HeartStrings Quilt Project

In support of

Mary Johnson — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:09:38 +0000

Many of us make Quilts of Valor but I was especially touched to get an email from Robin with a photo of this HeartString quilt she made for her niece to show support for her as a military wife.

Instructions for making your own HeartStrings quilt for a loved one or to donate to someone in need.

782 + Pillowcases

Mary Johnson — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:51:51 +0000

HeartStrings members made over 782 pillowcases to donate to a variety of charitable organizations in January and February. We’ll add those to the numbers of the One Million Pillowcases project at the All People Quilt Website.

Thanks to everyone who participated. Some of us will be making more throughout the year as they make great stashbusters!

Chinese Coins

Mary Johnson — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Helen’s been working with the last of the Chinese Coins from one of our HeartStrings projects.

She wrote:

Thanks to everyone for the lovely comments about the hearts quilt. I posted a couple of weeks ago about where I got the inspiration for the quilt – Tallgrass Prairie Studio

The instruction on the blog page above are very detailed, but I used slightly different sizes and chose to do the large triangles with the Easy Angle ruler so that I didn’t have triangles left over.

I had the Chinese Coin units already and they measured 5.5″, so that was my starting point. I cut two 5.5″ squares and used an Easy Angle ruler to cut two triangles from both the coins and the background fabric, which when stitched together made 5.5″ half square triangles. The background squares to make the top of the heart shape started at 2″. My heart blocks are 10″ square finished size.

Other Chinese Coins Instructions – links are in the sidebar under Chinese Coins

Becky’s Funky Caterpillars using coins

Jackie’s QAYG

Mary Johnson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:19:58 +0000

Jackie made a RWB QAYG for Quilts of Valor.

Our QAYG project continues and you can make blocks to send to Jay for assembly or make your own as Jackie did.

Instructions for the blocks are at the link below – make sure you check out the links at the bottom of the instructions to see how to assemble them.

Instructions for QAYG blocks

Some Australian HS Quilts

Mary Johnson — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:59:34 +0000

Our Australian coordinator, Stephanie, has been busy with both personal HeartStrings quilts and those from group blocks too. Click on thumbnails for a larger view of any of the tops or quilts.

Blue & Yellow

Mary Johnson — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:28:01 +0000

Look at the gorgeous quilt Petra assembled from blocks she found “stuffed in a bag in the back of our quilt groups storage”.

Pillowcases and QAYG blocks

Mary Johnson — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:13:20 +0000

Just to keep things interesting we have two special projects going on right now.

We started making pillowcases on the first of January and will continue them through February. You can donate them locally or consider making some for Alycia and the Quilts of Valor she collects and donates. They don’t have to be RWB but keep in mind that most of them should be somewhat manly!

These are the ones that Mary Hopkins has been working on.

Pillowcase Project information and links to instructions

We’re also doing a short-term Quilt as you GO project. Jay will be accepting and assembling String Quilt as you GO blocks into quilts for a nursing home project. Pat already has blocks made and ready to ship.

Quilt as you GO guidelines and instructions.

As always, we continue to accept our regular HeartStrings blocks made according to the guidelines so jump in and make some pillowcases, make some QAYG blocks, or make some HeartStrings blocks.

HeartStrings blogs

Mary Johnson — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:57:02 +0000

We’re in the process of building a HeartStrings blog ring where you can visit the blogs of HeartStrings members to see what we’re up to with our personal and HearStrings quilting.

There’s a link on the left sidebar to view member blogs or If you’re a member of HeartStrings and have a blog you can click here to apply to join the blog ring.

2009 Quilt Donations

Mary Johnson — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:49:56 +0000

Since our quilts are finished and donated locally rather than through a central location it can be difficult to get an accurate count. However, we try!

919 quilts were logged in our donations database this year — completed by HeartStrings members and donated to a variety of organizations and individuals in need.

Additional quilts were made from Quilt as You go blocks sent to Australia for those affected by the bushfires where they’ve been assembled by Jan Mac and donated.

Still more quilts were inspired by our HeartStrings project and made by individuals and quilting groups and donated in their local communities.

Won’t you join us in 2010?

Get ready for a new project!

Mary Johnson — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:18:32 +0000

We’re going to bust some stash in January and February and make pillowcases along with the All People Quilt site in their goal to make and donate 1 million pillowcases.

I plan to make some to send to Alycia to be used to present Quilts of Valor but there are lots of places both locally and nationally to donate yours. Click this link to for ideas for places to donate them.

We’ll still be making our HeartStrings quilts so don’t worry. Blocks made according to the guidelines are accepted (and appreciated) at all times and are pieced into tops to be quilted and donated.

So bring in the New Year with us as as we start our 4th year making quilts to provide warmth and comfort to those in need!

Pillowcase Photo Tutorial

More Pillowcase ideas