Finish It Up Friday...Open Heart Quilt!

Just a few weeks ago a friend asked me if I would make a graduation quilt for their foreign exchange student.  I was excited for a new project and I love making quilts.
This is the pattern she had found and requested.  The plan is for the neutral background fabric to be an area for friends to sign the quilt.
As an exchange student to the USA, she requested the color scheme to be red, white and blue!
I found some great colors on Connecting Threads and got them ordered.
They arrived right before a large snowstorm.  I don't have a washer and dryer in my little house yet but I was oh, so impatient to get started on this project!
I am still of the old school mindset that washes all the fabric before using it in a project.  I'm glad I decided to because even as I sloshed/washed these fabrics in my sink...the water did take on a hue of color!
Due to the storm I couldn't run out to my parent's and wash my fabric, so I hand washed them and then stoked the fire and let them dry in my living room.
Getting the 110 inch backing fabric wrung out was a bit of a struggle but I managed!  Hehe, I did finish drying most of them by ironing them out.
It was a pretty simple pattern to follow.  I got to cutting and let the hearts begin!
Sooo, I miscounted on my number of reds and blues.  I ended up with 8 blocks more than the pattern called for.  I went ahead and added another column of 6 blocks making it a 6x6 set of blocks rather than a 5x6.
Can I say how much easier it is to baste my quilts now that I have clamps!? I love it!  Even though my table is only 4 ft by 4 ft, it works so slick. I just clamp each layer down, baste with pins, shift it to another section and do the same!
I toyed with a couple different quilting motifs, even tried an allover chevron but it was causing me some headache since the hearts aren't square.  I finally landed on loopty loops in rows across the hearts.  I didn't want anything to busy or tight since they will be signing the background fabric.  It think it turned out nice and with my darning foot on my treadle, the free motion just went so much faster than the other options!
Hurray!  Like I said, this was for a graduation present...  We had some snow days where I was in all day, so...it's done!
I bought 110 in width backing fabric so I WOULDN'T have to piece the backing.  Haha, I cut the piece of that fabric to use for heart blocks from the wrong edge.  That made it too narrow in both directions!! So, since I had to piece anyway I incorporated the last two leftover blocks into the backing.  Who says things need to go according to plan? ;)
My friend was a bit surprised to hear that I had finished the quilt so early.  I took it to show her how it turned out and she decided to go ahead and gift it now.  This way she can have people signing it right up to graduation!  I hope she enjoys her quilt! It was a lot of fun to make!
Alissa

Comments

  1. =0)jessica3:26 PM

    that is gorgeous! one of the most different heart quilts I've seen! I love reading your blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Miss Alissa4:01 PM

      Thank you! It is a nice pattern for hearts!Glad you are enjoying the blog :)

      Delete
  2. Paula3:27 PM

    What a great idea! The red, white, and blue color theme was very appropriate and the hearts are a great touch.

    I highly recommend Shout Color Catcher sheets. Even when you prewash fabrics, the colors can still bleed for a few washings. I add one or two for the first few washings on some of my quilts and gift a few (with instructions) to recipients of my quilts, so there won't be any unwelcome surprises.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Miss Alissa4:03 PM

      Thanks! The shout color catchers are great aren't they?!
      I have some at my parents. I might have to start gifting them with my quilts!

      Delete
  3. The Joyful Quilter6:51 PM

    Such a lovely quilt! Sorry about the backing issue. You found a great solution!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Joyful Quilter6:58 PM

    What a great quilt for that exchange student!! She is going to treasure it. Always!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SarahZ11:10 AM

    This is awesome, and a great design/colorscheme for an exchange student! I totally hear ya on the productivity of snow days! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. the momma7:12 AM

    This is a great one, Alissa! (it'd work well as a signature wedding quilt, too) Your backing issues sound like something I'd do ;-)
    hope you are well ~ Tracy

    ReplyDelete

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