Hexa-heaven

I told myself I would never make a hexagon quilt. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always admired them, but I decided long ago that there wasn’t enough time in my life and patience in my character to see me making a hexagon quilt.


That was before I received in the post an innocuous-looking kit containing 7 squares of fabric and 7 pre-cut hexagons. Just baste them on, trim the corners, and sew into a flower. It’s really not hard. What I didn’t realise was that it’s addictive. – And I thank my friend who started the interest with this lovely story and the kit: she did give me ample warning, so I’ve got nothing to complain about…

What I discovered was that although there is no time in my life for hexagon obsession, there is, on the other hand, a lot of waiting time involved in travelling, and a project that does not require scissors and can fit in the average pocket will inevitably become a traveller’s best friend.


No longer for me the endless games of solitaire on my iPod, I’m into hexagons, I can hexagon while I wait. I can hexagon on the train. I can hexagon in waiting lounges and on planes (sans scissors), and I can hexagon while I’m talking to people….. hang on, that’s not dead time! So why am I hexagoning?

Well, it is oddly satisfying, and I am one of those women who like to work on something while they talk. The occasional baffled comment from on-looking family rings gentle alarm bells as I remember my former hexagon-free self:
“But what’s it FOR?” (I don’t know; does it matter?)
“Won’t that take forever?” (Well, yes, but that’s not bothering me at the moment.)
“Won’t those paper pieces disintegrate and fall out?” (Ah-ha, a potential convert, thinking through the logistics. I spot a fellow obsessive mindset…)
“Do you actually buy fabric to do that?” (Blush. I pretend I’m not, but we all know the truth.)
...And so forth.


Let the hexagons roll on, I’m into the forties and counting, and I’m getting oh so much better at dividing numbers by sixes and sevens. Twelve pieces equals two outer circles; now I need contrasting centres… Four pieces from this scrap equals most of one outer circle, if I can match it, or perhaps they’ll make four good bright centres. And so on.

Thank you to Jennifer for sending the kit in the first place, to the family and friends who have understood and donated scraps, found and offered perfect card for more centres, put up with talking to the top of my head, or driven me to the fabric store. You’re all hexagonal stars!