Changeling Star Quilt Block for Sewcialites 2 QAL

 Hello everyone and welcome to any new visitors!

This is a big week for a couple of reasons-- First of all, it's finally my turn to share the block I designed for the Sewcialites 2 quilt along with the Fat Quarter shop! The second reason is that this is block #23 which means we are ONE block away from being able to start piecing our quilt tops together!

Are you ready to see the block I designed? This is the Changeling Star block:

Scrappy Gradient Block Tutorial

Ready for a simple but really fun quilt block tutorial? You're going to love this one. It's perfect for using up those scraps that I KNOW we've all be saving. These are fast to make, and it's fun to dig into your scraps and play with colors and values.

This is called the Scrappy Gradient quilt block and I created it for an online quilting bee that I was a part of a couple years ago. 

This block is great for quilting bees and block swaps because it's easy enough for even beginner quilters, it's a quick block so you can have each quilter make 2-3 blocks, and in the end you get such a great variety of scrappy fabrics and different prints. 

A Scrappy Heart Quilt

A few months ago I shared a free block tutorial called the Build A Heart block.

This last week I finished my throw size quilt made using different variations of the block and I thought you'd like to see!

The Build A Heart pattern is a fun way to use up scraps - each half of a heart uses a 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangle. 

My pink and red scrap bins were overflowing so I had no problem finding enough scraps to make a throw size version! In fact, I probably should have kept going and made a bigger quilt to help use up even more scraps. 

Sketch Stitched Ornament Tutorial

I have a fun tutorial to share with you today! 

I've been making some of these Sketch Stitched Christmas Ornaments lately and they're fun to make, easy to customize, and a great way to use those fabric scraps we all have on hand. Plus they're a great handmade gift idea!

To make these ornaments I used the raw edge applique technique but... instead of using matching thread and hiding my stitches I love to add some outlining stitching in a nice dark, contrasting thread. It helps the little shapes to stand out really nicely against whatever fabric you use for the background. 

And you can let go of worrying if your stitches are perfect or not - just relax and have fun with these. The stitching looks so fun when it's slightly imperfect - it gives it that "sketched" look!

Ready to get started? 

Clear Sky Quilt Scrappy Version

I've been able to get a few of my WIP quilts finished up lately and I'm looking forward to sharing them! This quilt is my most recent finish - I just finished binding it over the weekend. It is a scrappy version of my Clear Sky pattern-

I stitched this up during the recent Clear Sky Quilt Along that I hosted throughout August and September.

It was a lot of fun, and I have to say...I've learned that quilt alongs are a great way to make a quilt! Personally, as a participant, I like having the schedule to follow (and to keep me motivated) and it's so great to see all the different versions that people are making right along side of you. If you've never joined one, try it sometime!

New Fall Quilt in American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

I'm so excited to be able to share this quilt with you today! I have a new quilt and pattern in an upcoming issue of American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. 

Photo used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine  ©2021 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved.

It's called Fall's Finery and it's one of my all-time favorite quilts that I've made. Which says a lot!

EDITED TO ADD: This pattern is now available in my shop under the new name, "Romance". It includes five size options and can be made with either fat quarters, yardage (1/3 yard cuts) - or scraps like this original version!

The Romance pattern gives you the option of having straight sides OR  you can add a scallop border by following this tutorial. 

Retro Stitchery

Well hello!  I've been working on something just a little different (for me) this past week and I have a fun new book to share with you today.

Coral and Gray Scrappy Quilt + Season to Taste Book

 There's been some scrappy sewing around here lately.  After all of the reds and greens of the holiday season I sure was ready for a new color palette!

After auditioning some different color combos (green + yellow, navy + pink) I pulled these two stacks from my stash and they just clicked!

SewPINK + Hearstrings Quilt Block Tutorial

Hello friends and new visitors!  Today I'm sharing a new quilt block tutorial - one that is close to my heart.  

Recently I was invited to participate in the #SewPINK initiative created by ByAnnie.com and I didn't hesitate for a moment.  You see, I am a breast cancer survivor myself and I will take any opportunity to bring awareness to this important issue. 

Nearly five (!) years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a bilateral (double) mastectomy. During the difficult months of recovery, some dear friends secretly gathered heart quilt blocks from fellow quilters and stitched them together into a sweet quilt which was presented to me.  The beautiful, scrappy quilt included a label on the back with an inspirational quote and the names of all who contributed in some way to the quilt.  It is still one of my most treasured quilts and brings tears to my eyes just talking about it.

With that beloved quilt in mind, I wanted to share a tutorial for a quilt block that could be used by a group of friends or a guild to make a personalized and meaningful gift for someone battling cancer or going through a difficult time.  

This Heartstrings quilt block is a foundation pieced and applique block but it is beginner friendly and is great for using scraps.  I wanted you to be able to pull from what you already owned to make these blocks - use those scraps, favorite treasured fabrics, and prints with some meaning behind them.

**scroll to the bottom to read more about the #SewPINK initiative and how you can play a part!  And be sure to read the details about the giveaway as well!

If you know basic foundation piecing techniques then you can breeze right through the first part of this tutorial.  And if you're not familiar with it - don't be intimidated!  Once you get the hang of it you'll love it.  Pssst.....scroll down to find info about a giveaway from ByAnnie.com! 

Shall we get started?  

First - Download and print the Heartstrings PDF pattern. That's where you'll get the outlines for each side of the heart.  You can print on regular printer paper like I did, or you can also use Foundation Paper.  If you're making a lot of these blocks I recommend using Foundation Paper because it tears away SO easily.  Carol Doak's Foundation Paper is my favorite - find it here on Amazon*

Download and Print the Heartstrings PDF foundation pattern here

Makes one 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" quilt block

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post. Thank you!

Gather the following fabric:

• a 6 1/2" x 11 1/2" piece for one half of the heart
• a 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" background square
• a variety of scraps / strips

You'll also need:

• a washable gluestick (optional)
• scissors
• rotary cutter and mat
• sewing machine that can do both straight stitching and zigzag

 

We'll be working on the left side of the heart first, but using the BACK of the paper.  

1.  Place the first strip of fabric (right side up).  Use a bit of washable glue (Elmer's Washable School Glue is my favorite) to help that first strip stay in place.  You'll want to be sure that the strip fully covers the bottom of the heart from edge to edge.  You can hold the paper up to a window or a light to check this.  

TIP:  You need to sew the strips to the back of the paper so that when it comes time to trim the half heart shape you can see the lines.  To make the lines more visible on the backside, you can place the paper against the window and trace over the lines with a pencil.  

2.  Place the second strip right sides together on top of the first strip.  Reduce your stitch length (I set my Juki TL-2010Q to a stitch length of 1).  

TIP:  When foundation piecing, it is essential to reduce your stitch length.  Having a really short stitch length will help to perforate the paper as you sew so it will be much easier to remove at the end!

Stitch along the edge of the fabric, stitching through strip 1 and 2 and the paper.  I try to still use a 1/4" seam allowance.

3. Fold open strip 2 and press.  

4.  Have some fun with these strips - for my 3rd strip I wanted it to be at a different angle so I placed it how I wanted it, and then stitched 1/4" from the edge of the 3rd strip.

See how it's going to leave a large seam allowance on that 2nd strip?  That's ok!  I'll just fold back the paper and trim that seam allowance to be 1/4".  

TIP:  The Add-A-Quarter ruler is really helpful for trimming up seam allowances when foundation piecing.

There....all trimmed up nice and neat!

5. Fold open the 3rd strip and press.  

6. Continue adding strips, varying the width of the strips and the angles.  Just be sure that each strip you add is WIDER than the heart shape.  At the end we'll trim it down and you don't want any strip to end up too short or you'll have to start over. 

Now I have my heart shape all covered.  See the photo below for the view from the other side...

7.  Time to trim the heart!  Use scissors to trim around the outside edge of the heart.  Carefully remove all the paper on the back side of the heart.

Set it aside for now and work on the right side of the heart.

8. Use scissors to cut out the half heart template and pin it to the 6 1/2" x 11 1/2" piece of fabric.  

TIP: Because this is a larger piece of fabric, you have a great opportunity to use a print that has a special meaning or message.  I love this print from Riley Blake Designs - I had it in my stash and I love that it had some positive and encouraging messages on it.  

9. Cut out the heart shape along the solid outer line.

10. Place the two heart halves right sides together and using a 1/4" seam and a regular stitch length, sew the two halves together along the center stitch line.  

11. Press seam toward the solid (right) half and trim off the little dog ear at the bottom point of the heart (see photo above).

12. It's now ready to be appliqued to the background square.  You have some options here - you can place your heart at a fun angle (as in the photo above), or center it.  

TIP: Be sure the heart is placed at least 1/2" away from all sides of the background square so it won't get caught in the seam when you're sewing the blocks together.  

If you choose to center the heart, fold the background square in half and finger press to crease.  Use that crease to help you center the heart.  You can see the heart centered over the crease in the photo below.

13. Time to use our helpful Elmer's washable school glue again.  I sure love this stuff when I'm foundation piecing.  Use a bit of glue in a few spots around the edges of the heart to hold it in place while you applique.  You can also pin the heart in place as well if you prefer.  

14. Use a small zigzag or blanket stitch (and coordinating thread) to stitch all the way around the heart and secure it to the background square.  On my Baby Lock Sofia 2 I used stitch #8, at 2.5 wide and 1.0 length.  

So that the zigzag stitch would not be as noticeable, I used a lighter pink thread on the left half and a darker pink thread on the right half.  

You're Heartstrings block is done!  

If you want to add more personality to your block, another option is to piece the background square!  To do this you'll need two rectangles, 6 1/2" x 12 1/2"

For this block I used some low volume scrap strips and switched which side I used the strips. 

TIP:  If you use lighter fabrics in your heart, be aware that the background print may show through.  For this reason, I chose a light pink background for the right side.  

Center the heart on the background square as we did before, glue or pin in place, and zigzag stitch around the heart to secure it.

And below you can see both of my blocks together.  I think I'll keep going and make enough of these for a throw quilt.  They're so fun and scrappy!

If you make a Heartstrings block I'd love to see it! Be sure to tag me (#abrightcorner) on social media and use the hashtags: #HeartstringsQuiltBlock and #abrightcorner so we can all see what you create!  

Giveaway

Edited to add:  Giveaway is now closed - thank you everyone!  The winner is Esther G.  Congrats Esther!  

Ready for the giveaway info?  ByAnnie.com is giving one of my lucky readers a $30 gift card!  To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.  I'll randomly choose a winner on October 20, 2020 and notify them by email (so make sure you include your email address in your comment!)  And a big thank you to ByAnnie.com for the giveaway!

Thanks for visiting!  If you're new here, you might also be interested in:

• my pattern shop
• more A Bright Corner tutorials
• view my completed quilts
• read about my book Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts here

Ready for more #SewPINK projects? Check out the talented creators that are a part of this blog tour:

✂ Oct. 1 (Thur): Mister Domestic

✂ Oct. 5 (Mon): Sewfinity

✂ Oct. 7 (Wed): Great Heron Thread

✂ Oct. 9 (Friday): Knot and Thread

✂ Oct. 12 (Mon): Snuggles Quilts

✂ Oct. 14 (Wed): A Bright Corner

✂ Oct. 16 (Fri): Suzn Quilts

✂ Oct. 19 (Mon): HUGS'N KISSES

✂ Oct. 20 (Tues): Sallie Tomato

✂ Oct. 22 (Thur): Masterpiece Quilting, Nancy Scott 

✂ Oct. 23 (Fri): Meadow Mist Designs

✂ Oct. 26 (Mon): LoveYouSew

✂ Oct. 27 (Tue): Teresa Coates

✂ Oct. 31 (Sat): Sookie Sews of Sue O'Very Designs

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer. 

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

To find screenings available near you: 

• Breast Screen (Australia)

• CDC.gov (US)

• WebMD (free screenings)

To donate directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit: https://give.bcrf.org/give/31404/#!/donation/checkout

Did you know?

If you haven't yet, please make an appointment for a breast cancer screening!