I’m super excited to give you a behind the scenes look at the process of creating my latest quilt and leggings design — Hexie Blues!

This summer, as I was brainstorming the design for my second pair of licensed leggings (be sure to check out my first pair: Kona Sunset), I thought a lot about my everyday clothing staple—denim. A denim quilt has been on my bucket list for a while and this seemed like the perfect time to dig in.

Luckily, Art Gallery Fabrics has curated a beautiful collection of denim fabric. This was the first time I worked with Denim Studio Fabric exclusively, and I LOVED it!

I used the colors: Classic Denim, Wicked Sky, Indigo Shadow, Afternoon Sail and Hydrangea. Art Gallery Fabrics also makes textured and denim prints. I definitely see more denim quilts in my future!

I would recommend pre-washing before using denim. Just like jeans, the indigo can wear off. I was in a bit of a rush (and to be honest, I very rarely pre-wash my fabric) with this project. I did have the pigment wear off on the sewing machine. It eventually did come off, but it was a good reminder that some fabrics really do require prep time before you begin working with them. I have washed the quilt since. Tip: whenever I wash fabric or quilts, I always throw a Shout Color Catcher in the washing machine. Like magic, the dye from your fabric will be trapped on your Color Catcher and not bleed—this is a lifesaver if you have a dark color and light color in the same quilt.

piecing the quilt

I was excited to dig into this project so I brought my sewing machine with me on my annual summer beach vacation. My pop-up sewing space shared the same table as the puzzle/game activities.

planning the quilting

I auditioned a number of thread colors. When I decided that I wanted to matchstick quilt my Hexie Blues, I selected two blue (#1128 and #2715) and one gray (#2605) Aurifil 40wt cotton threads. The 40wt is a bit thicker than the 50wt I normally use. With the slightly thicker thread and variation in colors, I achieved a nice texture that complements the texture of the denim.

make and wear this quilt!

Want to make your own Hexie Blues quilt? Get the pattern here.

Want to WEAR Hexie Blues?
I teamed up again with my friends at Makers’ Mercantile to photograph Hexie blues, print it on high quality Italian athletic fabric and manufactured the design to be wearable art! I love how durable, breathable and versatile these leggings are. I love wearing them with denim dresses, skirts and black or gray tunics (another staple in my wardrobe!). They’re printed and sewn here in the USA and you support two small businesses with your purchase! Head on over to my shop to get all the details on how you can get your very own pair — they also make a GREAT gift!

I can’t wait to see you all wearing your Hexie Blues leggings and snuggling under your Hexie Blues quilts. Be sure to send me photos!