Friday, October 9, 2015

Quick Half Hexie Baby Quilt (Tutorial)

While doing a bit of cleaning in my sewing room, I came across some 4 1/2" strips of some solids left over from a completed project.  I was just getting ready to dump them in the scrap bin when I remembered a quilt I have been wanting to make again.  I knew the scraps would be the perfect start!



Here is the quilt all finished!  Isn't it cute?  And it goes together very easily.  I thought I would share a quick tutorial if you want to make one yourself.



 First, you want to pick out a focus fabric.  You can use this fabric to pull  the colors of your solids.  I used just under a yard  of this print on my quilt.



Once the solids are picked out, cut a strip 4 1/2" wide.  Because I was using scraps, my strips were all varying lengths.  I used my Hex N More ruler to cut the half hexie shape.  Be sure to notch off the points using the ruler - these will come in very handy on later steps.




I trimmed the pieces I planned for the edge as shown.  Be sure the piece is configured properly so you cut the correct end.  You can also do this step after you have the sewn the row together.




Once you have determined the color arrangement for your strips, you can sew them up.  You can see in the photo above how those notched corner ensure a perfect alignment.




 Perfection!




Next, you just need to cut your print into 5 1/2" strips and sew them between the hexie rows.
You can see that on my quilt, I alternated the direction of the hexie and the color placement on each row.  I had a quilt top in no time at all.



 Here is another photo of the finished quilt.  For the quilting, I just did a simple serpentine stitch.




Using 4 half hexies and two trimmed hexies on each row is the perfect width for keeping your print fabric to just the width of the fabric.  You can also use just one piece (about 1.5 yards) for the backing too.  It is nice to not have to piece the backing!


 

Here is the quilt I made using the same technique in early 2014. It is a bit smaller and more colorful than the one I just completed.  Not sure which one I like best!


Linking Up:

Crazy Mom Quilts
Sew can she
A Quilted Passion




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29 comments:

~Diana said...

I make Quilts for Kids, for kids in the hospital, and I love to try new patterns...this is a keeper! I think this will be my next quilt! Inspired!

Gina said...

That's a great quilt and such a quick make. I'll be keeping the instructions for this one in my pattern file for that last minute quilt that you always seem to make at one point or other

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

Once again I love the way you can "read" your scraps and come up with clever ways of piecing them together. The precision in lining up the parallelograms across the strips is great and makes a fun optical illusion for me, too.

JanineMarie said...

I want to stop everything and make this right now! Saving this for sure.

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts said...

I love your fun, easy quilt. It's on my to-do list!

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts said...

I love your fun, easy quilt. It's on my to-do list!

Jo Ferguson said...

Thanks for the tutorial. The quilt is wonderful.

Sandra Walker said...

Squirrel!! And I'm not talking about all the busy ones outside my house and around town either! Another terrific idea for a wheelchair quilt...would you stop already with the great patterns?! Kidding. But I'm going to tell my nephew it's your fault his quilt is um, a year late... Seriously thank you for so MUCH inspiration and scrap-busting (although I just seem to have more and more of the suckers, like what's with that? I know I know, they breed at night...)

Susan said...

That is an adorable quilt! And a great use of that hexnmore ruler--I'm inspired!

Kris said...

That looks so great and so easy!

Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty said...

Yay for you! What a smart way to put some leftover fabric to use instead of relegating it to the scrap bin. And I love how you used the Hex N More ruler ... although that reminds me of my neglected Park Bench quilt ... and now I am heavy with quilt guilt!

Vicki in MN said...

Thanks for tutorial-I even have that ruler, LOL I got an idea forming already-now to carve out time to actually do it!

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

A lovely cute quilt.. I love the way you achieved a bit of a colour thing-y happening using your focus fabric! Amazing way to use up those scraps, you make it all look so easy!

Rachel said...

Very pretty! I like both versions. It would indeed be hard to pick a favorite. Nice work!

TheItinerantChemist said...

Great pattern, one I'll definitely keep in mind! There always seems to be a need for a handy (and pretty!) baby quilt. :)

Deb R said...

Adding to my "to do" list!!

Sandy Panagos said...

That's a really cute quilt. Nice tutorial, too!

Lisa J. said...

Once again you've shared a great tutorial for making a quilt that would perfect as a quick charity quilt. I've book marked this one as I've got a baby coming in the family (I'll probably make it bigger though ) and I think it would make a great group project for our committee! Thanks for sharing.

Jasmine said...

What a fun twist to the stripe quilts I love. I even have the ruler already. Thanks for sharing!

Helen in the UK said...

Both quilts are gorgeous. Such and wonderfully simple and effective idea, thanks for sharing :)

wish2stitch said...

I do love my hex n more ruler. It makes piecing so much easier and more exact. Love your bright quilts.

M-R Charbonneau said...

They are both so cute! Haven't tried the half hexie part of my ruler yet. Will have to change that! Thanks for the tutorial, Cynthia!

Jayne said...

I think I need the Hex N More ruler...Sold!! Great tutorial and you make it look so easy matching and aligning the pieces!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

What a great idea!! I wouldn't of never thought to do that! I love how fun and colorful it came out! Thanks Cynthia.

Marly said...

Thanks for sharing this pattern; I need to make a baby quilt soon and the mother is telling nothing about the colours for the baby room. So I think it will have to be scrappy. This seems the perfect solution.

tisha @ quiltytherapy said...

Great scrappy quilt and tutorial. I am using that focus print as a binding on a gender neutral quilt.

Zenia Rene said...

Very nice Cynthia! I can't pick which one I like best either. The pattern seems simple enough too. I'm adding the Hex N More ruler to my wishlist. Thanks for linking up!

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

I wouldn't have thought to use half hexies. I'm going to dig out my ruler. Great job!!

Muv said...

Such sweet quilts, Cynthia. It is such fun making quilts for babies, anything goes and you can experiment and bust the stash all in one go.

Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!

Love, Muv

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