Category Archives: Applique

Koi Pond Quilt

Posted on March 26, 2018 by heARTs Creations

On July of 2016 I posted about a quilt top I designed using Kaffe Fassett fabrics and was finishing it up. I did and had it quilted and then it just sat in my quilting closet. When the quilt top was finished, I thought it looked like a pond of water. I even had the quilting design to look like ripples of water. Finally, a year and a half later, the Koi Pond Quilt was born!

2nd border (Large)

The pattern for the koi fish is from the book (I cannot find the book anywhere and really want to give the author/designer credit. As soon as it’s found, I’ll update this post!) From my small stash of silks and other fine fabric, I began to piece the fish together as an applique.

I am very pleased with the outcome, and even more pleased that after all this time, the quilt is complete! It’s a lot easier than tending an outdoor Koi pond! Hmmm…why did I wait so long?!

What I’ve Been Working On

Posted on March 23, 2018 by heARTs Creations

I’m a planner. It seems to be my nature. Some of it probably comes from years of administrative work and deadlines. I’m the one when going on a retreat or trip is packed days ahead of time. (Spring retreat is in four weeks and my projects are packed!) I do think it’s a good thing although it tends to make a few folks think perhaps I’m a bit off balance!

As an Island Batik Ambassador, we’re sent the year’s calendar events with project themes. I’ve combined getting ready for retreats with my Island Batik Adventures – I’ve sketched, written plans and cut fabrics. My April project, “Vintage made New” is done and here are the fabulous fabrics I used. I can’t wait for my reveal very soon! I am ridiculously giddy about this one.

“Playful Pillows” is the May event, and I’ve got a real cutie planned for a much needed new pillow for our sofa in our TV watching area. Here are the fabrics all ready:

June’s event is “Modern Batik Challenge.” I have a really fun baby quilt planned, combining a scrappy modern look with applique. It will make a terrific baby gift using these fabrics:

I found July to be somewhat challenging. Not so much in finding a pattern, but finding one I wanted to use. The challenge is “Pattern Play, Secondary Pattern.” These too are all cut and ready to sew at retreat:

August is our Great Outdoors Blog Hop. This is when all the ambassadors reveal a newly released fabric line using a Spring/Summer 2018 bundle. I was so excited about the beautiful fabric line I received I went right to work. I had an idea all sketched out, but one evening I went through my pattern bin and found a pattern I’ve had for years and have always wanted to do. Yup – next day I had it all cut out and it is now nearly done! Just a bit more quilting and binding!

There may not be a lot to show here, but you can see I have been busy planning and prepping. I have a few ideas for the rest of the year, but will hold off as we’ll receive a new shipment of fabric in July and the fabric will be part of the inspiration. Now I can go ahead and pull out a work in progress bin and make some progress there. Should have something to share soon!

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Posted in Applique, Art, Fabric, Island Batiks, Modern Quilting, Organization, Pattern, Projects, Quilting and tagged Color, Patterns, projects, Quilting, Sewing. Bookmark the permalink.

New to Me & Different Technique!

Posted on March 1, 2018 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Adventure

Try a Technique For the month of March we ambassadors were asked to try a new technique – something we had never done before. The list we made amongst ourselves was endless: binding techniques, different types of applique, specialty rulers, clothing construction, art quilts, and the list went on and on. There were so many more things to consider, many of which I have done at least once. Maybe not perfected, maybe not well, but I had done it. Hmmmm. Then I saw a pic of a fabric vase type of structure. Okay! Here I go!

After sketching and cutting out a shape from paper, I played with it in a standing up position. I then cut that shape out of a heavy stabilizer. Having chosen several bright batiks, I began to cut them into random rectangular shapes, join them and place the piece onto the stabilizer securing it with basting spray. I also added another bright batik as the backing. I chose several of my Aurifil threads and quilted all the sections and then trimmed around the outer edge. I finished the edge with satin stitching and yes, this part was tedious.

Vase base heartscreations.com

Now the vase needed some life, some dimension. I covered a thin piece of rope with fabric and zig zagged it onto the base. I cut out a front and back for two random shaped flowers from a bright pink batik and sandwiched them with a leftover piece of some Thermore batting pieces I had, giving them dimension. This is a wonderful light weight batting to work with. I machine quilted each flower and added some beads in the center of each and then went on to make three leaves using the same method. After arranging the flower and leaves onto the base, I stitched each piece onto the base.

I then put the piece on end, made it into a cylinder and hot glued it together. And there it is! A glass vase hides inside nicely tucked away. It’s perfect having a yard full of daffodils this week – in the vase they went. So much color and the promise of Spring!

Vase w flowers heARTsCreations.com

Linking up with: NTT, One Monthly Goal

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Posted in Applique, Art, Color, Fabric, Island Batiks, Projects, Quilting, Thread and tagged Beads, Color, flowers, projects, Quilting, spring, Thread. Bookmark the permalink.

Mini-Love Table Topper

Posted on February 21, 2018 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Adventure

Mini quilts are fun to create and are usually a quick finish. A table topper seemed in order for me and I decided to stay with the same theme as my Galentine’s card. In the last two years I have gone from having no table runners or toppers to several including many which are seasonal. Now I have one for Valentine’s!

My table toppers are all square so I changed it up a bit and went round. I pulled pinks and purples out again to make it an obvious Valentine. All the fabrics used in this project were supplied to me by Island Batik.

Hubby has this really cool compass that I used to draw a large circle onto lightweight paper. Using the crazy quilt block method, I began with a five sided shape, then began piecing around it somewhat randomly. Hearts were then appliqued all around.

Once it was as big as the circle pattern, I sandwiched the top with batting and a backing. All the seams were stitched with a decorative stitch. I trimmed it to the circle shape and did an overall loop-de-loop quilting. For the piecing and quilting I used Aurifil threads.

Time for binding! Because it was a circle, I knew I’d need to cut the binding on the bias but didn’t really want to cut into that much fabric. I’d never used rick-rack as a binding before and thought it would look cute. Hubby even went out to buy the rick-rack for me – now that’s a good Valentine!

Mini love full (Large)

All done and I really like the way it looks on the dining table. One more holiday table topper in my collection!

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

Happy Galentine’s Day!

Posted on February 13, 2018 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Adventure

Galentine’s is all about celebrating our girlfriends, with a dash of glitz and glamour.

Today, Island Batik Ambassadors are celebrating Galentine’s Day with a post card or rug mug for their “gal friends.” My choice was to do a card sized piece to attach to the front of a card. First, I chose a selection of pinks and purples. (The fabrics featured in the post were given to me by Island Batiks)

Next, I cut a piece of stabilizer the size of the front of the card. Then the fun began! I cut some strips and shapes from the various pinks and reds and placed them on the stabilizer, securing them with an adhesive basting spray and then sewed over the seams with a decorative stitch. Having chosen two of the purples, I cut out two hearts with the centers cut out. I placed them so they would intertwine and did a zig zag stitch all around each one.

Galentine Card heARTsCreations.com (Large)

Instead of a traditional binding, I twisted two lengths of red yarn together and zig zagged it onto the edges of the card. I then glued the piece to the front of the card. A quick, creative and one of a kind card! And there I have it – a Galentine card that went out to my very own special gal – my daughter!

Galentine Card complete heARTsCreations.com (Large)

Happy Galentine’s Day to all my “Gals” out there!!

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Posted in Applique, Art, Color, Fabric, Island Batiks, Projects, Quilting and tagged Color, projects, Quilting, Quilts, Sewing, Tips. Bookmark the permalink.

January & Blog Hop Winner

Posted on February 4, 2018 by heARTs Creations

So many quilters have accomplished so much in January. I, on the other hand, cannot boast many accomplishments! We spent all of January near Pensacola, Florida – the coldest January there in ten years! I did have my sewing machine with me, but alas, it had issues so I packed it up the first week. I had hand work and that’s all I have to show for January! It’s really okay, though – we made the most of things, took lots of hikes and bicycle rides and saw area attractions. I think the break from my sewing machine was healthy.

I really like the redwork Snowmen. The pattern came with 12 blocks but I am done at two. (The Quilter’s Snowman by Primose Lane) I think they will make a lovely Christmas pillow (front and back.) I’ve also been diligently working on my first LollyPop Tree block (Lollypop Trees by Kim McLean). Not going to show it just yet. I plan on doing 7 more which means they won’t be done for a while – it’s a huge undertaking!

JANUARY LISTING

Blog Hop & Give-Away –

Thank you to all who visited the Island Batik Blog Hop. I so appreciated all the kind and supportive comments. I do read each and every one! For me it’s like a cyber retreat! A big shout out and thank you to all my followers – your support is very inspiring. And the winner is: Karen of Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats. Congrats Karen – I know you’ll love your rolls of batik fabric!

Linking up with: Super Mom No Cape

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Posted in Applique, Art, block pattern, Blog Hop, Color, Embroider, Fabric, Island Batiks, Pattern, Projects, Quilting and tagged Color, Embroidery, Patterns, projects, Quilting. Bookmark the permalink.

Gift for Baby

Posted on January 20, 2018 by heARTs Creations

IMG_1875 (Large)

I love making quilts, but sometimes it’s just so fun to make smaller projects. A neighbor friend of mine is expecting a child next month. She is also a very talented quilter and made her soon to be little one an awesome quilt. I knew I wanted to make her something other than a quilt and chose towel bibs.

IMG_1878 (Large)

I love these! They are so practical. You just slip them over the little one’s head – no tying involved. The best part is that they cover the whole front of the little one.

I started with two store bought hand towels. I chose two applique designs – a baby crow and a dinosaur (she is expecting a boy). In the center of each towel I cut out a five inch circle and added a knit cuff. This project was both fun and easy!

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