Category Archives: Stash

It’s a BIG Fish!

Posted on September 12, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Fifty Five inches long, thirty six inches wide! How fun this was! Hubby was responsible for the fabrics I chose. He suggested I use some of the home dec fabrics in my stash. They are all bright. colorful and a nice heavy weight, and a no brainer as I have a ridiculous amount!

It was a bit odd to be cutting such large pieces and even odder to be sewing 5/8″ seams. My quilter’s brain had to really work on placing the fabrics at the right place under the needle!

The sewing was easy, but the stuffing – oh the stuffing. It took four large bags of poly stuffing and several hours. As much as I stuffed into the corners, it didn’t stay. I do know, however, once the fish is on the floor, played on and laid on, the stuffing will shift and disperse evenly.

The eyes are painted on with acrylic paints. It was definitely fun to play, even if just a little bit, with paints again – so artsy craftsy!

Then came the hateful part of this project. Hand sewing the openings on the bottom. Because of the size of the fish and the location of the openings, it was a bit awkward. I had to lay the fish on my cutting table to get a little comfortable. My back was definitely happy when that task was completed!

My brother will be delivering the fish to NY for me. It would have been a chore to mail it. It’s going to an almost three year old. I hope she gets as much enjoyment with this big fish as my children did when they were young.

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Posted in Art, Color, Fabric, Gifts, Stash. Bookmark the permalink.

Off to Give Comfort

Posted on August 29, 2021 by heARTs Creations

One of my favorite things to do with quilts – take a pic of them hanging on the line together before they get sent off! There are eight quilts this time round, all going to Hospice. All are lap quilts, varying sizes and one is a wheelchair quilt. There are five Hospice flimsies with backings hanging in the closet. Not sure when I’ll get them quilted – just waiting for inspiration to hit!

The list of Works in Progress is still doable for me. I no longer want 20 projects in the wings that are half sewn. There was a time I actually loved that, but my focus has changed. I’ve also been keeping my quilting expenditures down. Let’s see what I can do between now and my next update posting!

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Posted in charity quilts, Fabric, Hospice Quilts, Projects, 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.

Another, then Another

Posted on July 25, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Woo Hoo! Two more Hospice finishes. The first one was made with some orphan blocks I found from another Hospice quilt finished last year. There was just enough to make a wheelchair quilt. I really like these little quilts. They’re small so they go quickly, and they’re very practical for those in wheelchairs. As you can see, the corners are cut to avoid getting caught in the wheels. On this one I had enough to add a pocket. It’s lined with the same fleece I used for the backing. The pocket can hold tissues, cell phone, etc. and keep hands warm!

This second finish is from a top that was sent to me by a reader. It too is backed with fleece (as are all my Hospice quilts now). It’s bright and fun and hopefully will bring warmth and comfort.

I’m ready to connect with the Hospice rep and move some quilts out of the house – my favorite part of the process! I’ll be working on my other projects for a while and probably won’t be revisiting the Hospice quilts until fall. My goal for the future is to work on one charity quilt a month. Hmmm. We’ll see!

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Posted in block pattern, charity quilts, Fabric, Hospice Quilts, Quilting, Stash and tagged Hospice, projects, Quilting, Quilts. Bookmark the permalink.

“Snuggle”

Posted on June 19, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Finished the baby rag quilt I started here. It was a quick sew, but the clipping took a while. I’d clip, rest, clip some more, do something else, then clip, clip, clip! The quilt has been washed and dried twice to get it fluffed up. Each washing & dry will make it more snuggly.

I secured the outside of the quilt with an extra strip doubled over instead of binding. It too is clipped. The stripe brightens the quilt and pulls it all together.

For the backing I used a bright directional print, but altered direction of the design. SNUGGLE is labeled and ready to gift!

And…my newest addition to my garden. Couldn’t resist this sign.

Yes, sometimes it does happen!

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Posted in block pattern, Color, Fabric, garden, Gifts, Quilt Setting, Quilting, Stash and tagged Baby Quilt, Flannel Quilt. Bookmark the permalink.

Two More!!

Posted on June 5, 2021 by heARTs Creations

So happy to have completed two more quilts for Hospice. These will be the last of my finishes for a while as I will be concentrating on a few of my personal quilts.

The first is a quilt with triangle blocks that were cut on the Sizzix and sewn together by attendees at a retreat in 2019. Seems forever ago, especially since there weren’t any retreats in 2020. I’ve been going through my donation bin lately and pulled these out – put them together – quilted – sewed the binding and done!!

Next was a quilt that was donated quite some time ago. It was already backed and there was a little bit of quilting done. It really was a pretty quick finish to get this quilted – oh why, oh why did I wait so long?? I also love that it’s all blue. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a great pic – the colors are really much more vibrant in person.

I especially love that so many hands were involved in the completion of these quilts. A few more finished to add to the pile and they’ll be on their way to Hospice.

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Posted in block pattern, charity quilts, Color, Hospice Quilts, Quilting, Scraps, Stash. Bookmark the permalink.

Two More Quilt “Kits” to go

Posted on May 16, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Last week I shared the flannel rag quilt kit I prepared for a week long retreat I’ll be attending. Of course one isn’t enough, so I now have two more ready to go!

First up is a string block kit. I pulled from some beloved batik greens and blues and one almost white and cut into varying strip widths. The plan is to sew them onto paper piecing paper doing a diamond design. I love to do string quilts! For me its both fun and therapeutic sewing. Sewing this quilt will also be perfect for a retreat as it doesn’t require much concentration. And again, I planned, made notes, and saved them in the kit box.

The second kit I prepared this week isn’t really planned out. When diving in a bin of blocks and miscellany, I came across these triangles cut from sewn very colorful strips. I barely remember these!

And then there were cuts randomly sewn into blocks. That was it! I’ll bring these to retreat , cut them randomly, sew and put together however the mood strikes at the moment. This will be fun play!

I am really so excited for this get away. I have a retreat checklist that I prepared years ago and having been going through it and putting everything in a guest room ready to pack. Good thing I’m traveling alone – it’s a lot!

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Posted in Art, block pattern, Color, Fabric, Modern Quilting, Organization, Projects, Quilt Setting, Quilting, Scraps, Stash and tagged Improv quilt, string quilt. Bookmark the permalink.

CAN – CAN, the Quilt!

Posted on February 28, 2021 by heARTs Creations

Cut, pieced, quilted and bound in five days! Amazing how much I enjoyed making this quilt. No contest when I auditioned border fabric. The bold black and white was a definite winner – perfect for all the bright, pretty and fun strings in the quilt body.

A very simple quilting – diagonal wavy lines – was perfect. I wanted this quilt to be about the fabrics, not the quilting. And I am tickled the way the black and white prints come together in the center of the blocks and where four blocks meet. I finished the binding by hand which quickly reminded me why I rarely do that anymore. My hand cramped and ached so I had to take many breaks along the way.

The backing – oh the backing! I bought this Brandon Mably fabric when I took a workshop from Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably a few years ago. Brandon, who knows my daughter, brought a bolt of the Can Can fabric up to me and thought I had to have it as it reminded him of my feisty daughter! Of course I bought some, but I never did use it in the workshop project. So glad because it is perfect for the back of this quilt, thus the name Can-Can! She’s already living in my living room – bright, cheerful and warm.

Links: Oh Scrap! N&TT Whoop Whoop Friday Brag About Your Beauties

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Posted in block pattern, Color, Fabric, Kaffe Fasset, Modern Quilting, Projects, Quilting, Scraps, Stash and tagged Color, scrap quilt, string quilt. 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 Christmas Quilt. Bookmark the permalink.

Moving on to….?

Posted on January 1, 2021 by heARTs Creations

More sewing? Organization? Purging? Yes on all three! In this new year, I will definitely be sewing, because that’s what I do! Organization is a continuing process with me. Some things in the studio are somewhat difficult to keep tidy and organized, especially when I’m in “creative mode.” Purging? Oh yes. My goal is to reduce my fabric inventory significantly. There are several places on Facebook marketplace where I can sell fabric. I’ve done a fair amount of that this year and plan to continue. And some fabrics will be donated.

Sewing: As of this writing, I haven’t sewn in five days. It’s a good thing as I will no doubt feel more joy when I turn on my machine again. I have two fairly labor intensive projects that I want to actively work on right now. One is a log cabin wall hanging – block above finishes at 5 1/4″. The other a tiny house quilt. The house block finishes at 3″ and will be doing each as a square in a square. Lots of progress on the first, not so much on the second.

Hospice quilts – I have a bin with dedicated blocks, fabric, partial quilt tops that have all been donated. I need to take inventory and make a plan. An empty bin would be quite an accomplishment!

And here is my 2020 rundown: