Hexagons
Hexagon Rosette
Seven hexagons (one center surrounded by six) — the classic Grandmother's Flower Garden rosette. English Paper Piecing is the traditional construction: baste each hexagon around a paper template, then whipstitch them together edge by edge before joining the rosette to the background corners.
Cut list
Dimensions for a 12 inch finished block with a standard 1/4 inch seam allowance. Scale proportionally for other finished sizes.
| Region | Role | Pieces | Cut size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center Hexagon | Feature | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| East Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| Northeast Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| Northwest Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| West Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| Southwest Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| Southeast Hexagon | Accent | 1 | 4" × 4" |
| Northwest Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Northeast Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Southeast Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Southwest Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut each region using the dimensions in the cut table for a 12 inch finished Hexagon Rosette block. Standard 1/4 inch seam allowance is included.
- Step 2
Sew sub-units, leaving set-in seams for last
Sew straight seams that meet at the points where set-in seams will land. Stop a 1/4 inch from each corner.
- Step 3
Assemble the block
Join the sewn sub-units with Y-seams. Press final seams open or to the side per your preference. Square to size.
Read more
Color value vs hue in quilts
Value is how light or dark a color is. Hue is what we usually call “the color itself.” In quilts, value carries the design — hue carries the mood.
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Quilt block families, explained
Most quilt blocks belong to one of six families — Patchwork, Half-square triangles, Flying geese, Stars, Curves, and Hexagons. Each family is a way of piecing fabric together.
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The quilter’s seam allowance, explained
A seam allowance is the strip of fabric between the seam and the raw edge. Quilters work in a standard 1/4 inch — and getting it right is the difference between a top that finishes flat and one that fights you.
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Try the Hexagon Rosette on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.