Winter Solstice 2024

Today's the day - short amount of sunlight but it all gets better from here on out!

I'm getting ready and want to let those short days of Fall know that I'm not going to take it any more. I want more of the sun and I'm going to get it!

You've seen this quilt here before when I first blogged about it in 2015. It's been quilted and it's ready to hang and wag it's finger at those dark days. And shine and shine from it's place on my wall.

Winter Solstice Quilt: Here Comes the Sun! 26" x 28-1/2"

Do you remember when I showed you how this was pieced so that there are NO y-seams? Just because it's a hexagon does not mean I have to have set-in seams. Everything was cut based on that center hexagon from Paula Nadelstern's Fabricadabra collection by Benartex Fabrics. That hexagon was cut using my multi-sized 60 degree triangle ruler. It will finish to 10-1/2".

No y-seams here!

Those triangles are based on that finished height of 10-1/2". See? You do NOT need a set of specialty rulers or templates. The 60 degree triangle ruler is magical; that's why I call it my Power Tool. Last rows joined in pic below. Again, straight seam sewing!

More triangles and a few diamonds

The block is 15-1/2" (high) x 18" (wide). I squared it up with 30 degree triangles and then added borders.

I had another version of this in my series I call Double Hexie Star (which is a workshop I teach). But I did NOT like the borders. (Double Hexie Star is also a pattern in my Etsy shop!)

Double Hexie Star with borders I don't like

I took the borders off and finished it with simple binding. A beautiful table topper to welcome the sunlight trying to peek in my windows.

Double Hexie Star Variation

Same size center hexagon. This time I used large triangles (the blue) and then sets of 30 degree triangles which appear to be 120 degree units, but those would require a set-in seam and you know how I feel about those!

I finally figured out how to put my label on the back so it is captured in that 120 degree angle. It's easy to do with a 90 degree angle (a regular quilt), but I had to put my thinking cap on for this one. I used the end of my Rose Star template to trim it and then lined it up on the raw edges with the binding grabbing it all very neatly!

Rose Star template has a 120 degree end

I've been doing my quilt labels like this for 15 years. No hand work!

Neat label in one of those 6 corners!

Happy Winter Solstice to all in the Northern Hemisphere!