heARTS Creations

Quilts in the Sun

Posted on February 13, 2019 by heARTs Creations

Finally, after many dreary days the sun shone today and pics could be taken outside!These quilts are just too bright and merry to have their pics taken indoors. Two more Hospice finishes! This first quilt is just so fun and happy. The quilt top was donated so all I had to do was quilt and bind. This will definitely put a smile on someone’s face!

This quilt top was made from donated blocks. I absolutely love scrappy so I was so excited to put this one together. Quilted, bound and done!

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They are even more fun side by side. These two finishes have revved me up to work on more and I hope to soon show another finish or two! I am always so moved that after having put so much time, effort and fabric into their work, the donors so generously donate them.

These are the new quilt labels for this Hospice quilt group. They are iron on and elegant. Thanks to Jean, our great leader, for coming up with these.

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A Note About Donations: Recently I posted that no more donations were being taken. If you have a completed quilt, quilt top or blocks you would like to donate, please contact me or leave a comment and I will gladly accept them. Fabric, unless it is a backing, is not needed at this time.

Back from A Retreat

Posted on February 8, 2019 by heARTs Creations

Talk about fun! There might have been more laughter than sewing! Thankfully, there was a lot of sewing on my part. As usual, I brought more projects than I could possibly have worked on. Just in case I have a problem with a project, or if I should get bored with a project, or if I miraculously finish a project, I’ll have another to keep me busy. This was a “Featherweight Lovers” retreat, so we all brought our Featherweight machines. Although not a FW, Dee Dee’s Singer was an absolute beauty and I love her elegant setting with a table lamp!

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I actually worked on three projects at once. First, was my leader-ender with 2 1/2″ squares finishing as sixteen patches. Second, for the “I Spy” I am doing, I did “square in a square” for the five inch cut picture squares. Simultaneously, I sewed parts of the project using the Egyptian fabric. Only one complete block to show, but quite a bit done on the others. Update: Corrected block. There were 3 pieces turned the wrong way – this is meant to be a star!

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ALL the “I Spy” squares are now a square in a square. I set them all out and pinned – now I just need to sew together. I did need a few more and I have such awesome quilting buddies – I now have all I need. Thank you!!

And finally, my sixteen patch leader ender. I set out these blocks because that is just so much fun. A few of my 1 1/2″ strips happened to get onto one of the blocks and EUREKA! I knew I had to use them for sashings. I ran out of long enough strips, but did manage to get this much together. A little wild, but I love it. After I’ve added the other sashed blocks, I’ll work out a border – maybe I’ll have another happy accident!

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Lots of great sewing done by the other retreaters. Here are just a few: Pam’s scrappy and her batik (borders to be added) –

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Jennie’s charms and stars – I love those colors –

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Janet’s Sunbonnet Sue. The setting is delightful. And how about her tiny pieces from her ongoing leader-enders?

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Seatta loves to do the Bonnie Hunter quilts –

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There were so many more that did not, unfortunately, make it into my camera. Very inspirational group. AND, an intensely fun group!

A big Thank You to Debbie for planning this fun and memorable retreat!

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Lots of Cutting & Retreat Prep

Posted on February 4, 2019 by heARTs Creations

Sewing retreats – so very much gets done! To prepare for a 4 day retreat I’m going to, I cut out not one, but two new projects! The first is for a gift for a little boy. I’ve never done an “I Spy” quilt before and thought it would be the perfect gift for the little guy. Unfortunately, my stash is not very supportive of this quilt. I did manage to cut 9-five inch blocks and then the request process to friends and my guild for more. I’m going to do “square in a square” blocks, using various colors of polka dots for the outside of each I Spy block. This should be so colorfully fun! Yeah for my quilting buddies – they surely came through with squares. What I have is cut, pinned and ready to sew.

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And I cut the Egyptian fabric I had. I’m using a Kaffe pattern, “Mardi Gras Star” from the book Kaffe Quilts Again. First time I’m using the paper plate organization method a friend recently shared with me. I love this! Every block is in it’s own plate. So much better than plastic baggies. This too is all ready to sew.

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Of course, that’s not all that’s traveling with me. The leader-ender project I have at my machine at home will go with me and so will the string quilt I started recently. One more WIP that’s been around for a while is going also. Hmmm, only 4 days. Too bad I’ll need to stop to sleep.

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January Wrap-up & A Winner!

Posted on February 3, 2019 by heARTs Creations

How fun to read all the “travel” comments you all wrote. Some were going very far away, some a little closer to home, and some were traveling to their sewing room! Every destination a great one! And random number selector chose #55: Sandy H in NC! She even has a yellow and blue quilt planned! Your treasure will be on its way soon.

And how busy was January? Typical – reorganizing and lots of motivation! I cut so many scraps, have three quilts ready for the long arm professional, two Hospice quilts quilted and bound and a WIP that has been around for a very long time has seen great progress. I legalized cutting two new projects. One to do at retreat and one for a gift. Yes, I am so good at justifying some things! The fabric (which I think is gorgeous and could not resist) for the retreat project is just wonderful. It is the Egyptian line by Andover.

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And how was your January? Sewing studio all organized and clean (just a little bit maybe?)! I’m off to South Carolina for four days and hope to have lots to show when I return!

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Getaway Blog Hop

Posted on January 28, 2019 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Adventure

Welcome to my stop on the Island Batik Getaway Blog Hop! Wow – imagine my reaction when I opened this packet of fabrics – 20 half yard cuts!

It is the French Blue collection from Island Batik.

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The theme given was travel. It was not easy to come up with a project for this one. I thought perhaps I would do a bargello and somehow incorporate the theme. That just didn’t seem to work for me. After looking through my books, patterns, and Pinterest it came to me – “Scrappy Trip Around the World!”

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There was lots of cutting into 2 1/2 inch strips. Sewing, sewing, sewing followed. Once all the blocks were on the design wall, I really wanted the theme to be more obvious. Don’t you just love A-HA moments? First, I carried the pattern outside of the solid border.

Once that was done, I decided to applique a large globe in the center of the quilt and little ones in the four corners.

The quilting was done in large wavy lines to represent water by a long armer – Gone Away Quilting.

This theme was especially relevant to me as Hubby and I are enjoying more travel and have several more places to visit on our wish list. That is one of the reasons I am not continuing on as an Island Batik Ambassador in 2019. It has been a most wonderful experience. The fabrics are beyond gorgeous and the company has been wonderful to work with.

AND there is a Giveaway! All the leftover strips from this quilt can be yours.

Just leave a comment telling me what your next Getaway will be for a chance to win. Winner will be chosen randomly On February 2, notified by email and announced on Sunday, February 3. Be sure to visit the Island Batik Blog for a chance for their giveaway! AND – the hop isn’t over!

Monday, January 28 – French Blue

Pamela Boatright –PamelaQuilts
Joyce Mullis –HeARTs Creations – THAT’S ME!

Tuesday, January 29 – Midsummer Night

Kathleen McCormick –Kathleen McMusing
Connie Kauffman – Kauffman Designs

Wednesday, January 30 – Oh Deer

Jen Shaffer- Patterns by Jen
Jeanette Jones –Inchworm Fabrics

Thursday, January 31 – Snow Berry

Sally Mannke –Sally Manke Fiber Artist
Joan Kawano –Moosestash Quilting

Friday, February 1 – Candy Cane Lane and Icicle

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Terri Vanden Bosch – Meanderings along Lizard Creek
Anne Wiens –Sweetgrass Creative Designs
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Mania Hatziioannidi –Mania For Quilts
Barbara Gaddy –Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Linking up with: Moving it Forward, Linky Tuesday

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Scraps, Scraps & More Scraps!!

Posted on January 23, 2019 by heARTs Creations

This is a song every quilter I know sings! “They multiply on their own” is definitely a favorite phrase. I was looking through my scrap bins – they are separated by color. One bin is all Kaffe scraps. Hmmm…I feel like I’ve been looking at these same scraps forever now. I’ve never used one of the many “scrap saver systems” that others use, but wanted to do something to empty these bins and start fresh. So….out came the studio Sizzix and the Big Kick.

I cut many of the larger pieces into two and one-half inch strips.

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Then I cut more of the larger pieces into one and one-half inch strips.

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Finally, I cut scraps into bunches of two and one half inch squares. The squares are now leaders-enders for a scrap quilt. How quickly they get put together this way! The 2 1/2″ strips will sleep in their bin for a while. I will use them for scrappy quilts and will most likely be for Hospice donations.

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I’ve wanted a simple straight stitch project to be at my Featherweight now resting comfortably in its new home. That’s what I’m using the 1 1/2″ strips for. I scored a great deal on very light weight interfacing (only 39 cents a yard! Hello 15 yards!) and am using it for a base for string blocks. Oh how I love the way the Featherweight sews. This is the perfect project for when I just don’t feel like thinking – mindless sewing. Very therapeutic!

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Lots of fun sewing ahead. Now, if I could just figure out how to survive on less sleep!

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New Sewing Machine Desk

Posted on January 20, 2019 by heARTs Creations

I’ve had a Featherweight for several years now but haven’t used it much. I bring it to retreats as a back-up, but have only used it once. There’s been a student desk in my studio for a few years now that’s only served as a catch- all. I considered getting rid of it, but it has a strong family history. It was my husband’s desk growing up, then it was my son’s until he left home. I painted it black for my daughter to use at her home where she used it for her sewing machine. Now that it’s back here, I thought if I put the Featherweight on it, I might actually sew with it. Even better, if hubby built the machine into the desk, it would definitely be more useable! TA DA!!

I love, love it. Hubby did such a good job. This is the third desk he’s modified for my sewing machines. This modification didn’t cost anything but a bit of his time! It even has three storage drawers. It’s not portable, but that’s okay – my portable table is set for this Featherweight. Thank you Builder Bob!!