The glorious sunny weather is still here.....all you want to do is gather the roses, sip cold drinks and maybe sew up a few hexies in the garden.....but real life goes on in spite of the heatwave, and in my studio it is all about christmas :0............not that i mind, not at all... i love designing for the festive season all year round, it is always so decorative and fun to do....i have been using some sparkly beads on my project today :)..................
.........i
have been sewing up some hexies too...........i first learnt how to do english paper pieced patchwork (epp) as it is now called (we just used to call it patchwork then) when i was still a schoolgirl, and my crafty friend and i began making hexies one summer's day..............
...........the stripy hexagon pincushion and scissor keep are projects in my *pretty patchworks book* which you can find
here..............
...........and so is this little hexagon quilt too............
...............i loved making this, using some small scraps of my favourite spotty, stripy and flowery fabrics and adding in some fussy cut hexagons from some cute japanese prints too................
................finished off with red and white spotty binding and a line of red quilt stitches..........
............and some red and white spotty buttons in the four corners.................
.............now the little hexagon quilt might well be cosying up some dollies and bunnies for a nice little sleep...........and i am making some new hexie flowers, sewing them in my spare moments......
.............and also making lots and lots of red and blue hexagons for a project i hope to take to the seaside with me next month............making up the hexies is surprisingly quick i think..........though when you make the flowers join up and have to do a lot of plain white ones......not so quick somehow ;)........
............so i have been surrounded by baskets this week.......some filled with christmas design work, one with my home sweet home quilt borders (nearly done now), one with hexie flowers, one with just hexies, one with crochet, one with washing dried on the line in the flowery garden.......
..........and lots of baskets with sweet roses, their big petals becoming blowsy and floppy in the hot hot sunshine..........i bring them in and give them a long cool drink and then put them in all kinds of containers....................
..............like my pretty birthday mug...........i will be sorry when the roses are over, they've been especially gorgeous this year and we have really enjoyed them.............our latest garden project is re doing our (leaky) pond, which mr p is working on right now...............we hope to fix it and then return it to its wildlife friendly state again in the autumn...........now it's time to water the plants, and then a bit more hand sewing i think..............thank you for visiting me here and thank you so much for your sweet comments too...........wishing you a very sweet week with happy days and lots of inspiring crafty times.......back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
46 comments:
Oh Helen, I just love all your pretty little hexagon's...they are all just so darn cute. I haven't had the chance in making any myself, but I am moving in that direction more and more every time I see yours.
Hugs, Shari
Your posts are always so full of such beautiful pictures. I love your hexies and everything else. I should really organize my projects in sweet little baskets.
Love the little hexie quilt, bunnies have to be kept cosy at nights, although these nights are quite warm!!!!
Your roses are beautiful, it has been a brilliant year for them!
Enjoy your sewing in the sun. :)
V xxx
you have been so busy - everything looks so beautiful x
Oh, I love your sweet hexie pin cushion!! So pretty with the pink stripes and rose!! And, you darling hexie quilt! Simple sweet!! You are always so inspiring!! Wishing you a lovely and crafty week Helen!! xo Heather
I always love visiting your blog it's so pretty and full of such lovely stitching and beautiful flowers, especially your roses!! It's been a wonderful week here spending time with my son!
I get hooked on EPP hexies! Love them and once I start I can barely stop! You're on a roll with yours...just look at that basket full..what a great feeling, huh?
It is Christmas in July for many of us. I start making for Christmas now so if the magazines were smart they would publish items to craft now.
I meant to tell you , I have a bunch of those Bonne Maman(?) jars as I was able to buy it at Walmart here for awhile but now they don't have it. I loved it because it was high quality and no HFCS...the only brand that used REAL sugar. Now, I guess I'll have to make my own.
Your country must be a gardeners paradise...look at all your beautiful flowers! I love roses especially the scent. Some day I hope to have enough roses to have huge bouquets all over my home. I have 3 bushes right now and not a rose in sight. I think I need to read up on how to take care of them! LOL! But at least they're alive! TTYS!
Hi Helen! Lots of lovely makes and I love the description of all your baskets. Enjoy these warm days!! xoxo
Pretty, pretty, pretty!
Love the hexies, love the roses, love it all ... a visual feast!
Enjoy the sunshine ... it's going to last ...
Love Claire xxx
It's fun having Christmas is July isn't it Helen although I'm glad that I don't live in Australia and it would be this hot for my favourite time of the year ;0) You have lots of baskets of gorgeous hexi's and it is lovely to be able to craft outside. Enjoy, and have a lovely rest of the week, Jane x
I'm taking my first little hexie project on holiday, I love the quiet stitching involved, and it will pack away snugly in a suitcase! I'm looking up the pincushion in your book - it will make such a pretty second hexie project once I'm confident with the process... Enjoy those beautiful blooms! Chrissie x
Ah Helen, always such beautiful work - your fabric choices are always so perfect xx
Just stunning your photos are always so professional.
Really love the hexagons the binding really finishes it off :)beautiful:)
x
I love this book of yours Helen and I am feeling quite excited about making a few projects out of it very soon. Your hexies are gorgeous and the crib quilt just so sweet. I wouldn't mind giving that a try one day. Your hexie flowers are working up so beautifully and as always you are such an inspiration my dear. Loving all those gorgeous blooms and yes this time of year is just perfect for bringing all those beautiful roses indoors, aren't we lucky! Really looking forward to seeing what you are working on for Christmas. Wishing you a happy and crafty week and thank for always making this blog such a lovely place to stop by! xoxo
I love this book of yours Helen and I am feeling quite excited about making a few projects out of it very soon. Your hexies are gorgeous and the crib quilt just so sweet. I wouldn't mind giving that a try one day. Your hexie flowers are working up so beautifully and as always you are such an inspiration my dear. Loving all those gorgeous blooms and yes this time of year is just perfect for bringing all those beautiful roses indoors, aren't we lucky! Really looking forward to seeing what you are working on for Christmas. Wishing you a happy and crafty week and thank for always making this blog such a lovely place to stop by! xoxo
Permission to gloss over the C word please?!! Gosh it must feel strange to be thinking all things festive when the temperature is so high!
Your hexies are so pretty and I love the picture of your roses in the CK mug. I think that particular design has become my all time favourite.
Enjoy the sunshine.
Heather x
Another lovely blogpost!! Your blog is always so inspirational and always leaves me feeling happy!! Thank you!
Hi Helen what a lovely post yet again, you always manage to bring such sweet things into our lives, thank you. I am working on some vintage fabric at the moment and making hexagons, thinking about a knitting bag or a little quilt cover, have never made a quilt before so quite nervous but would love to have a go - yours are just fabulous Helen.
Thank for you for bring so much sunshine through your posts
Lots of love
Dorothy
:-)xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Oh, yes the roses have been so beautiful this year and love your images of your garden roses. We have a pond in our garden and it does bring a variety of wildlife into the garden. Mainly at the moment to come and get a drink to quench their thirst in this heatwave.
loving your hexies, and your baskets of blooms, the summer is leaping off the screen into my home x
Helen, what a pleasure to see this summertime post from you...I think that your current weather is being more kind than ours over here in New York. It might reach 101 degrees F today...not so pleasant.
I cannot remember when I have drunk so much water!
xo
Love your hexagon flowers and quilt. I have been addicted to making them also. I am thinking of making a diamond quilt using EEP.
Your hexies are really nice!!!!
xxxx Ale
Your projects are so pretty Helen!
Your book is in my Amazon Wish List for my soon to come birthday...(yay!) All the projects look adorable.
When you finish quilts with white fabric as a surrounding area, which is the best white fabric to use? What would you recommend? (as in your mini quilt)
Love the Japanese fabrics too.
Have a sunny weekend,
Pati x
Hi Helen! I love your Hexxies! I think English Paper Piecing is my all time favourite pastime! Trouble is I spend years doing one quilt! You are so prolific! Gorgeous roses too! Love Amanda xxx
Such cherry and bright pictures! Im very inspired to start up another hexie project!
Oohh so many beautifully pretty makes, I do love hexies!! Love your roses too!
Rachel x
I've just found your blog and what a pleasure to visit it is too. I have your book, its about 9 inches away from me at the moment, I have a dilemma.......what project to make first!.
I shall certainly be visiting again as a follower, its so nice to read 'normal' down to earth posts from a designer, your roses are gorgeous thank you for sharing.
I too have a 'thing' for baskets, what crafter doesn't, they're so handy to store and display. I had to purchase a larger one for my wool though because each time I displayed any in a lovely small basket besides my chair my dogs ran off with them! They love tangling it up around chairs etc
Enjoy the sunshine
Peg x
I can appreciate a sunny day too, Helen, but right now I'm grateful that the thunder is booming and rain is falling. Perhaps this will break the heat, humidity and dry spell. Your colourful post will brighten up the darkening evening! It's always a pleasure to visit here.
-Karen
he he - I know I should be thinking about Christmas but I just can't do it!! I'll be fashionably late as always!!
Gorgeous post as always - filled with wonderful eye candy.
I hope to get started on our latest 'project' before we go away...fingers crossed...fee xx
Hello Helen,
I LOVE all the pink in this post, so pretty! I am also a bit sorry that roses stay with us such a short while, but they're are divine while it lasts! Happy Christmas designing, I was just thinking this years stockings earlier this morning too!
Lovely Saturday!
Yours,
Mia
your baskets list made me laugh - to include the washing!
Oh my friend...you just amaze me with all your energy and skills...you are always creating such JOY.
My daughter wanted to learn cross-stitching the other day so I dug deep and found all my old patterns {very dated indeed..the beginning of the country look} She found a very simple one and had lots of fun...I was thinking of you as she was stitching. Hope your summer is going well. xoxo
I can almost smell the roses, love them..Started a little project from your book...
Hugs
Erna x
Helen.. that little quilt is a treasure! My sister has done hexagon quilts and I want to do some too.. LOVE your colors! Your garden must be lovely. Our little granddaughters are here.. fun to hear their little voices as they play with my collection of dollhouses and furniture. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
hexagons! that is too too pretty! what a little treasure they are, and so beautifully stitched together. i'm glad you are have a lovely summer there helen, and finding inspiration in everything around you. love those flouncy roses!
Lovely hexy patterns Helen,lovely pictures as always. Enjoy the gorgeous weather,xxx
I am going to make hexies from your book soon, but first to complete my July 4th houses (after a lovely beach vacation this past week wherein I missed my sewing machine so much!) and then to make the second pillow from your gorgeous book. Thanks for your constant inspiration and hope your vacation next month is all good weather and fun.
Hugs ~ Mary
The rose have been glorious this year haven't they. I crystallised some rose petals just to try to hang on to some of the goodness.
Happy hexy-ing :)
Lovely hexy projects Helen, such pretty fabrics.Your book looks full of lovely ideas.
Your roses are looking gorgeous, it's so good to have some sunshine at long last to enjoy the flowers in the garden - just not the same when its dull and wet.
Enjoy the good weather and sewing in the garden - sounds like a good idea to me, might just take some outside myself!
Gill xx
Dear Helen, could you please write a book that includes patchwork and little cross stitch pieces like you make? It would help me ever so much ;)
Hugs ~ Mary
Such loveliness in this post! I adore the little hexie quilt.
M x
I have never made a hexagon, but when I do, I want it to be beautiful like yours, Helen! Your productivity inspires me to be more productive :)
I just fed my two rose bushes and I hope they will decide they have the energy to produce more flowers before autumn. When my sister Carolyn and I visited Teresa, she had a perfect rose on the table. The scent was truly heavenly~~~~
Happy summer days, to you, Helen :)
Gracie xx
Hi Helen, another sweet project! I Love it! I ordered on Amazon UK your last book, I can't wait to have it on my hands :D
Have a nice week!
Hugs from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
I am fairly new to quilting and am enjoying reading your blog. My passion is hand work so maybe epp is something I need to try. Thank you for the beautiful project pics.
Did you applique the hexagons onto the border fabric and if so how much did you allow to go under the hexagon and how much to the binding. Thanks, Lee
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