Many books & patterns are published explaining how to cut & stitch 6 identical triangles together, creating kaleidoscope units that appear to all nest together, and the wonderous resulting quilts.
There is also a great deal of information to be found on the internet.
Including a wonderful, free tool, the One Block Wonder Design Helper.
We recommend & sell Gypsy Dreamer Quilts pattern - Hexified Panel Quilts, in our store and on our website. Elizabeth, the author, also sells a small 5.5” 60-degree triangle ruler, which you can also be found on our website.
If you have never done this technique, her pattern is highly recommended. Also search YouTube for videos that show the process.
You can start with my video: One Block Wonder - Wisdom Wednesday - Episode 28 which can be found simply by searching for that title on YouTube.
Then move on to Elizabeth’s series of videos. For her entire playlist, which cover all the parts of this project, search on YouTube for: Gypsy Dreamer Quilts Hexified
If you have done this process before, or think you “get it” and just need a few of the details, here goes.
You need:
- 7 panels - or “repeats”, can be any size. Common panels are 24” or 36” wide by 42” long. Non-digital fabrics 12” - 24” repeats.
- 60-degree triangle ruler - all 3 sides are equal as Gypsy Dreamer’s GDQ-60R or may have one blunt end as Creative Grids’ CGRT60. Jaybird’s Sidekick and Super Sidekick are also 60-degree triangles and provide many size options.
- Sharp bladed rotary cutter - large or small, as long as it cuts easily through 6 layers of cotton fabric.
- Long, sharp straight pins - recommend fine, flat head, 2” long
- Basic sewing supplies - including good 1/4” seam allowance marking on sewing machine, sharp snippers, straight ruler, etc
Next:
1) Gather 7 identical panels. Set aside one panel for later.
2) Stack 6 panels, matching the image through all 6 layers. Using long straight pins, inserted at the exact place in the image through all six, and then securing with more pins. Repeat as often as you need to prevent shifting
3) Make the first cut from selvedge to selvedge, so that all layers are evenly trimmed.
4) Cut the first strip as wide as you have decided works for you. Our model was made using strips cut 5-1/2” wide. The “standard” mentioned on the Design Helper web tool is 4” wide. I used 6” wide strips for the quilt I show in my Wisdom Wednesday video (from 2020!)
5) Continue cutting as many strips of the same width as possible.
6) Using a 60-degree triangle ruler or template, cut as many triangles from each strip as fit. Keep the layers of six triangles together.
7) Lay out a group of six, rotating triangles until you are pleased by the pattern created. The same point of each will meet in the center. Sew together as 2 halves, 3 triangles each. Keep these pinned together, overlapping seams to approximate size, as if sewn. Repeat until all are stitched together and pairs of 3 each pinned into hexagon shape (but not sewn!).
8) With the 7th panel as your guide, start laying out hexagon shapes (2 halves still pinned together). You can arrange the quilt by horizontal or vertical rows. If the unstitched seams of the half-hexagons are going across the quilt, it is horizontal. I usually work in “columns” or vertically. Do whatever seems “right” to you.
9) Leave an open area which the 7th panel will fill. You can tell how much or little of the panel will be needed by laying out the hexagons, and comparing to the sides of your panel.
10) The half-hexagons are stitched end-to-end in rows, then two rows are stitched together, creating whole hexagons alternating with half-hexagons. Rows stitched together complete more hexagons.
11) Here’s where it gets tricky to “write” how I fill the “hole” with the 7th panel. The easiest way is to lay the panel on the table, right side up, and then lay the pieced top on top of it, so that the panel is showing through the hole. Now either fold under 1/4” on 2 sides that have a straight edge and either trim the other two sides straight, to accommodate the panel, or fold those under too.
12) Using a straight or decorative stitch, sew the patchwork on top of the panel. Later, cut away any excess fabric from the back of the quilt.
There are 10 pairs of half-hexis + 4 separate half-hexis which would not get stitched in this “hole” being left open for the 7th panel. The solid lines at top & bottom indicate where the hexis will get sewn to the top & bottom of the panel. The dotted lines on the sides indicate the stitching line, which will have 1/4” seam allowance to the inside of the stitching line.
Also note that the Design Helper always illustrates with the middle seams illustrated horizontally on the project.
You have the ability to rotate this project 90 degrees, so that those naturally straight edges would be the long length of the panel, if that is what you want, making them easy to attach by sewing a normal seam with a sewing machine.
The irregular hexi shapes may be left in place, turning under the raw edge before stitching, visually blending the hexified sections with the fabric panel artwork.
So many creative options.
Hard to make just one! I always have another project in mind using this technique.
Wishing you much fun with this technique!
Charlotte
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