If you're here for the first time- WELCOME!
This past summer my family was planning a big trip. In all the prep I decided that I needed some handwork. I don't normally do a lot of handwork because I'm usually not sitting still long enough. But with two separate 11 hour car rides and several hours in the air and in airports I knew some handwork would be nice. And so I decided to start a Grandma's Flower Garden quilt.
I know everyone has a different method for doing things and I'm here to show you mine.
This is my "Travel Kit". I know lots of people make the cutest little bags- way cute ones on the tour! I'm too lazy for that. :o) Instead I picked up this see-thru bag next to all the travel sized toiletries in the store. The fact that it's see-thru is the best - nothing gets lost in it!
This little bag (roughly 7" x 5 1/2" x 1") holds all I need to get this Grandma's Flower Garden started and it cost less than $2. But first there's a bit pf prep work before you leave the house.
I started with a jelly roll (2 1/2" strips). I like this width because with the 1" hexagons found
HERE there's not a lot of waste and part of the cutting is already done.
[I have cut them from yardage and scraps before but this is still my preferred method- especially if there's a particular collection I want to use]
To prep I use a kids school glue stick. I put a tiny dab (tiny!) on the back of a paper piece and press onto the wrong side of the jelly roll. This keeps the paper from sliding later on but not enough to make removing the papers a hassle. Make sure you leave enough room between each paper to trim 1/4" around the sides.
Since I'm only making 1 ring flowers I only need 6 of each 'print' (my centers are a cream fabric).
[I think you can usually get 14-16 hexies of this size from a WOF strip]
This prep work happens while watching my favorite TV show. I like to do a whole bunch at one time.
Next I trim around the remaining sides (1/4"!) and I'm ready to go.
This is all the 'pre-trip' work that I do. Once I get to this point I stack a ton of them together and put them in my kit. Let's hit the road!
Now it's time to baste. This part you can do while traveling because it's super easy. But don't go threading that needle yet!
Just recently I found a
Sewline Glue Pen in my craft room. Don't ask me when I got it- I didn't even know I had it! (If you gave it to me- Thank You!) Anyway, I decided to give it a try when "basting" my hexies and it has changed my life forever. :o)
This is what I do- I hold down one edge of the fabric and place a tiny bit of glue in the corner like shown.
Then I press over the next side and hold for a couple seconds. Really, that's all it takes.
[Sure you could use the kids glue stick too- but the Sewline pen is thinner and easier to control so you're not getting glue all over the place. I didn't use it for the paper pieces earlier because the kids one is so much cheaper.]
Repeat for the remaining sides and your hex is basted. It takes less that a minute for each hex.
Here's why I like this method:
Aside from the tiny spot of glue on the back there's nothing holding the paper in- this makes it so easy when popping those papers out later on.
Also, it's so quick! No messing with the needle and thread. You don't have to force that needle through the paper and later on there's no clipping out the threads.
Lastly, it's water based. So once you run that quilt through the wash the glue is gone.
This is what I put in my little bag:
I carry a bobbin of thread. Less thread- less bulk.
There's a tiny fold of felt that holds 2 needles (you know, in case I loose one)
The rest is my trimmed, prepped, and finished hexies.
Less is more when traveling. At least I think so.
Some of you may be wondering how I cut my thread. During my trip I used my teeth. I know, I know- my orthodontist/dentist would kill me. I kept meaning to get a dental floss container to put the bobbin in and use the cutter but I forgot. I know there are flight approved scissors but I didn't have any. And since the airport and I don't have a good relationship already (see
HERE), I didn't want to test my luck. :o)
I do have a smaller baggy that I put my prepped hexies in now. Somewhere along the way I picked this up and It's been serving me well. It's also see-thru so I always know where everything is.
I hand stitch the hexies together like everyone else. When I think of a quicker way for that- I'll be sure to tell you!
I was pretty productive on that trip. I wonder how many I can get done at SS12 ? :o)
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you learned something that can make your travel projects easier and more productive.
See you soon!!!
