Category Archives: block pattern

Hello July!

Posted on July 1, 2018 by heARTs Creations

Another month already! Whew – is it just me or is the summer already flying by? There has been a lot of sewing going on this past month here, but somehow I never seem to feel as though I’ve accomplished as much as I’d like to. About a week was spent sanding and painting my new table. I also took several days to prep backings and bindings for Hospice quilts. Here is one all finished. The quilt top was generously donated by Laurie J. She has donated several to our Hospice group and it is so greatly appreciated! My favorite part of quilting is the piecing, and at this point my least favorite is the quilting. I am trying to build my skills, but really am not complaining because receiving quilt tops is such a boost to our cause!

I also went to the Pineapple Fabric sale last week in Archdale, NC. If you are ever close enough, it is worth the trip! There was a huge clearance tent and the fabrics were about $4 a yard. There was a room of batiks and their main room was packed full of wonderful top quality quilting fabric all at discount prices. I went for specific needs for existing projects, but couldn’t resist these precut strips. Can’t help myself – will begin this one any day now. I love a mindless project!

strips (Large)

And here is my June wrap up. All in all, I am very pleased. Add to that, my studio got quite a bit more organized so I am one happy quilter!

June Progress Lising (Large)

Linking up with: Monday Making, Main Crush Monday, Moving it Forward

Modern Batik Challenge

Posted on June 5, 2018 by heARTs Creations

An Island Batik Adventure

The ambassador challenge for June is “Modern Batik Challenge.” I decided to make a baby-sized quilt and went to one of my Island Batik bins to choose fabrics. I love all the blues and pulled out all the small pieces I had left from previous projects and a few of the bigger ones too. I chose an white with a very light blue print neutral for the background.

From a very light weight tissue-like paper, I cut long strips 2 inches wide. I used those as a base to randomly paper piece all the blue fabrics. Once it was all sewn, I trimmed each of the four strips. I placed two across the top and two lengthwise on the left-hand side which created much negative space. After all was cut to size and pieced, I machine quilted straight lines in the white spaces and used a loop-de-loop in the blue strips. Aurifil thread was used in this project.

This quilt will go into my stash of quilts and when there is a baby I want a quilt for, I will probably put his or her name in the large open space. I love when baby quilts are personalized that way.

Copy of Modern Batik Challenge 39

All the Island Batik Ambassadors have been busy and I encourage you to give them a visit to see what they have created with these beautiful fabrics that Island Batik has provided us with.

Linking up with:

Linky Tuesday, (too) Cute Tuesday, WIPs on Wednesdays

Needle and Thread Thursday

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Posted in Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Island Batiks, Modern Quilting, Pattern, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting, Scraps, Stash, Thread and tagged Color, projects, Quilting, Quilts, Scraps, Thread. Bookmark the permalink.

Mini Square in a Square

Posted on May 30, 2018 by heARTs Creations

At my Spring retreat I began this mini quilt using gray print triangles I had in my stash together with a pack of 2 1/2″ squares I found when cleaning out a bin of precuts. I attended another retreat where I finished all the blocks and then pieced the triangles for the border.

I didn’t put it completely together until I got home because I needed to do a bit of math and design. I chose to do the little cornerstone squares in a square – and yes, they were a pain! I cut a template for a quilting motif, traced it around in the center of each block and quilted. I really do like the outcome. I will probably use it as a table topper, switching it out with others at some time. So fun to complete a small project!

WIPS on Wednesday Let’s Bee Social My Quilt Infatuation Moving It Forward

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Posted in block pattern, Color, Fabric, Modern Quilting, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting and tagged Color, projects, Quilting, Templates. Bookmark the permalink.

Big Shabby Chic Finish

Posted on May 23, 2018 by heARTs Creations

Much of my stash has bright colors and bold prints. In contrast, I do love white on whites and off-white on off-whites. A couple of years ago I gathered whatever of those two I had in my stash and bought many, many fat quarters. Apparently it was meant to be because I happened upon a warehouse type fabric shop that had a ton of these fabrics for just $1.25 a fat quarter – score!

I wanted the fabrics to speak and not an elaborate design. I cut a ton of triangles (starched to avoid stretching) and proceeded to sew many, many half-square triangles which I then put together as hourglass blocks, alternating the white on whites with the off-whites on off-whites. I layered a backing square, same size muslin square and the pieced square on top and quilted a simple motif on each. Yes, this seemed to take forever, but every so often I would do about 8 or 10 a day. I then pieced them wrong sides together with a half inch seam, then clipped the seams.

It is definitely the Shabby Chic look I was going for and I am using it on one of our guest room beds. I also love the way my scrappy bedskirt contrasts on the bottom of the bed. The best part – I love it! Or maybe, the best part is that it’s done!

Linking up with: WIPS on Wednesday Let’s Bee Social Needle and Thread Thursday Moving It Forward

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Posted in Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Pattern, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting and tagged Patterns, projects, Quilting, Sewing. Bookmark the permalink.

Applique – So Much Color

Posted on May 2, 2018 by heARTs Creations

Several years ago I saw the applique pattern, “Lollipop Trees” by Kim McLean and immediately fell in love. An impossible task? I was up for the challenge! The pattern was gifted to me on my birthday and I began block one and finished it! But…I didn’t care for the background fabric I used so that block got tossed into the maybe I’ll see you one day bin and I began again. This time I chose a gray on white fabrjc and for all the applique pieces I am using Kaffe Fassett fabrics. Two blocks are complete and I am part way through block number 3.

I am in love! And I am enjoying the applique process. I work on it for a little while in the evenings and have found it very relaxing. I’m not sure how many of the blocks I will do. I plan on using this as a wall hanging, so maybe six or eight. Four complete this year? That’s my goal! We’ll see!

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Posted in Applique, Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Kaffe Fasset, Pattern, Quilting and tagged Color, Patterns, projects, Sewing. Bookmark the permalink.

Two For Charity

Posted on April 22, 2018 by heARTs Creations

There are several completed quilt tops in the charity bin and finally I quilted and bound one of them. This was done with random width strips of a fun and colorful nautical fabric donated by a fabric company. The strips were sewn into groups of three at the last fall Quilt & Sew-In by several of those who attended. It feels so good to have one completely done!

The second finished quilt was donated by a friend and generous quilter. Laurie showed up one day with this sweet, sweet quilt completely finished! I especially love the quilted motifs in the blocks. This quilt will surely bring a smile to someone’s face and give them comfort. She also brought with her some blocks and quilt tops – Thank you Laurie for your generosity!

Donations of blocks, quilt tops and finished quilts are always welcome! Just leave me a comment that you would like to make a donation and I will send you the address. All finished quilts are donated to the local Hospice office and they in turn give patients quilts to help comfort them during their time of need. Last year our small group donated about 27 quilts and we would love to increase that number as the local office has hundreds of patients.

Thank you quilters – you are a generous group!

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Posted in block pattern, charity quilts, Color, Fabric, Pattern, Quilting and tagged projects, Quilting. Bookmark the permalink.

Two Projects Ready to Sew!

Posted on April 18, 2018 by heARTs Creations

It’s time to pack up and head to Blowing Rock for the Spring retreat. I’ll be setting up our sewing room for the Thursday morning start when I’ll greet all the happy, ambitious and anxious quilters as they gather to sew until Sunday!

I have several projects ready to go. The first one I will be doing as a leader/ender project. It is just a simple four patch with a one patch sewn in between each. It will be colorful and fun and fairly mindless – the kind of project I need when I lead a retreat.

In my stash I had a pile of little triangles that I’ve looked at several times wondering, “what should I do with these?” Then when I came across 1 stack of 2 1/2 inch squares, it all came together! These will make a cute wall hanging or table topper – I’ll decide as I progress.

There are a few more projects prepped, but as they are Island Batik Ambassador projects, I won’t be showing those to you just yet. I am excited about working on all of these and hopefully will get much accomplished!

And here it all is – the pile of retreat goodness ready to go!