Growing My Quilt, One Flower at a Time

The very first quilt I made (in 1975) was a hexagon quilt.  Since then, I've made several other quilts, but I am back to making another hexagon quilt, in the "Grandmother's Flower Garden" pattern.  This has been a "work in progress" for quite some time, now.  It's very much like growing a garden!

Starting with the seeds, um, hexagons:

 

Hexagon Patches

Hexagon quilts are made using the English paper piecing method.  I am using index cards, old greeting cards, etc. for the hexagon inserts, and, scrap fabric for the hexagons (except for the green hexagons; I bought the fabric for them; bought on sale, of course, for $1.00 per yard).  My hexagons are rather big, being 1 1/2 inches on each side. 

The individual hexagons are sewn together, using a whip stitch to join them, to form flowers:

Flower in Progress

One hexagon for the center; surrounded by six inner "petals" and 12 outer petals in a coordinating fabric to form one flower: 

Completed Flower

The inner petals of this particular flower are made from fabric scraps leftover from a Valentine's Day dress my mother made for my daughter when my daughter was 3 years old.  The next year, Mother altered the dress so daughter could wear it again.  It's one of the dresses that I have kept for sentimental reasons (and perhaps a future granddaughter?)     

The next step is to add "leaves" along the outer border of the flowers.  I have chosen to add only one row of leaves between flowers, so, adjoining flowers share leaves.  The inner petals of the purple flower below are also from leftover scraps from another dress my mother sewed for my daughter, when daughter was about 5 years old (and altered, so daughter could wear it a lot longer).  

Flower with Leaves

I remove the paper inserts from the inner petals as I "grow" each flower, and then, reuse the inserts.

Here is a picture of the quilt in progress:

The Quilt in Progress

All the flowers are made from fabric leftover from dresses, nightdresses, other sewing projects, etc.     I've tried to achieve a little bit of uniformity by having yellow centers for all the flowers.  The yellow fabric is leftover from what I bought for another quilt; there was just enough to make the outer petals of one flower, so I decided to put that flower in the middle of the garden.

Another picture of the quilt, showing more or less the whole of it.  16 flowers sewn together and one more ready, with leaves, to be attached.  After that, I need to cut out and make more green leaves.  I have 25 more flowers, waiting for leaves.  I want to make it big enough for a queen-size bed.

Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt

I am hoping that I can get this quilt finished by the end of this summer.   Better stop blogging and start sewing!  LOL.

Have you made a hexagon quilt?