Sunday, April 5, 2009

You Gotta Have Heart

Now that song will be running through my head all day - oh well, it is a nice song. Better than I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas I guess.

I spent some time yesterday with my sewing machine - finally - I think it was beginning to think it was an orphan. A small internet group I belong to sends out heart blocks (or flower blocks) to our members in celebration of births, marriages, happy events and in memorials to loved ones that pass on. I was a bit behind on my hearts - so I made four yesterday.


First I got out my yellow scraps . . .

And my blue scraps . . .

And punched the pattern for paper piecing. I layer several pieces of paper together, with the pattern on top and sew through them all with an unthreaded needle. I get several designs done at a time and the patterns are easy to follow once they are punched. I save the top pattern for the numbering if necessary - and it was necessary with this pattern. I love the pattern, but you do have to follow the numbering - and sometimes I will even write the colors in the spaces just to make sure I don't make mistakes.

I got the pattern from Etsy - you can find it and many others in this Etsy Store - Piece By Number. She has several other patterns I would like to try - and her prices are great. She sends you a PDF of the pattern, so there is very little waiting - not like waiting for the mail, that's for sure.


And speaking of mistakes - here is my first one . . .

And here it is corrected . . .


Next I made a yellow heart . . . the pattern is called Feathers in My Heart.

I've had some friends say that they don't do paper piecing because it is so wasteful of fabric. Here is my pile of waste fabric after making two hearts - I put the bobbin there for size comparison. Most of the trimmings left over from paper piecing are smaller than the bobbin - most are just tiny little slivers - and I don't cut carefully, I just whack off a piece of fabric that is about the right size, stitch it on and trim.


Next I decided to make some applique hearts - and used this very pretty multi-colored fabric.

I place the pieces so that each section of the heart was a different color. This is the first heart - I call it the blue heart . . . pinned and ready for hand applique.


And here is the "green" heart - I love the way the colors can be changed around, and still only use one fabric for the whole heart.


Green heart - finished . . .


Blue heart - finished. Should I do some fancy crazy quilting stitches on these?

12 comments:

Crispy said...

Good Morning Jo!

My you were busy sewing yesterday. I like your paper pieced hearts...do you use freezer paper or just regular paper?

That multicolored fabric is beautiful and the hearts you made from it are just stunning!!

Crispy

Crispy said...

oops I forgot to say that I don't think they need fancy stitches on them...but if you are in the mood for embroidery, go for it LOL.

Crispy

Jocelyn said...

You applique heart is so pretty. Love the fabrics.

Jocelyn

Belvie said...

All of those hearts are pretty. I especially like the blue....since blue happens to be my favorite color.

I don't do paper piecing, but I love seeing what others do. For some reason, that method and I...well, we just don't get along! It was recommended for my Dear Jane, but it took only one block for me to realize my DJ would be hand pieced!

Sharyn Mallow Woerz said...

Great output and all lovely! Sharyn/KalamaQuilts

Julie said...

What fun! I love all our hearts and I don't think they appliqued ones need fancy stitches, the fabric speaks for itself.

Nancy Jo said...

Those hearts are so pretty! aren't you the handy one.
Nancy Jo

Dorothy said...

JoAnn, I love the fabric you used for your appliqued hearts. Is it a new one?
Your paper-pieced hearts are great.

Elenka said...

I love both of them. I't so nice to have time to sit down and do stuff like that. Once in a while I do...but not lately.
I like your fabric choices, too.

Moon Daisies said...

I love hearts, yours are so pretty, such lovely material

Browndirtcottage said...

Oh wow Joann....what wonderful hearts you have made....the yellow ones are sure not what I had in my mind when you told me about them....THEY ARE BETTER!!! I think your 'mistake' one is a great block all on it's own. I think mistakes can be a good thing!!

Julie said...

These are all so pretty. You have a wonderful sense of color.