One of my favorite places to go when I am feeling uninspired is Jolene over at Blue Elephant Stitches. Her work is always intriguing and makes me want to put down the laptop and go sew. And when she put up this pretty little pixelated heart a few weeks ago and another appeared in my instagram stream made by my friend Kelly. Queue the quilt envy that followed and I knew I needed to make one too.
I didn’t actually *Read* what Jolene wrote about making it a 9 patch and instead constructed it in rows. I laid the entire thing out on the floor. There are 70 colored 5″ squares and 215 low volume 5″ squares. I highly recommend doing this in a place free from ‘helpers’ who like to run through unassembled quilts. And once you have a layout you like, take a picture so if something happens you can put it all back.
I piled my rows together and sewed them into long strips. I sewed the strips into pairs and then assembled the pairs into the quilt top. With the long seams, I made sure that I sewed the pairs from right side to left side and then the final assembly was sewn from left side to right side. This helps keep the quilt square.
The heart fabrics are all Anna Maria Horner. There is a piece of each line of quilting cottons she has designed in there. The background is a variety of low volume and text prints from my stash. I used some solids from this bundle and some of the low volume prints from this bundle. Then I began filling in from my stash to add more variety. I see an entirely low volume bundle popping up in my shop in the next little while.
Today I’m off to piece a back for this one and then to decide how to quilt it. I’m thinking I want to add a lot of texture to this one, so we’ll see what I come up with!
I really love how this turned out Amanda! It’s so sweet and simple. Can’t wait to see it finished!
This heart is beautiful. I love everything about it.
This is beautiful! Thank you for the tip on sewing rows left-to-right AND right-to-left. I had never heard this before, but it makes a lot of sense!
I like the bits of yellow throughout. Very sweet.
This is beautiful!! Can’t wait to see how you quilt it. Have a good week!
Yes, please put together a low volume bundle! I’m one of those people who are drawn to the bright and colorful and never quite see the low volume fabrics for what they are. I am so loving these quilts that are popping up lately with the low volume backgrounds and the pop of color in the focus fabrics. A special made bundle is what this quilter needs to get started on a low volume stash!
Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous by the way, since I forgot to say that in the previous comment 🙂
This is adorable! I think one of these quilts is in my future. I have a stack of Liberty that might be perfect for it.
Just gorgeous! Loved it on IG and love it even more now having seen close-up photos! Looking forward to the low-volume bundle 🙂
I absolutely adore this, Amanda!! Looks fairly straight-forward for a beginner? I would SO love to give it a try:). Can’t wait to see your finished quilt. If the top is any indication, it’ll be a total stunner!! xo
Beautiful work! I want to make a mini heart now! 😉
This is gorgeous without being over the top pink too, can’t wait to see it done. Thanks for sharing.
I love this so much! Please, please put together a low volume bundle for it! This has just gone to the top of my must make list.
This is beautiful! 🙂
Oh this is so beautiful Amanda! I love it!
Gorgeous, just gorgeous.
This may be one of my favorites you have done yet, I love it!
Looks really good. I like how it comes together out of squares, and large ones at that! Hehehe, I have “helpers”. Actually, the 9 and 6 yo are really good helpers. the 3yo tries his best, but is a little overly helpful and brings the bits to me to sew when they’re laid out, but from all over the place in an order that’s completely his own! Cute though, I love his earnest, sincerity about being helpful.
Oh Amanda ~ this turned out so sweet. Think I’m going to need to make one (or at least put it on my ‘to do’ list). Thanks for the inspiration!
I love this quilt. Probably one of my all time favorites!
soooooo in love with this!
LOVE IT!
I love it, absolutely love it!
it’s so gorgeous Amanda! Beautiful work!
you are so sweet! such kind words:) but i must say that your quilt totally knocks the socks off of mine! i love it!!
I absolutely adore this, Amanda! In fact, I’ve been thinking about it all day, trying to justify making it before tackling some more items on my WIP list!
I LOVE this quilt. I have this idea in my head for some time and never got it out to fabric yet. Thanks for sharing your pictures and tips with us