Designing with the Honeycomb

This is a blast from the past! I purchased some EPP papers in the honeycomb shape about 20 years ago and put them together with some of my 1930s reproduction fabrics. I take them out every few years and mull over what I'm going to do with them.

These are also called Elongated Hexagons (six sides, but the length of the sides is unequal).

Elongated Hexagons

This is the size of my papers. I bought them from Paper Pieces. The long sides are 2" and the short sides are 1".

2" Elongated Hexagons

I also did a very long article in 2002 for Quilt Magazine called "Designing with the Honeycomb" and I decided to show you what can be done with this basic shape and a few squares and triangles.

This is art from a LONG time ago, but you can see the basic shape joined with some "supporting actors."

The Shooting Star uses two triangles added to the long sides. Same with the Signature Block. And, well, the same with the Tessellating Leaves, but that has the addition of two logs on one side.

Now some other ideas: Add small triangles to the short sides and they become the points of a star.

Stack them as in the second photo (which means a lot of y-seams, but that's not a problem with EPP).

And the 3rd photo shows the traditional Japanese Maple pattern, again, using the larger triangles on the long sides.

Here's something from 2000! I called it Long Gems. Not sure how doable it is, but I kinda like it. It can be stitched without ANY y-seams in vertical rows.

Long Gems

One of my favorites is something I designed in 2003 and never worked out in cloth. It is doable, now that I realize I can hand piece it! It's my Honeycomb Border. This incorporates small and large squares. Just think of putting an awesome scene or floral motif in that center!

Honeycomb Border

Now you can see some possibilities for this unique shape. Whether you call it a Honeycomb or the Elongated Hexagon, I hope I got some ideas swirling in your heads!