I thought I would do a pictorial tutorial on how to do this for those that are thinking of making hexagons but not quite sure how to thread baste. Glue basting is easy but it is sticky, sometimes harder to get your papers removed, and I do not know what it would be like if it is left in the quilt for years before the quilt is quilting. So after I did try glue basting sometime ago I decided not to.
Step 1: Use a wonder clip or whatever you want to hold one end folded over. You can put a pin in the center to hold it still if you wish in addition or by itself – this is just the way I do it.
Step 2: fold over the corner and take 2 or 3 stitches to hold it in place I do a little knot at each of these
Step 3: don’t cut your thread just carry it though to the next corner turning this one as you come to it and repeat the procedure
Step 4: Keep repeating all the way around
Step 5: When you get to the last corner make sure to knot it off and cut the thread. You are now ready to move on to the next hexagon. I make my seams 3/8″ they are just a little wider but it gives you more room to work than a quarter inch seam. Some do a quarter inch – this it totally up to you but if you are new to this you might want to go with with wider seam.
Step 6: I am using an applique needle right now a larger needle than I usually do but with still having difficulty bending over since the back surgery I don’t want to take the chance of dropping the needle and needing Mike to crawl around on the floor looking for my needle. Size of needle and kind of thread is entirely up to you and what you like. I use YLI hand quilting thread mainly in off white. Some people will constantly change color of thread to match their fabric this is not needed if you manage to not have your stitches show on the front. Pull your stitches tight, small stitches but most people don’t count how many stitches are in their work – small but no reason to over do it. The close up of this needle makes it look huge!! LOL it really isn’t as thick as it looks in this photo.
The front of your work. Yes if you look you can see it a little of the stitches but once your quilting is done and your quilt is washed and dried most of your stitches will not show up. I hope that will help anyone trying to figure out how to do it.
And this is what my corner is now looking like – it grew and not a whole lot left to do.
We had a lot of rain Wednesday night and almost all day Thursday 4.75″ we did need it we hadn’t had a good rain like this in ages.
I walked to the mailbox and back my second walk outside since the surgery – I’m walking better but not ready for any long walk yet! If I continue to walk well tomorrow I’m pretty sure Melanie and I will go to a store so I can get a little walk and get outside a bit (and pick up a few things at the same time) I’m getting tired of walking in circles in the house and now it is too wet to walk outside for a couple days.
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Green Fairy – Happy 17th anniversary to the Green Fairy shop – use CODE: GFQ42 use the sale to get more off on top of the already 20-50% off that is there now. Free Shipping on $75+
Knit Picks – Labor Day Sale – 20% off use code: 8LABOR25 ends on the 7th
AccuQuilts – various products are on sale check the sales tab on their site if interesting – too many things to name.
Good to hear you’re progressing and getting outside for fresh air. Just don’t overdo! Take it easy. You did a lot to prepare for this time of recovery. Glad you can keep your hands busy when you want, too.
Getting outside does a lot for the soul! What little EPP I have done that is exactly how I did it. Good tutorial.
Thanks for sharing how you thread baste – it’s a good reminder since I haven’t done it in quite awhile now. I’ve tried both glue basting and thread basting for hexies, and definitely liked the thread basting better. Now you’re making me want to start a new hexie project! You really did get a lot of rain there! We got a storm on Wednesday afternoon and it showed about 1/8 inch in our rain gauge and we thought that was good. Glad you’re ready to get out and walk around the store – that’s a good step in the right direction!
I pretty much baste the same way with EPP. I tried glue and didn’t like it. I hope you get your walk in the store today.
What an excellent tutorial, you actually make it look fun because it’s so neat. When do you pull the papers? When you are all done, or by section, or what? How do you avoid the papers when you are sewing the hexies together? Or is that important?
Glad you got so much rain, I’m jealous. We got a whopping .15″ while areas around us got so much more. I swear we are in some kind of black hole. Hope you get to make that trip to the store – that will be a spirit-lifter!
I don’t like the idea of glue on fabric so thread basting is the only way I would do it.
I don’t think we have had a rain over 3″ for several years. We have been in and out of mild drought for 3 years now.
I have the urge to start a hexie quilt now, too :-). I thread baste as you do. I read that Bonnie Hunter thread bastes as she sews the hexies and doesn’t cut her threads, just bastes, then sews the hexies on…..not sure I can wrap my head around that. I’m more of a “do all the basting, cutting, block units, etc, then move to the next” kind of person, lol.
A tip I learned for thread basting hexies is not to cut and knot for each hexie, you “chain piece” the basting. I do the same as you up to the end, then I leave a two inch tail then begin basting the next hexie with the same thread. then just clip between the two inches. It works really well, the basting thread doesn’t unravel, and it saves me time from starting and stopping.
Yay! Thank you for the hexie thread basting tutorial! So, do you take your basting stitches out at some point or do they stay in forever? I especially appreciate the tip about using a Wonder clip to hold that first corner down. I had not seen that one before. Do you use the hand quilting thread only for the thread basting part or is that what you use to sew the hexies together as well? I’m glad you’re able to move around a bit more and I hope your shopping outing goes well for you.
Your quilt is coming together nicely! Sounds like your healing is going well too.