Insanity or Therapy?

Rae Ann Holbrook's Insanity Quilt

Insanity Quilt by Rae Ann Holbrook

Rae Ann Holbrook has finished the center of a gorgeous quilt top with Inklingo, using the design of Rhonda Pearce’s Award Winning quilt, “Insanity,” which was on the cover of Issue 16/6 of Australian Patchwork & Quilting.

It is an amazing accomplishment, especially considering some of the challenges that life has thrown at Rae Ann this year.  Neither of us is sure whether hand piecing more than 10,000 half-inch hexagons is therapy or insanity.

We know this design is easier, faster, and more portable with Inklingo than with any other method, but. . . well. . . Monkey says ten THOUSAND of anything (except maybe chocolate) is a bit over the top.

Detail of Rae Ann's Diamonds in the Insanity Quilt
Detail of Rae Ann’s Diamonds

This is the result of a great effort:  “I can’t tell you how happy I am with how this has come out.  I’m beaming with joy.  Without Inklingo I would never have attempted something like this.  Now to print and cut more white hexes for the first border.  By actually seeing the center completed it has given me inspiration to continue.  I’m so excited all over again.”

Detail of Insanity Quilt with different 30s prints!

Updated October 2022

Rae Ann’s quilt used to be on her blog. All of the hexagons in the diamonds were different 30s fabrics! If you are planning to make the quilt, it is a good idea to get the PDF from the magazine’s website, with a correction but the direct link is no longer available.

Half-inch hexagons to print on fabric Half-inch Hexagons to Print on Fabric!

After that, you just have to print a few thousand hexagons on fabric with the 0.5-inch Inklingo Hexagon Shape Collection.

For this hexagon quilt pattern, you can print 8 hexagons at a time on each fabric with freezer paper cut 3.25 x 5.5 inches.

It is a wonderful, portable project, with very little prep time (no templates, no measuring), and you can think calming thoughts while you sew half-inch seams, one after another, with a simple, relaxing running stitch.

Rae Ann's 30s prints, put to good use in the Insanity Quilt Pattern!

Oct 2022

Unfortunately, back issues of the magazine do not seem to be available anymore.

Rae Ann is stitching the hexagon flowers for the border of this top.  I asked her what’s next. Rae Ann says it will be a Double Wedding Ring–with Inklingo, of course!

Congratulations, Rae Ann!  You should be proud of yourself.  Thank you very much for letting me show your photos here.

Insanity Quilt Hexagons from Inklingo

I will share your comments with Rae Ann.  Thank you for visiting.

Linda & Monkey

8 thoughts on “Insanity or Therapy?”

  1. Just awesome! Continue with this one Rae Ann, it is so wonderfull! And Frummie, just keep going, it will give the quilt an antique look! Just paint the rest of the fabrics in coffee aswell! God just told you that that is your style LOL!

    Reply
  2. Frummie… Don’t stop working on your Insanity Quilt unless you don’t like it… Wash/Rinse the coffee out of what you have so far… It will give your quilt character! If it won’t come out, dip the rest of it in coffee so it matches. Or… take apart the part that is stained and replace it with newly sewn pieces. I haven’t started one of these, but I do intend that to be my next project for myself. I love the 30’s Repro fabrics!!!

    Reply
  3. Thank you to all of you for your wonderful comments and encourgement. I still have a ways to go before it is completed. I’m currently working on the first inside white border, boring as it is, I am plugging through. I like it much better when there are lots of color hexs involved. I know after the pink border is added, my stiching will pick up faster, because the flowers will be next!!!
    Thanks again.

    Reply
  4. Wow, Rae Ann…what a wonderful accomplishment! It turned out wonderful. I have that pattern, but haven’t even thought of starting it yet…but it’s fun to see that it is possible to get it together LOL. thanks for posting the picture Linda! And, monkey….10,000 pieces of chocolate is a little over the top for a monkey too!!!

    Reply
  5. Hi Rae Ann,
    So very excited to see That Linda has posted a Photo of your Insanity Quilt. You really did a great job.
    Your Friend
    Ruth

    Reply
  6. Dear Rae Ann,
    I am just in awe of you. I started, cut out 1/2 the hexes and spilt coffee all over the first to rows. I believe that was god telling me to stop…LOL
    Your quilt is just wonderful!!!!
    Frummie

    Reply

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