HEARTS AFLOAT QUILT

This lovely quilt pattern was reappearing in my social media feeds and I had a fat quarter pack of pink, red and burgundy fabrics that I was wanting to make a quilt with. This was a quick and easy quilt to make and it turned out so much better than I imagined.

I probably could have spent a little more time thinking about the border hearts and spaced the colors out with a little more balance, but it's meant to look scrappy - not too controlled. 

The scalloped borders that make the heart shapes were a bit challenging to finish with a bias binding, but like many quilting skills, slow and steady win the race and perfect isn't always required. :)

A pink Minky dot for backing and a beautiful quilting job by my good friend, Marie of Blueberry Hill Quilts in High River, AB, and all finished.

This one was listed in my Etsy shop and SOLD within 2 days of listing. If you're interested in making this one, the pattern can be found here: Hearts Afloat Quilt Pattern Download

And if you want me to make one just for you, just message me through my Etsy shop: Magpie Quilts

Sewing Room Clean-up

Every sew often, I have to do a little cleaning up so I can find what I'm looking for. These drawers are from IKEA and came with their own stand, but my handy husband made frames for them so I could use them in the walk in closet in my sewing room.

Often when I clean, I find fabrics that I think go good together and will set them aside in a baggie to make a quilt at a later date. 

Above are my pinks and reds all neatly folded and easy to see what's there. And below is a stack of fabrics that have similar shades. That pretty floral is a remnant from my sister's sewing for her daughters. (So, about 25-30 years old?)

I don't start with any particular pattern or design, but quilters are nothing if not resourceful and I decided on a few stars with some alternating blocks.

I cut everything out and had just enough of the floral to make the nine block centers. 

The pinks look great in a quilt together even if they weren't exact matches. It also makes the blocks more interesting than if they had all been the exact same fabric.

And this is the drawers, all neatly folded and organized. This won't last too long, but it's pretty when I do get it done!

And I used my rulers to quilt this! It's so great to have a smaller project to practice new skills and this little quilt was just the right canvas to try a few new things on

Zoom in to check out the quilting!

I had a lot of fun working on this one - sometimes it's good to do something just because it's fun!

And I used pink thread on the back too so the quilting could be seen! I still have a few thread nests that I'm sure will get less as I do more of this kind of quilting.

--Ann

Pink Hearts!

Hearts like these have been popping up all over the place and I'm sure you can find tutorials and instructions for something similar if you look.

I started with a bunch of pink 2.5" squares that I had already cut - they are the basis for the single Irish chain baby quilts I frequently make.

Sew 3 pink and 1 white/background 2.5" square together to make a 4-patch block as shown below. These little 4-patches should measure 4.5" unfinished. Don't worry if yours aren't exact, you'll just have to make some adjustments as you continue.

 Add a 1.5" strip of white/background 4.5" long (or the actual measurement of your 4-patch) to one bottom edge of the 4-patch. Press toward the white! (I don't press to the dark side all the time!) Then add da 1.5" strip of white/background 5.5" long (or the actual measurement of your 4-patch plus the first white strip) to the other bottom edge of your heart. Again, press towards the white!

Make a lot! 59 of these blocks for a baby quilt, more if you want something bigger. You will need to add set in and corner triangles to the edges to fill out the quilt and make it straight on the sides. I use an app called QuiltingCalc from Robert Kaufman. Just punch in the size of your finished heart square (Mine were 5.5" square, so less .25" seam allowances on 2 sides, finished size is 5")

Pink embossed heart Minky

Piece them all together row by row - you'll be working diagonally, so keep it laid out on a design wall or on the floor or on a bed, so you can keep everything in order. Press each row in opposite directions, one row toward the top, the next toward the bottom.

 I found a sweet Minky backing that had embossed hearts. I took the remainder of the bolt that was here locally, but I also found it online at Missouri Quilt Co. here.

 Then came quilting. An all-over meandering design of little loopy hearts in a pale pink variegated cotton thread. This is where you need to be relaxed and put on your fav tunes and get in the zone!

And just add a label and it's finished! A triple heart quilt - hearts on the front, back, and quilting.

Doesn't it look soft and ready for baby cuddles?

--Ann

Pink Chevron Quilt Tutorial

This is a little quilt I made for my newest grandbaby and I promised a tutorial for all of you.

Materials required:
50 pink charm squares (5")
50 white or cream charm squares (5")
Batting
Backing
Binding - approximately 170" length

(Here's a great place to get your charms - SewFunQuilts on Etsy - $6.85 US for a pack of 30 squares)

I used a fat eighth pack of 12 different pink fabrics and a piece of pink from my stash. It was enough for the 50 charm squares and the binding. A fat eighth is 9"x22" and you can get four 5" squares and one 2.25" binding strip from each with a 2" - 2.25" strip left over.

Match each pink charm square with a white charm square. Draw a diagonal line through the center and sew a quarter inch seam on either side of your drawn line.

Cut apart on your drawn line and press towards the pink fabric.

Take all your pink/white squares and lay them out in a chevron pattern. There will be no need to trim to size if you started with all identical squares and piece with a consistent seam allowance. You'll be making a grid of 9 blocks by 11 blocks to make a 36"x44" baby quilt.

Sew your squares together to make rows, and then your rows together to finish the top. Almost done!

Quilted & bound!

Layer your backing, batting and top together and pin. Quilt as desired & add binding! (I quilted in the ditch along the diagonal lines of the blocks to emphasize the chevron design.)

Minkee backing - so soft!

I used super soft Minkee fabric for my backing and took special care not to stretch it during the layering and pinning process. And pinned with about twice the pins as I would with a flannel back. And took my time with the quilting to keep the stretch factor down.

--Ann

PS Leave me a comment & a link if you've made something with this little tutorial! I would love to see what you make!

Edited 26 Aug 2013 to add: THANK YOU SO MUCH for the awesome response to this tutorial! I am so overwhelmed by the amount of people who have stopped by to take a look and follow along! 

Dresden Star Quilt Finished!

Remember this quilt block?

It's now a completely finished mini-quilt! I love to put on the final binding and declare a project finished!

Dresden Star Quilt - $50

What's in your sewing basket that needs to be finished?? Do you love putting on binding or do you dread the last step in completing a quilt?

--Ann