Hex quilts

Since I've been looking at blogs with hexagon quilts on I thought I'd show you my little offerings.  I had a mad passionate affair briefly with hexagon quilts a few years ago.  This was the first one.    I also started collecting rose patterned fabric at this time. From this little darling I went onto bigger things, but just before you scroll down make a guess on how big you think this quilt is.  Okay so then I started my lifetimes work.  My late hubby would patiently follow me around craft shops, garage sales and op-shops on my hunt for rose patterned fabric, he would be amazed as each evening I would sit cutting up old chrissy cards to make the templates and then spend the next evening watching me cutting fussy cutting up perfectly good metres of fabric, then he would mumble something about womens logic as he watched me sewing it all back up again. We joked that it would never be finished until we were pensioners. It started off a hexagon, then it went star shaped and then back to a larger hex with the addition of smaller hexagon pieced hexs. Not quite sure how it ended up diamond shaped, it took on a mind of its own and I managed to slowly get it into a rectangle shape.  Other things took over our lives, the unfinished quilt occassionally brought out by a proud hubby for a show and tell session.  But it didn't get finished, there were over 7000 mini hexs in that quilt, all stitched by hand over a period of about 8 years.  The quilt made its final trip into the outside world a few days after my beloved passed away.  I gave it to the undertaker and he wrapped by husband in it. He probably thought it was very strange, but that quilt was made out of memories and I had plenty to spare so I gave it with love. I still have a few of the hexs left and might one day make a small wall quilt.  When laid flat on the floor and standing over it looking down it had a very strange effect, very hypnotic so it was called the gypsy rose mandala quilt.   

                    I'm finally getting to the end of the de-cluttering in the craft room. I decided that the tapestry frames had to go and a quilting frame. I found a quilt, dusty and full of spider poo and gubbins.  I really should clean it up and finish it once and for all.  Its a dresden plate, started when I was pregnant with my second son 23 years ago, the bets were on at quilting class wether the quilt or the baby would get finished first. I'm quite sure that if Matt had decided to arrive on time and not 2 months early I would have finished the quilt.  Every so often I get it out and put a few more stitches in, its embellished with embroidery and hand stippled quilted.  Hopefully i can finish it for when matt has kids and since there isn't even a current girlfriend on the horizon I reckon I've plenty of time. You can the first hex quilt hanging on the rail over the single bed in the craft room.