Greetings from Anna in Australia

[Anna Whitford]

Good morning/afternoon/evening all,

Great to find this site as I'm keen to learn more about patchwork and quilting.

I also hope a question straight up isn't too pushy, but I've spent a lifetime making a patchwork quilt and I really need some advice on how to finish it. It hexagonal pieces about 7 cm across and now its about the size I want it to be (180 cm x 180 cm) I wondered if there was any way I could preserve the edges, rather than turning them under to make straight sides? I began this quilt over 30 years ago from all the fabric my mother and 5 sisters had accumulated in a lifetime and had no real idea of what I was doing. Now its almost finished, I still don't know, but somehow I'd like to preserve the way it is now, with its jutting hexagons - I just need some advice on how best to do it - do I just chose a pice of fabric to appliqué it onto, or is there some other way that it could be done?

I could go to a craft store but I'm such a rank amateur I'd find it a bit intimidating. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Anna