My Happy Place Reveal #2

As soon as I saw the My Happy Place fabrics, I knew I wanted to create a heart block with them. I got busy sketching, had a number of possibilities, and quickly made a decision. The block was easy to sketch, but I had to really think about how I wanted to put them together in a quilt. 

I had a limited amount of fabric and knew that I also wanted to make a few other projects with it, so the size of my quilt was quickly scaled back to a small lap size. You've already seen the block before it was sewn together...

The block finishes at 12" and I love it!

As you can see in these pictures, I decided to have them nest into each other vertically and have a small sashing between the columns.

I'm teasing you here a bit...

What better place to take a picture than at one of my favorite places - the back patio.

I'll get some fun pictures as soon as I get this baby quilted. In the mean time, here's the completed quilt top.

Oops! I lied... 

I decided that I didn't like the top and bottom of the hearts so I got out my trusty seam ripper and made some changes. I wish taking these pictures was as easy as making the changes to the quilt. Between the bad lighting because of the time of day and the wind, I couldn't get a good picture. I guess that will have to wait for the completed quilt.

Do you see the changes I made? I especially like that the bottom hearts actually have points now.

I tried to get fancy with the pictures, and if you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I love to take pictures of quilts on a wood pile.

But, when all else fails you grab some tape and go to the back side of the shop. I decided to leave the weeds in the picture. That's kind of like life, isn't it? Hearts and Love triumph over the bad stuff!  

Besides the My Happy Place fabrics, I used these two Peppered Cottons.

Aubergine

Fushia

I love how this turned out, but have not yet decided a name for it. That will probably happen once it's quilted. I have to get Jack on that, since he's the one who normally names my projects.  😊

Tip Tuesday! - Find YOUR Quilting Passion

"Tip Tuesday!" - Find YOUR Quilting Passion

I love learning new things and then sharing that knowledge with my quilting friends. So, every Tuesday (or most Tuesdays!) I'll provide some tips, hints, tricks, tutorials, shortcuts, etc. that I've learned over the years and share them here on the blog.

"Tip Tuesday" will be a collection of information about a wide variety of subjects garnered from a large variety of sources. I am not an expert by any means and do not take credit for being the great wizard behind all of these hints and tips. I will gladly give due credit whenever possible.

These tips will be archived and accessible to you just by clicking on the "Tip Tuesday!" tab above.

Read, enjoy, and be inspired!

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If you have read many of my blog posts, you know that I LOVE just about all aspects of quilting.

 

I love fondling fabrics under the guise of searching for just the right shade of orange to match the project on which I'm working.

 

I love reading quilt books, magazines, and patterns and drooling over the beautiful quilts and trying to decide just what fabrics I could choose to make MY quilts just as stunning.

 

I actually like the cutting process, although it can be tedious. The rotary cutter signifies the beginning of a new quilt and many hours of blissfully sitting at my sewing machine excitedly watching the transformation from simple fabric to wonderful quilt.

 

To me, one of the most relaxing sounds in the entire world is the sound of a sewing machine. Seriously!

 

And then there is the teaching that I do. Oh my, my heart is fluttering, just thinking about it. I actually get to help someone else develop their love of quilting and that is an awesome feeling. (I have told people that sometimes I feel like a drug pusher because I get people hooked on quilting. Of course my drug of choice is fabric.)

 

I think you get the message.

 

I LOVE quilting!

 

One of the reasons that I love to quilt is the feeling I get when I give a quilt to someone or donate it, knowing that it will bring warmth, comfort, and happiness to the recipient.

It is an amazing feeling.

 

I've made A LOT of quilts in the sixteen years I've been quilting; and when I say a lot, I mean a hundreds of quilts. My husband has asked me many times to figure out how many quilts I've made and I just may try to figure that out for him. It should be pretty easy to do the math because I have information about all of the quilts I've donated for tax purposes and I have pictures I've posted on my blog.

 

Since no single person or family really needs hundreds of quilts, I found a couple of ways that I can justify my continuation to make quilts - I always need new class samples, and I donate a fair number every year. 

 

I am always trying to find a new charity, group, etc. that is in need of quilts. During my search, I make inquiries locally, read the newspaper, surf the web, etc.  After my research, I make my decisions and then quilts are made and sent away to their new homes. 

 

While reading Scott's blog over at

Tales of a Fourth Generation Textile Executive,

 

I became aware of a group called

 

America's Mighty Warriors

 

Scott's post, and the story behind the America's Mighty Warriors has provided me with yet another outlet for my quilts. Although I won't actually be sending quilts to the group, I will be making a donation and I'll definitely be participating in the random acts of kindness program.

 

These words, written in a letter by Navy Seal Marc Lee who was killed in action August 2, 2006, have inspired me.

 

"Pass on the love, the kindness, the precious gift of human life."

   

I am going to make a difference!
 I will continue to make and donate quilts, but I will also find other ways to help. I will perform random acts of kindness and encourage others to do the same.


That is MY new quilting passion!


What is YOURS?
 

Check out Scotts blog HERE

 

 

http://studioefabrics.net/blog/?m=201606