Taking handwork along while you're vacationing (or just taking your kids to swim lessons or the doctor's office) makes a lot of sense. Small, easy-to-carry and easy-to store projects help idle minutes fly by and can yield big results. In past posts we've shared Moda's designer's tips for appliqué and embroidery. Today the focus is on hexagons.

First up is Sherri McConnell. In addition to her books and quilt patterns, Sherri designs fabric for Moda with her daughter, Chelsi.

I cut my hexagons using my Accuquilt Go! cutter and have them paper clipped to a Paper Pieces hexie.

I keep these hexies ready to go in a fabric bag with needles, thread, small scissors, the paper clips, and my acrylic template, in case I need to cut more hexies on the road. That way I can just grab the bag and have everything I need to stitch the hexies initially.

I keep the finished hexies ready for flower-making in a plastic box and have them organized by color. I can also take the box with me when I travel and make hexie flowers.

Next let's hear from Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic.

I love to take them with me, since they don't need much room in my purse and I can even work on hexies in an airplane. Traveling often more than nine hours in a plane to come to Quilt Market, these little hexies are always welcome. I don't organize them very well, since I only work on hexies per project and don't store them in advance. When I'm at home, I use a glue-stick and a rotating mat, and then glue each fabric edge onto the template. On the road I prefer the basting method.

Here is my last Hexie-project: It's a case for a small Wacom drawing tablet which is used for graphic design with Illustrator. I made it for my daughter, who is an artist and does scientific drawings that she has to transfer to her computer. I used my Comma fabrics line

A flower of the Nigella print was perfect for my DIY fabric button.

Lynne Hagmaier of Kansas Troubles offered a suggestion about using one of Moda's precuts to make hexies.

When Moda first created their Honeycomb precuts, I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Then I began to layer, stitch, cut and piece them just like I’ve done with Moda’s Layer Cakes, Charms, Mini Charms and Jelly Rolls. When layered and stitched onto a Layer Cake, there are several ways to slice and piece the blocks for difficult looking quilts simplified with our Layered Patchwork technique. Now, they’re one of my favorite precuts!

Finally, Vanessa Christensen shares her hexies-to-go with us.

I use the AccuCut for the paper and the hexie fabric and it's the best invention ever!

I use small zipper bags to keep my thread from rolling around and another one for my unfinished hexies. I keep the finished ones in a small Tupperware container.

I love using coordinating Aurifil thread for my hexies.

So there you have it! Our on-the-road series is complete...for now, at least!

Let us know if you've got any great hexie-hints to share!