HeartStrings Quilt Project

Stephanie participates in our 365 block challenge each year and this is one of her latest finishes from those blocks.

I love the black centers! Blocks that are sent in for group quilts should have a blue or red center strip but when you’re making the entire set or finishing the quilt yourself, you can choose any color center strip.

I always love getting a look at the quilts Ann is working on and these two don’t disappoint!

This is one of the sets of tops that Kathleen in CA sent us. Thanks Kathleen for the beautiful blocks.  Loved seeing the fabrics you used.

Block Mistress Sue Frank trimming quilted tops, getting them ready to bind. Other women are local quilters working and having lunch.

This is a top that Judy Hadley sent to the WI/MN Sew-in.  Now it’s quilted and bound, ready to be donated. Thanks Judy!

These were all made by local quilters.

A group of HeartStrings members meet each September in Yarmouth Maine to work on quilts for donation. This year, we’ll be working on making Happy Block Quilts and some of us are making blocks prior to the sew-in. If you’d like to make some blocks to send in you can find the instructions at this link.

Brenda shared a project she’s doing that uses some of those short strings strings we all end up with after making HeartStrings blocks.

So I’m able to use strings measuring 6″ and shorter. Stitch the strings together, any string measuring wider than 2″ I trimmed down. Stitch the strings, I have the ruler next to the machine for a template . Then trim make a HST, trim to 6 1/2″ . The star in the picture will finish at 24″.

My plan is to use 9 squares adding a border and you have a queen size quilt.

Stephanie has been busy and is sharing two recent finishes with us.

Elegant Chandeliers is a free pattern on All People Quilt. I thought my colours made it look more like birthday cakes than chandeliers, so I put chocolate with sprinkles as a border.Quilted from the back following the curvy print in the backing.

Team Tassie 3 is a donated top from Julie’s neighbour. Quilted in a wiggly uneven grid. Backing is an interesting folk art panel. Panels can sometimes be tricky to use, but they sure do make great backing.

So, here is UFO 10 – Crumby crazy blocks from my friend Mem. sashed and quilted by me. That was my last one for February.

And, UFO 11 – Julie’s Hexies, an I-Spy top from Team Tassie. I added a black border to fill up the piece of backing I was using. Not sure who made the top (if it was Julie or someone else).

Nikki writes:

I finished and finally took pictures of the quilt I mentioned a month ago in the group.  Perhaps others would like to see it although it is not our normal string quilt.  There is a close up of the blocks and then a wider shot.  Of course all the 4 legged ones tried to get in the photo.

It is called String Theory.  The original pattern is in the April 2017 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.  It is by Sharon Tucker of Grass Roots Quilt Studio.  You can see her blog post here:  http://grassrootsquilting.blogspot.com/2017/02/im-co-cover-girlpinch-me.html

Only today after sending Sharon a picture of my quilt, did I find that the pattern was a QAL for American Patchwork.  There are videos on their blog.

I didn’t have enough red so I used green.  It was super fun and I am now doing it again in turquoise and yellow.  When I got to the 20 inch block I quilted as you go and then used a tut I found that showed how you didn’t have to use sashing.  It worked great.  I don’t have a long arm and so I can do it this way for my charity quilts.  I did use lots of starch to keep the little bits from curving.

I am making another one with turquoise and yellow with a Scooby Doo fabric on the back.  Hubs came up with the fabulous idea to fussy cut a few scoobys for the 4 center blocks.  It looks GREAT!

I LOVE getting to see photos of what groups and HeartStrings members are working on. Terry in Idaho recently wrote about a project she’s involved with.

Well, our library quilt show is in the books. Lots of people and lots of quilts, and FUN.
Just thought you would like to know the tally of donated string quilts. There were 550. !!! Green string blocks donated, enough to make 7 twin size quilts.
Quilters are generous people. There are ladies who will take a batch and put the tops together. And others who will finish them before they are donated. So I call it a success.
Thanks to everyone for the inspiration!
Terry in Idaho

I love this article and photo of her with all the blocks.

They limited the colors to yellow and green and she shared some finished tops with us!