Little hexagons and other paper pieces

As I have so little time to work on my crafts lately, I've been working on some piecemeal projects - easy to do a few bits and pieces when I have just a little bit of time here and there.  In this case the bits of time are when the grandson is in his high chair eating meals (or coloring in his favorite Spongebob coloring book).  I've been cutting out shapes to work on some English Paper Piecing.

I have some hexagons, first of all.

I'm planning to make some hexie flowers - white for the center, with six hexagons around the outside.  The six hexagons will all be from the same fabric.

I've cut two sets (six each) of some of these fabrics because I'm hoping to swap hexie flowers with others in a Facebook group.  I'm using 1" Paper Pieces for this.

I know there are several ways (at least) to prepare and stitch hexagons.  I'm using a glue pen.  I put glue on one side of a paper hexagon

I center the hexagon on the piece of fabric, glue side of the paper piece facing the back side of the fabric.  I do a few of these, then start basting the fabric around the paper hexagon.  I do not sew through the paper.  I fold ahead a bit and use a paper clip to hold the fold while I stitch the previous fold.

I'm collecting these basted pieces, and when I have time for some hand-stitching I will put them together into hexie flowers.  I do use a running stitch when sewing them together.  I know many others use an overcast stitch.  Not my preference.  (I use a running stitch when doing hand applique as well; other people use overcast for that, too, but I prefer invisible stitches.)

The hexagons are one of three paper piecing projects I'm cutting bits of fabric for at the moment.  I'm also doing "jewel" shapes.  You can see the beige paper piece on the right-hand side.

Some of these fabrics are fussy-cut.  I was greatly inspired by Temecula Quilt Co's "Fussy Cut Fridays" and "Little Gems".  In fact, I ordered their "Little Gems Starter Kit" (and the toothpick dispenser) last month.  (Got this great photo as part of the kit.)

The third future-project is diamonds.  I'm planning to do something with a tumbling blocks design, so for this I don't need sets of six, although I cut them that way when convenient.

I'm using 1-1/2" 6-pointed diamond paper pieces for this.  I have been inspired by this photo, although I will be using a variety of white-on-whites for the stars.

Right now most of this is merely prep - cutting into 10" squares and fat quarters to make shapes.  I have started basting some of the hexagons.  I keep seeing hexie flowers being swapped on the Facebook group and really want to join in that!  These are all great for 10 or 15 minutes here-and-there, though.  The kitchen table is a mess right now, but cutting up bits of fabric and sewing them back together again is one of the things that makes me happy.