HeartStrings Quilt Project

I’ve added more photos to an online album – click the link to see them. Thanks to Kathy for hosting the sew-in again. We’re all looking forward to the next one.

We’re spending the day in Roberts, WI working on HeartStrings quilts.

Project will run from September 1st through October 31st (You can get an early start if you’d like)

Cindy’s quilt is the inspiration for this project although we’ll substitute RED centers for the blocks sent in for group quilts. The rest of the strips and strings should be black and white fabrics.

If you do a full set of 48 blocks you can choose whatever color center you want.

As always blocks should be constructed according to our usual guidelines just substituting the above color scheme.

https://heartstringsquiltproject.com/block-guidelines/

You can make any number of blocks to send in to Sue or Stephanie for group quilts, piece a top and send it in for quilting or donating, or make the quilt from start to finish and donate it locally.

There is a database set up for you to list the blocks, tops, and quilts that you complete during the challenge … And there will be prizes. If you’re participating and are not a member of our Yahoo group, email me how many blocks you made and whether you’re completing the quilt yourself or sending them in and I’ll add your name to the prize database

For this project, Vicki Welch is providing one of our prizes. Please click on the links below to see (and purchase if you’d like) her beautiful hand dyed fabrics.

2 Stash Packs (10 fat eighths each) plus a 2.5 yard pack of Mistyfuse.

Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/vickiwelsh
Blog http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/
Newsletter http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/newsletter.html
Mistyfuse http://mistyfuse.com/

I’ve already started my blocks — since I’m making the entire quilt myself, I’m adding a little modification and using my focus fabric for one corner in each block. If you’re making blocks to send in, please use the RED centers and guidelines as outlined above.

This top was pieced by a group in California and quilted and bound by Teresa.

She used a variegated thread to bind which adds to the fun!

And the scrappy backing was one of many pieced and donated by Tish.

Save the date – August 24
Place – Roberts, Wi

Kathy writes,

Because I was asked this week by Adoray Health Care to make red/white/blue quilts for veterans they serve, we will be having an emphasis on patriotic quilts. If you wish to bring quilts for Teresa’s donation to Minneapolis Children’s Hosp. in memory of her son, Andrew, or for me for our local Holiday Angels gifts at Christmas, please feel free to do that too. But mainly I’d like us to work on the patriotic ones.

We receive blocks and tops from many people who participate in HeartStrings and chose not to finish the entire quilt themselves. Most are well pieced and assembled but we do get in blocks and tops that have some issues. Below are some tips to make sure that your blocks are the best they can be.

While string quilts are meant to be kind of wonky and don’t require the precise matching that other quilts do, they still need to be well constructed so they’ll last.

While you can use whatever foundation you choose for blocks and quilts you are finishing yourself, those that are sent in should be from 100% cotton fabric.

The foundations should be cut 10 inches and then the blocks squared to 9.5 inches after piecing the strings. We sometimes find that all the blocks in the top are not trimmed to 9.5 inches making for a quilt that does not lie flat.

When adding strings, it is important to press. Besides making a neater finished block, it offers an opportunity to ensure that the seam you just sewed is intact without any gaps. A big issue we encounter are blocks that have open seams. Because strings by their nature are uneven, it’s easy to miss catching the edges of both when piecing. Take time to check your blocks as you are pressing and while you’re doing that — pull out any of those little strings between the seams. The volunteer quilter will appreciate not having to do it for you.

Once the blocks are neatly pressed and trimmed, you’re ready to assemble. My two best hints are to use a walking foot and to press the seams open. I use a slighter larger than 1/4 inch seam for assembling these since I’m going to press them open. The walking foot will help you handle the extra layers from the foundation and pressing the seams open will decrease bulk at the block intersections. Yes, it takes a little more time but the resulting top will be easier for volunteers to finish.

Marge in Louisiana tried something a little different with her latest string quilt. Rather than using a center string like with our typical HeartStrings block, she made one half of the block light and one half dark. This type of block allows you to use any log cabin setting for your blocks.

Here’s our typical HeartStrings block with a center blue string cut 2 inches and the rest of the block filled in with random strings.

Here’s a block made without a center string … Your seam line between your first two strings will go right through the center of the block.

When piecing this type of block I still start with a foundation that is 10 inches and trim the block to 9.5 inches once I’ve pieced the strings. I use the diagonal line on my ruler when squaring up to make sure that seam is right in the center of the block.

Here’s a quilt I did several years ago using the same method only I arranged my blocks to create a star. instructions for this quilt are on my website.

Nancy and her group have been busy … Here they are working on a HeartStrings quilt at their latest get together. Click here to see more photos.

Today is the last day of our Memorial weekend sew along – are you participating? Cathy made a set of 48 blocks and has already finished hers … assembled and quilted … But you can even make a few blocks and sent them in for group quilts or get a set of 48 blocks started and send them in to be finished when you’re done. Use the block guidelines (link on the right) and substitute a brown for the center strip.

Visit Cathy’s blog to see more photos.

Remember, reflect, and honor those that have given their life in service to their country

Starting Friday we’ll be hosting a virtual sew along during the Memorial Day weekend. Our primary project will be using brown centers to make HeartStrings blocks for quilts for veterans and wounded soldiers but you can also choose to make RWB blocks or pillowcases to present the quilts.

Please see the previous post for details.