.Quiltscapes.: Hexagami ~ Dimensional Hexagons!

Welcome to today's Cutting Corners College tutorial, sponsored by Riley Blake Designs!

Want to add a little dimension to your next project or outfit? One little piece of fabric, a needle and thread, a cute button, and maybe a clasp or pin is all you need to take you to the next dimension of sewing with hexies!

At the recent International Spring Quilt Market in Portland, it was apparent that hexagons are the shape of the day! I saw hexagonal quilts, flooring, fabrics, rulers, tools, techniques and magazines with issues dedicated to this wonderful, versatile shape! At the Riley Blake Designs booth, I shared some Make & Take projects that I've recently come across. I call it "Hexagami".

Basically, it's Origami, which is the Japanese art of folding to create decorative shapes and figures. Only, we'll use fabric.

SUPPLIES:
We'll start with a 10" square, starched and pressed. Lori Holt's Half-Hexie Rulers, designed to use with 5" and 10" pre-cut fabrics are just perfect to cut out the hexagons. Needle, thread, a cute button.

A solid fabric or tone-on-tone print works best for this technique.

PREPARE your hexagon piece. We'll be folding the outer edges to the center, so the finished size will be HALF the size of your starting piece.

* FOLD the square in half.

* ALIGN the dotted line on the ruler (seam allowance indicator) along the foldline.

* CUT. If you're right handed, the foldline is on the left, then cut the outer edges. A rotary mat is also helpful.

* FOLD wrong sides together from point to point; finger press. Do this so each point is folded and forms a grid in the center.

* Next, turn the hexagon over, wrong side down and FOLD in half so that the points align in the middle, and you're making a crease halfway between the points. Finger press each fold. Starch really helps.

* Thread a needle with a single strand of thread; knot one end.
* With hexagon placed so the fold lines on the points are down, take a stitch through the center of the hexagon.

Complete your Hexagami with the following steps.

Step 1) Find a foldline halfway between two points of the hexagon (flat edge) and take a STITCH, about 1/8" from the raw edge. Bring it to the center and ANCHOR with a whip stitch or two.

Step 2) SKIP the point, and repeat with the adjacent flat edge, again bringing the flat edge to the center. Anchor with another whip stitch to secure. You could do this all the way around, but it is easier to learn on just one section. Set the needle aside.

Step 3) PINCH the triangle you've just created, which should already be folded to the point. Fold to the left; finger press. FOLD to the right; finger press. Edges of the triangle should align perfectly with the outer edges of your hexagon shape.

Step 4) FOLD the point of the triangle to the center of the hexagon, forming a little TREE-shape. Finger press. I like to "fingernail" press to get a nice, crisp point at the tip of the tree shape.

Step 5) PINCH the raw edge and bring it to the outside corner. You'll see the edges start to curl in. Pull that point all the way to the top and even a little bit past, forming a diamond shape. FINGER-PRESS in place.

Step 6) Without losing it's shape, FOLD the tip back down to the center, then take another STITCH or two to secure the tip.

Repeat steps 1-6, stitching and folding for each of the next five segments, forming a dimensional star in the center of the hexagon.

Cover the raw edges in the center with a small button or yo-yo to finish! (I love that "Fudge Factor"!)

At Quilt Market, we hot-glued a clasp to the backs of our little hexagami flowers, and when I remembered, I snapped a couple of pictures. Just look at the smiles! >> HEXAGAMI FLOWERS