I participate in a quilt retreat which meets yearly in the spring at a peaceful, wooded camp in the West Virginia foothills. In addition to our incredible weekend together, we often choose to do a special project during the intervening year. This year we were randomly given a quilt type and two colors and told to make a small quilt (no larger than 36″ square) but something that is ‘outside the box’ for each of us.
I received art as the type quilt and my colors must include aqua and yellow.
I decided to create a landscape, not a very unique idea, except I am creating mine with hexagons. In my mind, it will be suggestive rather than explicit in its depiction of a landscape. We’ll see how close I can come to the picture in my mind’s eye!
I made a rough sketch: a stream, trees, flowers, sky, and perhaps a few rocks. I began by cutting out the hexagons and basting them around cardboard templates which will be removed later.
rough sketch 
basted around cardboard template
I’m using 2″ hexagons. Smaller ones would have allowed much more detail, but would have required many more hexagons and lots more hand stitching. I don’t want this to be the only project I complete in the coming year!
Water 
sky
Flowers 
Trees
I calculated that I will need approximately 88 hexagons but made 100 since I’m sure I’ll toss some out and add others. But this is a start.
Here is my plan. I’m going to use a large table, spread these out, and treat this like a puzzle. I’ll arrange and rearrange until I have the landscape I want.
Then, of course, comes the stitching. I’ll connect them by hand with a whip stitch from the back. I’m going to be very disappointed if this doesn’t work, but its been fun planning it. And it’s very much ‘outside the box’ for me. I’m a machine quilter.
I’ll keep you informed along the way.
Please leave your comments, suggestions, thoughts, and greeting below. I love hearing from my followers. This is our way to keep in touch.
I can’t leave you without mentioning the books. Under C&T Publisher’s able hand, my Quilting Cozy series is selling very well. Where my original self-published edition never got much past Amazon, the new edition is now in book stores around the country and advertised in many quilter’s magazines and catalogs. (And it includes the pattern for the cover quilt.)
Available from Amazon and from C&T Publishing
A Quilting Cozy Series - Carol Dean Jones 
I’m so impressed, and a little intimidated! Can’t wait to see it!
Just watch some You-Tubes on English Paper Piecing and you’ll realize they aren’t hard and I’m really having a good time with them. It’s nice to creat OFF the sewing machine once in a while. I baste them while I’m watching tv. And I carry a freezer bag of them when I’m waiting at the doctor. What’s intimidating to me is the idea of making an entire quilt with them! Thanks for reading my blog post. I hope you signed up as a follower so we can keep in touch. Best wishes.
I’m like the little engine that could, I think I can I think I can I CAN
comment. figured it out!! W/o setting up a WP blog
Cecilia
Hello Carol! You have such an imagination for design & color. Sure looks like fun gathering all the fabrics; can’t wait to see once complete. Speaking of complete…Yes I was torn between quilting, gardening & finishing the Cozy Series. Due to so much rain in Michigan this year God blessed me with a few weeks to reach my goals! Finished a quilt for my nephews wedding, all the annuals have been added and sad to say…completed
your book series. Sad that it ended…I enjoyed each character which seem like friends! Happy Day!
So glad you were able to accomplish your goals. All the rain (here in WV as well) has offered many opportunities for working on the inside projects. I’m glad you enjoyed the series. There will be at least one more and maybe more. I hope you have a great summer and that you will stay in touch through the website or drop me a line at QuiltingCozy@gmail.com and let me know how the quilting is coming. Best wishes, Carol
I finished your complete cozy series approximately 2 years ago. I loved reading them, although I am not a reader but prefer quilting. When away from my fabric and machine, the books gave me the feeling that I was still surrounded by my fabrics. I look forward to your next book! I, too, have a stack of environmental fabrics awaiting a “someday” landscape quilt 🙂
Hi Jane, nice to hear from you. I hope to do a more conventional landscape wall hanging in the future as well. I have so many projects in mind, and there is no way I will get to them all but we keep trying, don’t we? Best wishes
What a beautiful idea using hexagons. I purchased your entire series, read them all, shared with my sister a non quilter, and are anxiouly waiting for the next book.
Hi Mona, thank you for your comment. The next book is in the works with the publisher but I don’t know when it will be released. I’ll let everyone know on the blog when they announce a date. Thank you for reading my books and following along with the blog. My loyal readers are very special people and I appreciate them all. Have a great summer.
So happy your books are now nation wide, it gives even more readers the pleasure of meeting the much loved characters in your stories. Your project challenge sounds like fun and I’m sure it will be beautiful when it is completed. 💕
Thank you, Robin. Hope you have a fantastic summer.
Carol, you know how much I have loved your books and I enjoy all of your quilting blogs too. This project is inspiring to me. I’ve always wanted to do a landscape. What fun!
Good to hear from you, Wanda. I’ve always wanted to do a regular landscape quilt and still plan to. For years I’ve had a box of fabric labeled ‘environments’ for just that project. Have a great summer. Happy Quilting.
Carol, Your posts are always fun and inspirational, even to me — a non-quilter! Can’t wait to see the finished project!
Thank you, Judy. I’m having fun with it!
Please tell me that your new quilting cozy book will be availBle soon. I’m trying to wait patiently!
I can tell you that it’s been accepted by the publisher. How long will it take? I have no idea, but at least it will get out there one day. Thank you, LuAnne, for your interest and your loyal following. Best wishes for a great summer.
Having literally seen your “box of ideas” this week, I think this is a very creative and fun – not to mention challenging – idea. It ought to be quite spectacular when you have it done! So proud of my creative sister!
Love, Pam
Thank you, sister. And thank you for making my birthday special.
Carol,
Amazing “outside the box” project! I just read Emily Breclaw’s book, “Adventures in Hexagons”; incredible history behind these tiny elements. I cannot wait to see your finished quilt. You are Truly an inspiration. I’ve read the first 8 of your books and book 9 and 10 are waiting on the book shelf for me. The stories are delightful and welcome us to step right in with the characters. Warm reading! Thank you, Dawn
Thank you for the info on Emily Beclaw’s book. I haven’t seen it but will get it. I also want to thank you for your kind comments about the books. I’ve enjoyed writing them and hope to continue. My characters have become friends to me and I’m compelled to keep giving them life.