Category Archives: Pattern

Polka Dot Fun

Posted on May 19, 2019 by heARTs Creations

When I was getting ready for my April Quilt & Sew-In, I prepped an easy and quick quilt using the many polka dot fabrics I have. I paired them with some striped fabric and cut all into 2 1/2 inch strips. I got the inspiration for this quilt which she called the Ernie Quilt. For me, it’s best to have something fairly mindless, quick and gratifying for when I am facilitating a retreat. This worked!

Here is the quilt top on the design wall at the retreat:

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And, very unlike me, I quilted it as soon as I got home! I used evenly spaced curvy lines. Oh my, that was a lot of sewing and I love the look. SEW worth it! I find myself looking at other fabrics I can use this pattern for. Some of the donated fabrics I’ve received for Hospice quilts will be perfect for this pattern. Hmmm, maybe patterned strips coupled with solids? So rewarding and fun!

The quilt back is cotton voile – so soft! I’ve even used this quilt a few times as a lap quilt.

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.

dream pic

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Posted in block pattern, charity quilts, Fabric, Organization, Pattern, Projects, Quilting, Quilting Retreat and tagged Patterns, Quilting, Tips. 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!

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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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Posted in Art, block pattern, Design Wall, Fabric, Pattern, Projects, Quilting and tagged projects, Quilting. Bookmark the permalink.

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.)

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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Posted in block pattern, Color, Design Wall, Fabric, Kaffe Fasset, Modern Quilting, Pattern, Projects, Quilting and tagged projects, Quilting, Scraps. Bookmark the permalink.

More Mail Goodness

Posted on November 4, 2018 by heARTs Creations

mail envelope

How I love to get mail – especially packages! Once again I received a much enjoyed package from Jo of Jo’s Country Junction.

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First up: A quilt top that will be the perfect size for a Hospice Quilt – maybe even for a wheelchair bound patient. I will remove the large top and bottom borders, add another border, quilt and bind. Into the charity bin I keep to work on in the new year.

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Secondly, above is this ever so bright quilt top. This has cheer sewn all over the top! This quilt top will get a solid border (to help all that fun color), quilted and bound.

The bat blocks are totally adorable and fun. Not sure how these will be put to use as they are not appropriate for a Hospice quilt, but our group will confer and am sure we’ll come up with something!

It is just so very heartwarming to see just how generous quilters are. The goodness is passed around in so many ways and I am grateful to be a part of it.

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Posted in block pattern, Color, Pattern, Projects, Quilting and tagged Charity, Color, projects, Quilting. Bookmark the permalink.

Sew Scrappy Fun!

Posted on October 28, 2018 by heARTs Creations

4 Patch Scrappy

This quilt was started as a leader ender. How fun it is when it gets to the point when there are blocks to sew together! I also enjoyed remembering that many of the scrap pieces were from years of many other quilt projects.

I decided to use all purple in the border instead of scrappy – it brought a cohesiveness to the quilt that I rather like.

4 patch scrappy distant

Something I rarely do – I hand stitched the binding down! I brought it with me on vacation and worked on it in the evenings. How nice to come home with a completed quilt.

4 patch scrappy distant

We were in Southport, NC overlooking a marina. I couldn’t resist the photo ops with the finished quilt. This big rusty boat was fun to look at – and boy was it rusty! It is a working boat that retrieves copper from the ocean floor. Obviously boat body maintenance and pretty are not part of their agenda. I was very careful and my quilt came away clean.

4 patch scrappy full boat

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Posted in block pattern, Color, Fabric, Pattern, Quilting and tagged Color, Patterns, projects, Quilting, Scraps, Sewing. Bookmark the permalink.

Fun, Fun Mail!

Posted on October 24, 2018 by heARTs Creations

We got back from vacation to find a pile of fun, fun mail! A quilter in Arizona sent the best box of goodness!

Charity Donation box

There were completed blocks and a pile of scrap fabrics. My favorites – bright, bright, bright!

Her generosity went even further – a pack of rotary blades and two spools of thread. What an amazing generous and useful bonus! These will definitely be put to good use when I continue with Hospice quilts in the new year.

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She began a wonderful Rob Pete scrappy quilt having completed 15 blocks. For whatever reason not wanting to continue, she sent them to me for the Hospice quilts my group works on! I will use 12 of the blocks for one lap quilt, add sashing and a border. The other three completed blocks will go into a “save” bin. She sent the printed interfacing to make more of the same blocks and enough fabric for many more!

This box was just so much fun – thank you Maureen for your incredible generosity. Oh the comfort this will all lead to for Hospice patients. And thank you to Jo from Jo’s Country Junction for providing my info for this contribution.