I could just stitch all of the little QAYG hexies together like an ordinary patchwork quilt. But the cotton sheeting I am using does stretch a little and I don’t feel that I could make a neat job of it. As I love to crochet and it is nice and quick I thought I would put a crochet border around each hexie and then either sew them or crochet them together. As the crochet will stretch a little as well they will all fit together without any stress.
I will be using 4ply white cotton yarn for my hexies, but for this demonstration I will be using black so you are able to see it more clearly. You will also need a sharp needle with an eye big enough to take the 4ply yarn and a 1.75mm crochet hook.
Using a long piece of yarn, you need to do this part with one piece, and a sharp needle with an eye big enough for your yarn, begin to do blanket stitch all round your hexie. For the blanket stitch you will put your needle in at the back side of the hexie, slide between the layers and come out right on the outside fold. The stitches must not show on the front of the hexie.
We will be working from the back side so it will look as though the hexie is floating on the crochet border. I don’t measure or calculate, life is too short…….my stitches are about 1/2 cm apart and 1/2cm deep. When you make the loop at the top don’t pull too hard we want to keep the shape of the hexie edge.
When your near the first corner go in the same hole as the last stitch and up on the other side. Do not pull the yarn too tightly round the corner.
When you have blanket stitched all the way round, finish off with a knot, slide your needle under your stitches through the layers of fabric and cut off the excess yarn.
Leaving a fairly long tail join your yarn to one side of the hexie, you can work from the back or the front, back is easier, and using double crocher (UK) crochet along one edge. When you get to the corner make 2 double crochet in this loop. One double crochet in each loop of the blanket stitch until you reach the next corner, make 2 double crochets in the corner loop and so on. On the second and third rows when you come to the corner do 2 double crochet in one stitch.
That is all you need, just 3 rounds of double crochet. Finish off with a long tail. Thread a tail of yarn on to your needle make a knot and pull through the layers of your hexie and blanket stitch so that it is neatly hidden.
Now all I need to do is make 100’s more of these lovely little QAYG hexies, sew them together and finish my quilt!!!! I hope you enjoyed my quick tutorials, if you have any questions please contact me.
Tinas Rag Bag 