Category Archives: Design Wall

Applique Border – Yikes!

Posted on September 26, 2021 by heARTs Creations

What was I thinking? The best border, that’s what! This border is for my Lollipop Tree appliqued quilt which is complete except for the borders. I wasn’t fond of the pattern border, so I chose to do a circle on top of a circle, appliqued to a strip. First, a perfect circle is basted and pressed, then appliqued onto the white speckled preformed circle. Then each set is appliqued onto the border strip.

Note: the while line is chalk and will wipe off.

This is one of the horizontal borders all pinned and ready to go. It’s a commitment for sure, but it’s exactly what I wanted. And hey, I’d come this far with the whole project, what’s a little more extreme crazy?!

It will be a while before this project is complete. I remind myself that it will be well worth the effort, time and wait!

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Posted in Applique, Art, Design Wall, Quilting, Stash. Bookmark the permalink.

The Foundling Quilt & Update

Posted on August 1, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Early July, I pulled my orphan blocks out and began playing with them on the design wall. I found a few more and there has been SO much rearranging. I’m thinking this is going to be the final layout – maybe. Every so often when i walk by it, I change something. I know that has to stop so I finally committed and sewed a few blocks together. Now all I need do is decide how to tie it all together. I’m in the process of pulling filler fabrics. This, my Foundling quilt, is definitely a challenge and that is making it enjoyable for me.

Looking back at my overall progress, I’m please that I’m headed in the direction I wanted to go, and closer to my goal. That goal? Chip away at my Works in Progress so that I only have two going at one time, reducing the flimsies hanging in my closet, and overall reducing my ridiculous large stash.

There are a number of projects in the wings – patterns with fabric, but nothing cut. Two of those projects are kits. I’m thinking of selling one because although I like it, I’m not excited about it! I also have a large hand work project waiting in the wings. It’s the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments which was rather pricey and will take some time and I absolutely want to do that one.

Some quilters can’t imagine narrowing down to this extent, but it is giving me piece of mind. And really, I have a house full of quilts, my kids have many quilts, I’ve given too many to count away, and unless I’m chomping at the bit to make it, adding another quilt to the pile no longer gives me pleasure. I’m big into simplify these days!

Side Note – I made a few more changes to the Foundling layout!

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Posted in charity quilts, Design Wall, Fabric, Hospice Quilts, Quilting, Stash. Bookmark the permalink.

Some “Joyful”

Posted on February 14, 2021 by heARTs Creations

“No new Works in Progress this year until a few more of existing ones are complete” is what I told myself over and over again at the end of 2020. Well, inspiration hit and a quilter’s gotta do what a quilter’s gotta do! It all happened because while rummaging through a bin, I came upon some long forgotten Robert Kaufman Christmas fabrics. They are so pretty! “Joyful” was born.

Never having done a sixteen patch, but having admired them for such a long time, I decided to do one with this batch of fabric. It’s a fast and easy block which was my Psyche needed at this time (you guessed it, Pandemic Syndrome or maybe more likely just Quilter’s Squirrel Disorder!!)

Having gotten bored with the sixteen patches, and wanting four more blocks, I did stars! It was a quick finish and a lot of fun. However, the border is now a bit troubling. I put the narrow green border on thinking I was going to put a wider border on the outside using one of the prints in the collection. None of them worked. They looked absolutely terrible! I now would prefer to use the green with gold dots as a slightly wider border alone and also as the binding. Can’t – not enough fabric. A pieced border? That could work, but I just don’s want to! I’ve scoured my fabric closet and came up with nothing. I’ve also looked on line and, your guessed it – nothing. This top will now hang in the closet of flimsies until next fall when I’m sure there will be something in a fabric Christmas release that will work. Should be fun to pull this out after many months and give it its needed finish!

Wishing all of you a lovely Valentine’s Day!

Linking up with: Oh Scrap! NT&T

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Posted in block pattern, Christmas, Color, Design Wall, Quilting, Stash and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

On the Design Wall

Posted on August 16, 2020 by heARTs Creations

quarter block

Scraps, scraps, scraps. A container full of one and one half inch scrap strips! There is also a bin of polka dots that has been waiting to be used. The blocks are quarter log cabins with the centers made up of four patches of polka dots.

qtr one block

This option for arranging the blocks just didn’t work for me.

I’ve arranged the quarter log cabins several ways and putting four together for one full log cabin block was most pleasing to me.

qtr log cabins

For now, this is my layout choice.

There’s a long way to go. I’m now piecing more four patches. Adding the strips goes fairly quickly and is fun sewing.

scrap box

Lots and lots of strips to choose from!

I’ve been doing a lot of organizing and although I don’t feel as though I’ve been sewing that much, I have really been quite productive. Hmmm. Maybe it’s because I’m not going anywhere during quarantine?!

How about you – how have you been using your time?

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The Geese are Flying!

Posted on December 1, 2019 by heARTs Creations

thumbnail_img_1702.jpgBusy week – blowing leaves, Thanksgiving, decorating the house and family.  I did manage, however, to work on the flying geese for my Tula Strings quilt.  I sewed two cutoffs together and from that made the flying geese using a paper piece pattern I drew on EQ.  What I love about this is the accuracy.

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I narrowed the inner border and the geese borders are on three sides.  One more to go – yippee! Then, unfortunately, it will go to the land of unquilted flimsies until next year. This will make five flimsies and there are 3 Hospice flimsies.  There’s also a quilt at the Jazz that I’m slowly getting quilted.  It will be a joy to get this one to the stage of binding.

I keep telling myself “One Quilt at a Time.” Except it’s always many more than that!

 

Linking up with:   Oh Scrap!, Needle & Thread Thursday

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Tula & Shot Cotton Strips

Posted on November 24, 2019 by heARTs Creations

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Progress! Yeah! I first brought this project to a retreat in SC and got a number of blocks completed.  It then it made its way to the Fall Quilt & Sew-In and I completed all but about 4 blocks.  At last they are all complete, sewn together, and the first border is on.  This solid border, however, is probably going to be reduced. Unfortunately, there was gobs of rain today and could only get this inside picture – pretty dull.

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The border is my next step.  There are a ton of the cuts from the strip sets that will be stitched in pairs, solid fabric added, to make flying geese. At least that’s the plan now!

A not so fun house project is taking up the bulk of my sewing time. Once that’s complete, I hope to attack this for a happy finish!

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Post Retreat + Enjoying my Passions

Posted on May 8, 2019 by heARTs Creations

After being home a week, I’ve finally made it to the computer to do a wrap up of my somewhat productive sewing at a quilt retreat I attended in South Carolina.  I began the week full steam ahead by making string blocks for a border that I cut into fours. I then paired each with a white on white square and made half square triangles.  All of my notes were at home (why oh why??) so I just made bunches!  This is the quilt top I was preparing the border blocks for:

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These are the border blocks, not yet attached to the quilt:

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And these are the leftovers! They will make a sweet little quilt. I will either add a couple of border to make it a baby quilt or add to it to make a lap quilt. That is a decision to be made at a later date.

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Following my “string fling” I just piddled.  I did some pinning, some sewing, but didn’t really attack anything else with much vigor. Mostly I enjoyed my time away and being with an awesome group of quilters!

What’s really been keeping me busy is the great outdoors.  I am in the process of dividing my ferns. They are truly glorious this year! And tree work was done in our yard and this pile of mulch was the result. I can only load a few wheel barrels a day and do the spreading. Hubby cut this pile of wood and we’ll need to get a log splitter to finish the job. This is not fun yard work.

There is also much weeding to be done. I attack it a bucket at a time and have the wonderful ability to look past the weeds and enjoy the pretty plants and flowers. Fortunately, my one side bed manages to stay weed free!

 

The temperatures here have been glorious so I am enjoying the outdoors fully.  I will sew more when it becomes very hot – mid to high 80’s and gardening do not go well together for me!

Embrace ALL your Creative Passions!

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Posted in Art, Color, Design Wall, Fabric, garden, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting, Quilting Retreat, Scraps, spring and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Tribal and Thread

Posted on January 9, 2019 by heARTs Creations

Oh how I loved this pattern when I first saw it and I had the perfect collection of fabrics! The pattern is “Tribal  Influence” by Pamela Goecke, Aardvark Quilts. The fabric collection is David Butler’s Parson Gray Curious Nature plus a few other random fabrics in my stash that I threw in. Here it is in progress:

tribe in progress (medium)

Yes, it was a lot of cutting and Yes, it was a lot of sewing. The almost completed quilt top sat in my closet for about two years and finally I pulled it out a week ago because I wanted it finished! I added another row to the top and bottom and then a border. I was going to add a pieced border and then another plain border but decided “enough!” The backing and batting are prepped and ready to take to the long arm professional. I even have the binding all ready to completely finish this quilt. The best part? After all this time, I still really like it!

tribal

Thread – last year I posted a pic of all the empty thread spools from 2017. I began saving them again in 2018 and here they are! No, once again they weren’t all full, but really, that is a lot of thread. And yes, I’m saving them again. I already have three empty spools! I never really gave much thought as to how much thread is used in quilting. Obviously, it’s quite a bit!

 

Linking up with: WIPS on Wednesdays, Midweek Makers, Needle & Thread Thursday

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On the Design Wall

Posted on November 28, 2018 by heARTs Creations

Finally I have something on one of my design walls!  I’ve already eliminated a couple of blocks that just didn’t “fit.” Yes, it is all Kaffe fabrics. AND – all from my Kaffe scrap bin! (Not that the bin appears to be any less full.)

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This is from Kathy Doughty’s book, “Making Quilts”. I started this one out as  planned color, with each round being a particular color. Unfortunately, it wasn’t really working for me and am now putting it up as scrappy. I see that I have a lot of rearranging to do, but I need to walk away from it for awhile. I’d like to have it all set to sew together this weekend when I go away to sew with a few friends – we’ll see.

I’ve done quite a few quilts now with Kaffe fabrics. They are on the top of my favorite list, but am ready to something very different next time I allow myself to begin a new project.

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End of May – Lots of Sewing!

Posted on May 31, 2017 by heARTs Creations

We had lots and LOTS of rain this past month. In one week alone we had five inches at our home! Yes, the rain is great, except it makes it a bit soggy to garden. So, what to do? Sew! I’ve also been getting my projects ready for the June week long residency I will be enjoying. Normally my end of month wrap-up’s progress list shows all. However, I’ve prepped six charity projects to bring with me for the residency, and will group them together for now. (Note: Below list updated May 31, 2017)

May 2017 Project List

Yes, I am bringing a LOT, but I would rather have way too much than not enough. I’m also bad about getting bored with a project part way through and want to move on to another. I’m also being very careful about stocking my tool box. I’ve included two full packs of sewing machine needles and a 5-pack of rotary blades. I’d rather not have to go down the mountain to get any sewing supplies. Lots of threads and two sewing machines will also be going with me.

Tribe in Progress (Medium)

Now, back to a project that will not be going with me – Tribal. I loved this pattern when I first saw it and had fabric in my stash that worked. Though not difficult, it is quite a bit of sewing. Now that it’s on the design wall, I really want to move it along, so off I go!

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