Guidelines

While many of us make our HeartStrings quilts from start to finish and donate them locally, we also work together on group quilts.

We will accept complete sets of blocks made according to the guidelines below – that means a set of 24 or 48 blocks that work together and can be assembled into a single quilt, and we will accept completed HeartStrings tops ready for quilting and donating.

HeartString Block Guidelines

Strings are to be pieced on a muslin or 100% cotton foundation

• start with a foundation that is 10 inches square.

• place a 2 inch wide strip diagonally across the center of the foundation square. Traditionally we’ve used red or blue centers for our blocks but you can choose any one color and use it for your set of blocks.

• add strings on either side of the center strip until the entire foundation is covered. You may use strips of any width up to 3 inches wide in your blocks; you may use strips all the same width or a variety of different widths in each block. You can even use strips that are not a consistent width down their entire length if you wish. 

• you can use any 100% cotton fabric for your strips

• when you’ve covered the entire foundation, press it and then trim it back to 9.5 inches square with the center strip running evenly through two of the corners. Starting too large and trimming back helps avoid buckling of the foundations – i.e… you’re more likely to end up with blocks that lay flat.

Click link for Instructions for squaring blocks to 9.5 inches.

Please note: the center string does NOT have to be a solid fabric but it should be a fabric that “reads” as solid such as a tone on tone print.

Additional instructions for making and assembling a HeartStrings Quilt can be found at this link