Thursday, June 5, 2014

Meadowlark Blog Hop: Making "Melly's Garden"

I am so thrilled for my friend Melanie Testa.  She is a wonderful artist, excellent human, and I am happy to call her my friend.  When she came to Quilt Market in the fall of 2013 with her samples for a new fabric line everyone was thrilled when Windham Fabrics fell in love with them.  It seems like a perfect match, and I am even more excited about the fact that each of these designs was created using Procion MX dye and multiple processes with stamp printing.  The process gives the fabric line a very handmade, organic appearance that is beautifully appealing.

Melly asked if I would consider making a sample using her new fabric for the Windham booth at Spring Quilt Market 2014 and I jumped at the opportunity to work with it.  Seeing the collection made me want to create a very scrappy-looking quilt because it all works so well together.

I decided to work with my large hexagon die (5" on each side!) and cutter from Sizzix.  I wanted this quilt to be very lightweight so I opted for a layer of diaper gauze as the batting.  All pieces, including the batting, were cut on the Sizzix.




Here is the fabric cut with the hexi die, to give a sense of scale.

Working in pairs the pieces were placed, right sides together with a layer of diaper gauze on top.
Using 1/4 inch seams five of the six sides were stitched together on the machine, leaving one side open.






Points were clipped to facilitate a crisp finished angle when turned right side out.


Turn the hexi right sides out.  Now the batting is already in place!


Press each side until crisp.

The open end is folded inward and pressed...

Like this.

Now it is ready to be stitched.

I used Superior MonoPoly to close each hexi.



Simple!
After deciding the placement of the colors I joined the hexies together using a zigzag stitch with MonoPoly thread.


Because the batting was so thin I opted to do the quilting after the entire quilt was joined.
Switching to colored thread I opted to echo the shapes inside the hexies
and finish with free-motion quilted flowers.



I love this quilt!  I made a generous sized crib quilt. 
The beauty of it is that if I ever choose to I could easily increase the size of it by 
adding more hexies using this technique.  Also, I like the angular edge.

If you are interested in more ideas about using hexagons in your work I would recommend Jen Eskridge's new book, "Hexagons Made Easy".  

To be eligible for a "fat stack" of 10" squares of each fabric(!) in Melly's new Meadowlark line please leave a comment here before midnight on June 10th.  I would love to have each of you as a regular visitor!  I will draw the lucky winner with my "randomizer" after the deadline and announce the winner.  Melly is also giving away three copies of her book, "Dreaming From The Journal Page".  One will be given away on her blog and the other two will be chosen from the blogs with the most comments at the end of the hop, so keep those comments coming all the way through June 10th to be eligible.

For more ideas about how to use Melly's new "Meadowlark" fabrics please continue on all the blog hop stops.  You will be glad you did!  
Melly – June 2 
Vivien Zepf – June 2 
Chrissie D – June 3 
Sue Bleiweiss – June 4  
You Are Here!  June 5 
Jamie Fingal – June 6 
Lyric Kinard – June 7 
Jen Eskridge – June 8 
Jacqui Holmes Calhoun – June 8  <——-Jacqui will be guest posting here!
Stephanie Forsyth – June 9 
Victoria Findlay Wolfe – June 10 
Teri Lucas – June 11 Blog-TBD
Scott Hansen June 12
Helen Eckard – June 12 <——-CHelen will be guest posting on Melly's blog

And the winner is.....Tawney!  Please contact me with your email address and I will pass it along to Melly.  Thank you, everyone, for stopping by and leaving a comment!  xoxo Leslie






81 comments:

  1. A new method for me of doing hexagons - thank you for your clear instructions. And what a lovely quilt!

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  2. I love the hexes quilt. How fun. I love these fabrics, they are great

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  3. I love the fabrics and the lesson in making the hexes was nice. I might try this in the future. I really love the dot fabric.

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  4. Thanks for sharing your method for making those hexies, it's very clever and looks so simple.

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  5. Thanks for the new way (for me, anyway) to quilt with hexies.

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  6. I love your quilt! Thanks for the great tutorial, I haven't used this technique before.

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  7. Great fabric - I love your hexies!
    Thanks for sharing your method!

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  8. Very nice tutorial Leslie and I love Melly's fabrics!

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  9. I like the larger sized hexagons. Thank you for showing a new assembly technique.

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  10. I love the method you used to make and join the Hexagons - brilliant! Wanted to leave a comment, but don't count me in on the give away! I'm next on the list! Yay!

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  11. Hay I'm here,,,love your hexies made with Melanie s fabric meadowlark,,,,

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  12. Lovely fabric to work with huh? I have made hexies like that before but tried to join them by hand without success, your technique works wonderfully and I love your free motion flower quilting!

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  13. I have followed Melanie for a long time, have her books and can't wait to get some of her fabric!
    I'm going to check out the hexes link. It's a nice technique that you demoed!
    Thanks! I have you on my favorites too by the way.

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  14. What a clever technique! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. These prints are wonderful, and I love what you have done with them. I especially like the dots, chairs and shoes!!!

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  16. I love the quilt and the fabrics!

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  17. I like the way you did your hexies. Thanks for sharing the how to. I haven't heard of diaper gauze before, where is it purchased?

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  18. What fun! I wonder if I can do this?

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    1. Hello??! Of COURSE you can! Why not come over and we will make one!

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  19. Fabulous idea, Leslie! But, luckily, it's Melly's Meadowlark fabric that commands the eye and makes me want to see any or all of this fun quilt! I would love, love, love to have Mr.Randomized pick me!

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  20. This hexie technique is ingenious and the fabric is spectacular. Thanks for sharing.

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  21. Great idea for a beautiful quilt! I love how Melly's fabrics look in this style. Great job ladies!

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  22. The fabrics are lovely. The hexies are awesome. The quilt makes me think of seriously updated and chic calicos. It is truly meant as a compliment. These will go anywhere and become standards. wow.

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    1. And I will take it as a compliment, as will Melly. That is exactly what I thought when I saw the collection, and why I decided to use so many of the fabrics (not all, but close!) from the line. Thank you!

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  23. I love your hexie technique! I don't spend a lot of time hand-sewing, so I haven't done hexies yet. But your machine technique is great and the quilt is beautiful. And the fabric is awesome! Thanks so much for the chance to win some!

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    1. This is a really fun way to play with hexes. I love hand-basting and piecing them, too, but for the large ones this is the way to go. You should try it!

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  24. Wow! Those fabrics play together so beautifully!!!

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  25. Love all this creativity with Melanie's new fabrics...

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  26. Fabulous crib quilt, and I love the method. Thank you for sharing.

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  27. Melly's fabrics look great with the hexagons!

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  28. Wonderful technique and beautiful fabric make a fun piece! Thanks for the neat tutorial.

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  29. I would love to win this!
    dez3b@yahoo.com

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  30. wow- you make working with hexies look so easy! beautiful fabric!

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  31. Beautiful quilt and fabrics. Great info on hexagons

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  32. Very clever process and great tutorial! And the fabric is simply perfect!

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  33. I love how the hexies showcase Melly's fabric. Thanks for a great tutorial and for always inspiring me to challenge myself.

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  34. I love those fabrics! I wonder when and where they might become available down here in Oz. Your large size hexies will really showcase the fabrics.

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  35. Thank you for the lesson. 24Tangent "at" gmail "dot" com

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  36. Great explanation of the technique you used and I like the large size of the hexies. Melanie's fabric is going to be a big hit!

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    1. Tawney, you are the winner (random # generator pulled 36)! Congratulations!

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    2. Please contact me with your email address so I can pass it along to Melly. Thank you!

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    3. Hi Tawney! I haven't heard from you with your contact info. I need it within the next 24 hours in order to send your email address to Melly for your prize. If I haven't heard back before 6/19 I will need to draw another name! Leslie

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  37. I am loving all your comments and it thrills me that you are as captivated with Melly's new fabric line as I am. I hope you will share these blog posts with friends and go get some (that is, if you don't win one of the drawings, or even if you do!) and make more cool stuff!

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  38. Love hexies! and this is such an interesting way of doing them, thanks for sharing the beautiful project that you made with these fun fabrics.

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  39. I have never made hexies but your tutorial makes it look easier than I thought. Love this fabric collection.

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  40. what a great technique! I do love how the quilt isn't rectangular!

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  41. I love the hexies - thank you for the recommendation of the book! thank you for the giveaway!

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  42. What an interesting way to make a quilt! I love the fact that you can make it as big or as small as you have motivation for. :) Thanks! sarah@forrussia.org

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  43. Haven't used hexies but might give this a shot!

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  44. Love the fabric. I hadn't thought of doing Hexies this way but a great idea.

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  45. I love this line and what you did with it, Jumbo hexies, great idea

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  46. Thank you for the new way to make hexies. I love working with them.

    Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

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  47. Thanks so much for the hex tutorial! These fabrics are perfect for a scrappy hexie quilt!

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  48. I hope I win these fabulous fabrics

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  49. Thanks for the tip to make hexies a different way!! This is a great technique and I'll give it a go!!

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  50. Thanks for the tutorial.I have to try a large hexie quilt. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  51. Great instructions & fabric!

    nancylausc-coffee@yahoo.com

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  52. Very neat technique that I hadn't seen before! Thanks.

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  53. I'm always interested to see a technique that is new (to me, anyway), and a little different. Thanks.

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  54. Very interesting. I I have not seen hexies this big or this technique of assembling them before.

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  55. I guess it is time for me to experiment with hexies, you make it look easy.

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  56. o wow! i have quilted for over forty years and never seen this technique, but i love it! especially since i hand quilt. thank you for sharing. babscorbitt at gmail dot com

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  57. Love what you did with the hexagons and love the fabric,Matilyn

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  58. Thanks for this nice tutorial! And thanks for a chance to win the beautiful fabric!

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  59. That is an interesting technique. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.

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  60. Really neat fabric! Thanks for the hexi tute too!

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  61. What a sweet crib quilt! I love this fabric!

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  62. A giveaway and a tutorial at the same time! I am going to use that hexie technique very soon (and - crossing my fingers - on her lovely fabric). Thanks! notwendy gmail

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  63. Lovely fabrics, just crying out to be used! Thanks for the tutorial on a new way of making a hexie quilt.

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  64. Your hexies are fun! This fabric line is so interesting!

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  65. A great idea using the hexagons! I love the beautiful fabrics!

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  66. I'm normally not a hexie kind of girl....but I think I could make this ! Especially out of Melanie's beautiful art fabric !

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  67. I would love the chance to work with her fabrics.

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  68. Beautiful fabrics! Love the colors!

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  69. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  70. I really love how you used those fabrics. What a beautiful line.

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  71. i can't wait to get my hands on Melanie's fabric line Meadowlark. i love the hexagon quilt, i so want to make it.

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  72. This is new to me...hexies by machine! I have avoided hexies because I dislike hand-sewing! This looks easy...and I love the hexie quilt using this fabric collection!

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