Thank you Glasgow

That may sound like a strange title - but I have just been to the Stitching, Sewing and Quilting Show at the SECC in Glasgow, where I taught a workshop using the new Big Shot Plus machine to cut hexagons to make a patchwork coaster. It was my first visit to Glasgow and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting lots of patchwork and sewing enthusiasts, and we had a lot of fun and laughter - so thank you for making me feel so welcome!
One of my first workshop attendees was Debbie Price - who wasn't very confident about her stitching skills and wasn't sure that she could or would complete the coaster. I suggested that I would give her a small prize if she completed it before the end of the show - and to my great surprise she came the very next morning to show me her completed coaster -

I was suitably impressed -she had stitched it very well.
I do love going out to the shows and running workshops or doing demonstrations with the Big Shot and the Bigz dies - because I love to see the response when someone sees it working for the first time.
There were some lovely quilts on display and in the competitions ( I haven't included photos because I haven't asked permission)
So this week I thought I'd put the instructions for my coaster on the blog - and it is easy enough that you still have time to complete it as a small gift for mother's day!! and you can see how it looks completed in the photo of Debbie!

 

I used the new Big Shot Plus machinehttp://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/660020/sizzix-big-shot-plus-machine-only-white-gray
and a 1" sided hexagon and a 1 1/4" sided hexagon

Sizzix® Bigz™ Die Hexagons #2 1” side http://www.sizzix.co.uk/catalog#q=659835  and 

Sizzix® Bigz™ Die Hexagons 1 ¼” side 659834

25cm x 13cm each of 2 contrasting or co-ordinating fabrics

Paper to use as hexagon templates

Wadding 25cm x 13cm for hexagon templates

Thread for piecing

Method

1.    Using the Big Shot machine and die 659835 cut 7 hexagons in paper, and 7 in wadding

2.    Using the machine and die 659834 cut 7 hexagons from  each fabric

3.    Pin one fabric hexagon to one paper, fold the fabric edges over the paper and tack the fabric corners together ( don’t stitch through the paper)

4.    Repeat with the remaining 6 papers.

5.    Repeat step  with the wadding and the remaining fabric hexagons

6.    Stitch 6 hexagons around a contrast central hexagon.

7.    Repeat with the remaining 7 hexagons.

8.    Press well

9.    Remove the paper from all the hexagons.

10.                       Pin the 2 hexagon ‘flowers’ together and slip stitch the folded edges together to complete the coaster