Category Archives: Applique

Round Robin, Round 2

Posted on June 11, 2017 by heARTs Creations

Round Robin (Medium)

How exciting to see Round 2 of our Round Robin! The creativity has just blown me away. My great hope is that each of the other participants is half as happy with my contribution to each quilt as I am with what they have added to mine!

Judy's RR

First up: Judy’s quilt. The fabrics are so pretty and soft. Helen took the little scraps and did one inch squares. This was a lot of sewing and has added so much to this creation.

Helen's RR

Second: Helen’s quilt. Judy added the curved border which really complimented all the squares and triangles. The border of the bird fabric plays into the center block – I love these birds!

Deb's RR

Third: Deb’s quilt. This outside border was my contribution. I felt like all those geometrics needed some curves. I did improve curved piecing then the corners were a play on the center block. In person, these fabrics are truly gorgeous.

Joyce's RR

Fourth: My quilt. Last round Helen added many, many crosses. This round Deb framed the cross border with the black and whites – absolutely stunning!. The curved corners are so unique!

Our next round is our last and the plan is to meet after Labor Day. I’m not even going to look at it (I have Helen’s with the birds) for a few weeks and then look for inspiration. I have a bit of an idea, but need to let it go for now. So glad we are doing this RR – the borders have been amazing and our meetings and reveals have been a lot of fun. Thank you ladies!!

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Posted in Applique, Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Projects, Round Robin and tagged projects, Quilting, swap, Thread. Bookmark the permalink.

Round Robin Round 1

Posted on May 17, 2017 by heARTs Creations

Round Robin (Medium)

Four of us decided to do a Round Robin this year. We each made a center block of our choice, gathered the fabrics we wanted to be part of the quilt and then pass it on to the next person who then adds a row of their own design around the block. Three things that I love about this Round Robin: #1- The other 3 quilters in this group have amazing talent (a bit intimidating actually). #2 – There are no deadlines; it is a very loose schedule. #3 – Each of us will only have to do three rounds. I would not want to do this with a larger group. (following pics were taken in a restaurant without the greatest lighting.)

Here are the original blocks:

Here is round one for each block:

When I was working on round 1 and began pinning it to the center block, it hit me: “I’m working on someone else’s quilt!” (I did the round with the polka dot fabrics above.) A bit intimidating but I did like the results. I haven’t a clue what I’ll be doing for round two. Time is not my friend right now, so I haven’t even pulled out the fabrics and quilt to begin to get ideas. Best of all, I know they will be patient. I also know that whatever is sewn onto my quilt will be amazing!

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Posted in Applique, Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Projects, Quilting and tagged projects, Quilting, Round Robin, swap. Bookmark the permalink.

Snow Fun!

Posted on April 19, 2017 by heARTs Creations

IMG_1596 (Medium)

I recently traveled outside of my “box” and entered the Martelli Quilt contest. There was a theme choice of Winter, Thanksgiving, Christmas or Autumn. I chose Winter and was sent these templates:

Winter Templates

There was no set criteria except for the size of the finished panel. My interpretation was that although we did not need to use all the templates, I should use as many templates as many times as I could. My guess was that the quilt panels would be displayed at market and/or shows to show how the templates could be used. I used the quarter round template 38 times, the Snowman template 3 times and the mitten template 6 times. This did not seem to play into the judging, however. I did not make it as a finalist, but thoroughly enjoyed the process. For a few days I threw myself into this project. My only regret is that we don’t get the panels back (we do keep the templates.)

I had fun creating the winter sky with a bit of crazy, no plan piecing. Embellishing the snowmen definitely fed my creative side.

Would I do this again? Probably not this particular contest unless there were more guidelines and would be able to get my project back when the company was done with it. It was, however, definitely an excellent experience!

Snow Fun (Medium)

Linking up with Em’s Scrapbag, WIPS on Wednesdays, Let’s Bee Social, Silly Mama, and My Quilt Infatuation

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Posted in Applique, Art, Color, Fabric, Pattern, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting and tagged Color, Patterns, projects, Quilt Contest, Quilting, Snowmen, Templates, Winter. Bookmark the permalink.

Adventurous Applique

Posted on April 5, 2017 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Ambassador Adventure

Adventurous Applique Graphic (Medium)

Our April IBA project was “Adventurous Applique.” This played perfectly into a little project I have been wanting to do – a little project tote bag. I pulled out a number of the six inch strips from the rolls we received from Island Batiks, cut them into various strip widths and sewed two sets together. I sewed those to a neutral top.

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I pulled out my bag of IB scraps and cut a bunch of long skinny flower petals. I fused a stem and then fused the petals. I did the flower as a raw applique and added a center.

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A lining was added and voila! A cute little project tote bag that’s full of color, color, color!

Applique Bag (Medium)

Applique bag inside (Medium)

Linking up with: My Quilt Infatuation, WIPS on Wednesday, Let’s Bee Social

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Posted in Applique, Art, Color, Island Batiks, Projects and tagged Color, projects, Quilting, Scraps. Bookmark the permalink.

Reach For The Sun

Posted on March 15, 2017 by heARTs Creations

ReachforSun heARTsCreations (Medium)

Sunflowers are one of my favorites. They are so big, sunny and cheerful. And in the midst of the beastly cold snap we’re experiencing in the NC Piedmont, they are a welcoming sight. I’d wanted to do this wall hanging for some time and started it about 4 or 5 years ago. Thought I’d never finish it! The background is various sunflower fabrics sewn together in uneven strips. It was then quilted and bound. I wanted the sunflowers to make a BIG statement so I decided to do a dimensional applique.

ReachforSun on bench heARTsCreations (Medium)

All the petals and leaves were sewn right sides together then turned. The stems were cut on the bias, machine sewn down on one side then hand stitched on the other. The petals were put in place and machine quilted.

Reach4Sun Center heARTsCreations (Medium)

The centers of the flowers were fun to construct. Three quarter inch strips were sewn together, cross cut, then sewn together again to make a checkerboard. This project was definitely consuming me at this point! There was no way the centers could be sewn down by machine – too thick. I chose brown pearl cotton and a hefty needle, but still could not easily sew. Pliers to the rescue! This turned into work and made my hand ache, so I attacked it little by little each evening.

Beaded Bee heARTsCreations (Medium) BeeinFlight 2 heARTsCreations (Medium)

The centers still needed something so I added some beads. Then hubby suggested that the quilt needed a bee. I just stared at him for a moment and then declared, “you are so right!” A few sketches later and a trip to the store for yellow and black beads, the bee was taking shape in my head. It took a whole evening to stitch that li’l critter and I love him! Thanks hubby! After I added the bee’s “flight pattern” it was definitely time to celebrate – “Reach For The Sun” was complete!

ReachforSun hanging heARTsCreations (Medium)

IMG_1581 (Medium)

The date on the label should be February 2017 – when I made the label and quilted it in, I was SO sure the quilt would be done last November!!

Linking up with Em’s Scrapbag, Let’s Bee Social, WIPS on Wednesdays, Super Mom No Cape and My Quilt Infatuation.

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Posted in Applique, Art, Color, Embroider, Fabric, garden, Projects and tagged Applique, Beads, Color, Embroidery, flowers, projects, Quilting, Quilts, UFOs. Bookmark the permalink.

A Southern Quilt Shop

Posted on March 5, 2017 by heARTs Creations

The “Reading Room”

Two weeks ago a friend and I visited Charleston, SC with a side trip to Summerville, SC which is just outside Charleston. It is a charming little town with shops and restaurants and best of all, a great quilt shop. People, Places and Quilts is in a fine old building. It is such a treasure hunt as you go from room to room, each filled with fabrics, tools, threads and so much more.

Diane, the owner is a delight as was the other staff members there. They are all friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Above is Diane the worker bee, Diane the Owner and Diane my traveling companion. Then there is me and my cousin who lives in Summerville.

There are quilts on display everywhere – such inspiration! Some on display were also class samples.

Lots and lots of fabrics. Prints, batiks, solids and many scrumptious flannels.

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This antique cash register was not only a joy to look at – it works and is used for all the shop sales! Do you embroider? Applique? Work with wool felt? There was a whole section devoted to all of those!

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I strongly suggest you stop by to see this wonderful shop if you are ever any where near Summerville. I’ve checked out their class list and might just have to “visit” my cousin soon!!

Great First Month in 2017

Posted on February 1, 2017 by heARTs Creations

lizard-quilt-heartscreations-large

Paper piecing – I enjoy it but at times can wear me out. I just completed a paper pieced border for a wall quilt and wanted to sit and mindlessly sew. The first of the year I cut out several charity quilts so I pulled one out and sewed away! It was all pieced in just a few hours – how fun! It really needed something else, though. The fabric is a bit wild – all generously donated. There is one print among the batiks that is a lizard fabric. Ta Da! I’ll applique a few large lizards! Even better, I used my Scan n’ Cut – what a treat to have precise cutting done in just moments.

All in all, January was a very good sewing month, especially considering I was on vacation for a whole week. I revamped my Work in Progress listing. Yes, I do have more projects, but have not touched some in such a long time I eliminated them from the list for now. I have promised myself to only add charity quilts and gift quilts – there is a wedding gift quilt added to the list. Oh how I want to stay on task and shorten the list. Can I do it? Yes! Will I do it? We’ll see!! Do you have so many projects started it seems overwhelming? Do you have an action plan? I’d love to know how other quilters deal with this.

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Today I’m linking up with Esther Aliu’s Blog, Let’s Bee Social, My Quilt Infatuation.

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Posted in Applique, Color, Fabric, Organization, Projects and tagged Blocks, projects, Quilting, Quilts, Sewing, UFOs. Bookmark the permalink.

heARTS Creations

Category Archives: Applique

Round Robin, Round 2

Round Robin Round 1

Snow Fun!

Adventurous Applique

Reach For The Sun

A Southern Quilt Shop

Great First Month in 2017

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