper said...

Those are very cute! I saved the video to check out later. I can see this as my hand sewing project for my monthly git' r finished group.

Joyce said...

Such cute ornaments! I'll be checking out the tutorial - thank you!

Norma Schlager said...

I love these hexie ornaments. Thanks for sharing the video, it was very good. I may have to try these, maybe next year's party favors.....

Andree G. Faubert said...

Hi Leeanna, that's really sad about the lack of plowing. It's just a recipe for disaster. No one likes to feel trapped, but you did make some awesome hexie ornaments! Thanks for sharing. Please consider linking up to Free Motion Mavericks - it's not just about FMQ and a party is more fun with lots of people!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

your hex tree is sooo cute! thanks for including the tutorial link!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

*hexie*

Susan said...

Those are adorable and look great on the tree!