Thursday, March 25, 2021

Plugging away ...!

 I've been in a funky mood. Covid is getting old ... It feels like Ground Hog day ... I'm so eager for some change ... but, looks like it may take quite some time to happen ... sigh!

In the mean time, I've been stitching away on that 1/2 inch hexagon quilt. There's something about emptying a spool of thread ... Ah, what an accomplishment! lol

 

I've been hand basting the hexagons. This allows me to use spools of thread that I have no idea why I bought ... A hot pink hand quilting thread ... what was I thinking! Oh well, all gone!

I've been thinking of ways to remove the hexagon papers without causing too much damage to the template, allowing me to re-use them multiple times. The smaller the template, the harder it is to remove. To facilitate the removal of the small template, I use a 1/8" hole puncher and punch a hole in the middle.


In the past, I used appliqué pins to secure the template as I basted, but I found that to be cumbersome, damaging and prickly! Now I use a glue stick, which minimized the damage to the template. The trick to using glue is not to apply too much. You only need a little bit for the fabric to stick. 

At first, I used a pair of hemostat to remove the template.


I could not master the art of removing the template without creasing it to death. I lived with it for a while until an uncommon tool popped into my mind ... a seafood pick.


It fits beautifully into the hole.


And the template pops right out.

With minimal damage to the template, making it reusable ... Voila!

So far, I have a nice little stack of blocks completed.


What have you been up to? 

Thanks for stopping by. Catch you all later! Cheers!

4 comments:

Needled Mom said...

Brilliant tool for that task. Ground hog day is the perfect description for the past year+.

WoolenSails said...

I do love hexagon quilts and sewing by hand, but a lot of work and mine didn't hold up, so I guess I didn't stitch them too well.

Debbie

Janet O. said...

I hear ya on the funky mood thing!
I punch a hole in the center of my hexagons, too, but I never found that perfect tool for paper removal. Brilliant!

Chookyblue...... said...

I do hope things get to change for you soon.........
love the hexie blocks........and yes a pointy tool is great to pop them out and if they a little tricky and don't want to release the glue give them a quick hit with the iron......

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