Calico Cats and How to Make Paper Pieced Hexie Patterns in Any Size

I'm quite enamored of this latest mug rug pattern! The whimsical combination of hexies and cats makes me smile. Better yet, the sewing went so quickly that I made the mug rugs in three different fabric combinations.  I know exactly what I will do with them, too.

My good friend, Shelley, loves her cats - all three of her cats. I know that she'd dearly like another kitty, too. In fact, if she were to follow her heart in this there is no doubt that she'd swiftly morph into the "crazy cat lady" with a house filled to the brim with meowing felines.

Shelley has suggested more than once that I should design something for all the cat lovers in this world.   I've also had some requests from my facebook quilting pals. I've been listening, and this is my response.

Note: If you really want a particular pattern, folks, just let me know. Whenever there are several requests, I do my very best to comply.

Next Monday I'm meeting Shelley and some other teaching friends from my old team. Everyone will get a mug rug sometime during the year, but Shelley, who is also the driver on our quilt shop field trips, goes first. She can choose any one of these, and if she twists my arm, I may even let her have more than one.

I think that I'll need to keep one for my little neighbor girl. She's six years old and desperately wants a cat. We have a no pets policy on the two rental townhouses in our building, so she threatened me by saying that they would move. Her parents are thrilled that I get to be the bad guy this time. They've tried to compensate her with a fish, and they definitely wouldn't want a cat even if it were allowed. A mug rug won't begin to take the place of a real cat, but it will be something of her very own.

I rather enjoy making hexies with English paper piecing and stitching them on by hand, but it is quite time consuming. Paper foundation piecing them by machine goes so very much faster, so I've included patterns and a quick tutorial for sewing them in the "Calico Cats" pattern.

You can make your own paper foundation hexie pattern.

It's truly super easy.

1. Draw or download your hexagon in whatever size you like. Now, draw a rectangle around it. The rectangle with be exactly lined up with the flat sides of top and bottom, and it will touch the points of hexagons on the sides.

2. Draw another rectangle with each side exactly 1/4" apart from the original rectangle.

Looks like this:

That's it! Pattern done! What could possibly be easier than that?

Yikes! It's almost back to school time and I have only one teacher gift pattern in my shop.

"Apples for a Teacher"
A quick back to school gift for your favorite teacher.

Have a glorious August week, everyone. 

Happy Stitching!