Hexie Patchwork Flowers

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  During the time of closure due to Covid, we will be showcasing ideas for you to do at home including crafts, baking, cooking and much more.

  Today, why not try out this idea for a patchwork hexie?

  What you will need:

  

  Scraps of non-stretch fabric. Chop up some old sheets, blouses, dresses or baby clothes.
  Medium thickness cardboard from your recycling.
  A thick piece of cardboard for our hexagon stencil.
  Scissors.
  Fabric rotary cutter and cutting board are handy, but not essential if you don’t have them.
  A fine sewing needle.
  Strong fine thread.
  Pins.

  Choose your fabric

  

  It’s important the fabric is non-stretch.
  Use complimentary colours for the petals of the flower with a contrasting colour in the center.
  It’s ok to use different types of fabric as long as they are a similar weight.
  Iron the fabric before cutting it.
  
  Top tip: Patchwork is coolest when you use old or second hand fabric rather than buying new fabric. The randomness of found-fabric is the best part!

  Make Your “Hexies”

  

  Make a stencil with a hexagon from the thick card
  Use the stencil to draw hexagons onto some cardboard of medium thickness
  Cut out your hexagons
  
  Top tip: aim to keep the hexagons as uniform as possible, as this will make it easier to sew them together. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect.

  Tacking

  

  Cut out a piece of fabric that is slightly larger than your hexagon- there should be approx. 1 cm of fabric all around the card.
  Thread your needle and make a knot at the end of the thread.
  With the right side of the fabric facing down place your hexagon over the fabric .
  Tack your fabric to the card all the way around the hexagon.
  End the tacking with a backstitch to secure.

  Top tip: Link one of the sides of the hexagon parallel with the straight grain of the fabric as cutting on the diagonal may distort the fabric. As you go around, make sure to fold the corners neatly and stitch the thread through all the layers. The fabric should be taut over the card.

  Sewing the Hexies Together

  

  Lay out the hexies in the position you want to sew them.
  You will sew six sections indicated by the orange lines on the photo.
  Place the first 2 hexies that you want to sew together face to face.
  Thread a needle with an embroidery knot at the end of the thread.
  With the top of the hexies facing towards each other, sew them together making sure to secure the thread at the beginning with two loop knots.
  You only need to sew through a small amount of fabric from each hexie.
  Once you have sewn along two edges, end with two loop knots and cut thread.

  

  Repeat until all the petals are attached to the centre and to each other.
  You can now remove the tacking from the centre hexie and pop out the card.
  Do not remove the tacking from the petals until you are ready to sew the flower onto something.

  Sewing the flowers onto fabric

  

  Use pins to help you sew the flowers onto another piece of fabric.
  Only remove the tacking and card for each hexie when you are ready to sew – the fabric may lose it’s shape quickly.

  Ideas

  Use the flowers to give new life to old clothes or to patch over a hole.
  Sew them to squares or sew them to each other to make panels for a quilt, cushion cover, placemat… the list is endless!