Friday, June 21, 2013

Hexie Quilt - To Fix or Not to Fix?

For the past few days, I've been hunkered down over my beading tables, tables currently cloaked with the top to my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt, removing basting stitches from more than 4,000 hexies, a job that took about 24 hours.


Here's how it looked last evening with all the stitches finally removed. After taking the above photo, I ran my fingers lightly over the surface of the quilt top, looking, like a person reading braille, for any basting stitches I might have missed. They were there to be found, I assure you. I also found something else.


Do you see what I see? Oooops. How on earth did I get five hexies of one fabric and one from a different fabric in the same flower? See it, the one at center bottom? It's a slightly lighter blue print, one with little white flower, not little red flowers like the others.


Thinking I may have switched hexies in "stacks" for two different flowers, I located the flower made with the "little white flower" print. Ah, no problem there. It was as it should be. I guess it will always be a puzzlement to me how just one wrong hexie got into just one of the flowers.

Back to the problem flower, "to fix, or not to fix" questions buzzed through my thoughts. Would it bother me forever? Would I always notice that one hexie petal, the petal that didn't match its mates? Could it remain as a sign of humility, of acceptance that I am an inexperienced quilter, who like everyone else makes my share of mistakes? Would I offer apologies for it to friends looking at the finished quilt? What if I tried to fix it and cut the fabric of a neighbor hexie as I was removing it? Would it be difficult to replace?

As I do many time when facing a quilting question like this, I talked with my friend, Lunnette, who has been quilting much longer than I have. She too has been making a hexie quilt, although hers is not traditional like mine. One reason I like to consult with her is because she never seems to TELL me what to do. As usual, she just offered a few comments, telling me how she replaced one of the hexies in her quilt, finding it a fairly easy process, mentioning how she couldn't "live" with the way the original hexie looked. She reminded me that we knot at the beginning and end of each little seam, so that ripping it out wouldn't cause unraveling of adjacent seams. She told me how she lifts a stitch in the center of the seam with a pin so she can get the point of the scissors into it without risk of cutting the fabric, unraveling the seam from there with the pin or a seam ripper.

OK! Searching through my 30's reproduction fabric stash, I found the correct fabric, cut a new hexie, basted it, removed the problem hexie following Lunnette's method for ripping the seams, and stitched it in place.  Here you are! All better!


Truth be told, I probably would have been fine with it the way it was; after all, even after stitching the flower, stitching the white hexies around it, and stitching the quilt top together, I hadn't previously noticed it. But, I'm glad I decided to fix it, because of the value of the learning experience. What would you have done and why?

Next step? Turn it over and remove all 4,000+ paper pieces from the back side, another tedious and time-consuming job, one that I completed today!

My next post will be all about Tips for Hexie Quilts, things I've discovered, mostly the hard way, things I don't want to forget if I ever decide to do another one of these, things that might even help you if you're making a paper-pieced hexie quilt.

28 comments:

  1. I would have left it but why? I love your quilt either way. Accidents and mistakes often seem to lead to something new whether it's learning a new skill, appreciating a new point of view or enjoying a quirky difference not thought of. I guess sometimes you might appreciate everything in perfect order and sometimes going a free and easy spirit takes over either way going with your own heart is important.

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    1. What a smart way to look at it, Evanna! As you say, it's most important just to go with feelings at the moment. Thanks for taking the time to visit and comment.

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  2. Dear Robin, I would have left it. As the Amish say: "only God is perfect". That also means that we don't have to be... I love your flower garden. I took a look at your earlier posts on the quilt and got some answers about the stitching. Lovely!

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    1. Thanks, Lies! Are you going to make one?

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    2. I'm afraid hexies are not quite my piece of cake... but never say never. Yours is a great inpiration. Maybe I'll make a small one first.

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  3. Oh Robin, first of all, I will never make a paper pieced hexagon quilt. Life is too short and really, truth be told, they just are not "me." I do, however, admire people that do make them and your quilt is astounding. I love the setting with the horizontal lines. Very different - have never seen that before. I would have been inclined to leave it the way it was. It was not noticeable and there wasn't a big difference in the blues. It might have made someone happy many years from now when, and if, they found the 'error.' Some things are just meant to be, and that includes small mistakes but this really wasn't a mistake.

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    1. I like this setting too, the green prints creating a subtle grid. Yes, I could have left it and been OK with that decision, and even wondered if it was "meant to be."

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  4. I don't know if I would have "fixed" it or not. The Navajo say that you should always make a mistake in your work so the Gods will not be angry with you. When I decide not to "fix" something, that is my justification.

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    1. Yes, I knew about and thought about the Navaho (and other groups) beliefs regarding the Gods and human imperfections. I figured there are enough imperfections in the quilt, and no doubt will be more as I have no experience with hand quilting. I'm sure my stitches will be uneven and probably too large, plenty of "mistakes" to appease the Gods.

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  5. I would have left it. It would have been unique and have a little secret that made it truly yours. I do understand that you are in the learning stages and that was a good learning experience. At any rate you did a lovely job of it all.

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    1. I love the idea of having "a little secret" about the quilt. Had I thought of that angle, I might have decided against the fix.

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  6. I would have wanted to leave the mistake, as the fabric equivalent of a "spirit bead". But the truth is, it would've bothered me until I fixed it.

    You have to do what feels best for you; everyone is different. It's a gorgeous quilt!

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    1. Oooooh, a spirit bead! Yes, that would have been a very sweet way to look at it. Maybe I'll create some other intentional (or maybe intentional) "spirit bead" with my quilting.

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  7. your g'ma's garden is wonderful! whenever did you find the time?! not to mention the patience to piece that big a hexi quilt!
    no worries about the wrong piece whenever I make a sane quilt, I invariably sew 1 piece upside down! I have decided it's my signature. why fight it?
    as my SO always says I wouldn't have known if you hadn't told me....'_'

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    1. Yes, but that's the problem. I seem to have a compulsion to point out my mistakes to people, maybe as a way of warding off their praise somehow. Think I should give this issue some more thought. Anyway, about the time... So far, most of it was done either while watching movies and TV with my husband, something I can't do unless I have handwork, or in the good company of my quilting buddies when we meet weekly. It never seemed to drag on, and was comforting to always have an "in progress project." I don't know about the hand-quilting, work that requires space, probably a table, and certainly good lighting, work that is not so easily portable.

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  8. I am in the process of making a hexi quilt now. It's not very big yet but I'm aiming for a lap size quilt. I'm not making the traditional pattern with the little hexis but something a bit more me even thou I'm using the 30s repro fabrics. I normally am drawn to the dark batiks and earth tones but these cute little prints are just so sweet. I have a goal to finish my quilt in the next 2 years. I just work on it at night while watching tv. It will be a long on going project. As to the fixing part, well I think your finished quilt needs to make you happy and what ever makes that happen is the right thing to do. I'll be so interested to see how you quilt this. This is one thing I'm thinking in the back of my head while working on mine. Yours is beautiful and such a testimony of patience and beautiful hand work.

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    1. Oh Royce, I wish I could see yours. Like you I'm mostly drawn to dark batiks (well, all batiks actually) and saturated colors, but the sweet, cheerful, playful 30's reproduction fabrics make me so happy, I just had to start adding them to my stash. I have loved working on this, never tiring of the variety and brightness of the prints.

      My next post might be helpful for you... I'm going to show pictures to illustrate a bunch of tips for making it easier.

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  9. The first picture showing the whole quilt is so charming! As I was looking at it, I realized why I liked it so much. I've long had a love for Millefiori glass paperweights, and this is what the colors and shapes remind me of. Here's an example of one: http://tinyurl.com/m22hqrx

    And I agree with Royce... whatever makes you happy, was the best thing to do about that little renegade hexie. ;-)

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    1. Thanks Retta! Yes, I've thought of millefiori beads and glass paperweights too as I've worked with this quilt. In my next post you'll see an amazing picture of it back-lit (checking to see if I've missed any papers in the paper-remove-process). You'll see it looks like a stained glass window in a century's old church.

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  10. Beautiful quilt!

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  11. I think it's beautiful and as for fixing it, hmmm, it would depend on the mood I am in at the moment. You have a good eye for such detail. Congratulations on the completion, it's a true 10!!!

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  12. My first instinct would have been to leave it. But, having had the conversation you had, I would have done what you did, i.e. changed it. The whole thing looks wonderful and comparing the before and after you can really see the difference. Without it being pointed out though, I don't think it was particularly noticeable, so either would have been fine. The main thing is that you are happy with the outcome.

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  13. What an interesting post! I do admire you for having replaced the little intruder and having learned from it. Knowing my lazy self, I am certain I would have left well alone. I have not made one perfect piece yet, and it's alright, you know ... Only the Gods are allowed to be perfect, a human being has to make a mistake to honour them and acknowledge their superiority. So, what error will you be building in? :-)

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  14. See I would have left it the way it was. Just a slight imperfection in all of the perfection would have been a really unique thing...the old quilt mythology of only God makes things perfect and all of that.
    It is a stunning work of art Robin and you should be ecstatic about having made this amazing work of art !

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  15. This is really beautiful, Robin! While I probably would have left the hex as is (i the spirit of the Native American spirit beads), I appreciate the overall effect. Lovely.

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  16. Anonymous9:21 PM

    Robin, Just wanted to say, "Bravo and Congratulations!" Beautiful quilt. I've never been enchanted with this era of quilt, but you've changed my attitude, more than just a bit. Good for you...switching out the hexie...like Skylar, I would have left it (only the Creator can make perfection) but secretly the reason would have been reluctance to do the work. (I hate anything that smacks of mending!) Carry on, you're doing fine! Terri B-N

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  17. It's all been said above, but it's absolutely lovely. I'm in the 'spirit' hexie camp as I'm a bit of bodger (no way a perfectionist). Interesting so many cultures see imperfections the same way. I believe the Japanese do as well - there is often a deliberately damaged leaf in an otherwise flawless ikebana flower arrangement. I'm looking forward to seeing the back lit photo - magic!

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  18. my sister and I are making 1" hexie quilts. I have about 100 flowers sewn, and am going to have a black background. I would have left the mistake - it is not noticeable at all. Love how you put the leaves into your quilt, first I have seen of this method/pattern. I really like it. My sister says hers is going to take 3 years. I only work on mine at night while watching tv and I think it will take another 6 months past the 3 months I have already been working on it - but not every night - my middle finger used to push the needle through can't take it and I can't wear a thimble. Thanks for sharing your quilt.

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Thanks you for joining the discussion on this post today!