Have you ever heard of Y-seams before? A y-seam is an intersection where 3 seams come together to a point from various angles. It may “seam” tricky, but it is pretty straight forward! Follow along with our picture tutorial to find out how to piece together whole hexagons using y-seams!
This tutorial also goes hand-in-hand with our Summer Hex pattern that was released in “Issue 7: Getting Into Shape“.
Hexagon Rows
The first thing you need to do is mark the back of each corner of your hexagon with a dot that is 1/4″ away from the edges. Then you will arrange your hexagons into rows or columns. Sew the rows or columns together, as shown. Use the dots as starting and stopping points- you will NOT sew all the way to the edges. I would also recommend that you backstitch a few stitches at the start and end points. Press all the seams in each row to the same direction.
Sewing the y-seams
Sewing your rows or columns together is a slower process, but just go slow and take it one section at a time. Find the first two edges that touch and align them right sides together. Sew from one dot to the other- do not go past the dots. Make sure that you backstitch a few stitches at the beginning and end of the seam.
Now that you have your first seam sewn, you are ready to move on to the next two edges. Starting on the corner you just ended on, you will pull fabric out of the way and lay the two edges flat against each other, right sides together. Sew to the next dot, back stitching on both ends.
Continue repeating these steps until you have reached the end of your rows or columns. If you ever find that your next section isn’t lining up right, you might need to pick out a stitch or two from the last section.
Pressing the y-seams
The best way to press the y-seams is to make all the seams spin in a pinwheel. That means, that all the seams should follow the same direction. In the centers, where the seams come together, you will open up the center and make a little “flower” and press.
Other Shapes
There are other shapes that use y-seams as well. Here are a few examples of other shapes and/or blocks that can be made using Y-seams. It’s a whole new world of possibilities when you try new techniques like this or like curves! Be creative and play with your skills!
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