Hive 6 - May Tutorial - Woven Hearts for Sarah

Hive 6 - May Tutorial - Woven Hearts for Sarah

Hi! My name is Sarah, and this is my second year participating in StashBee. I've had the best time getting to know everyone in my hive this year and last year! This month I'm requesting a heart block - Valentine's Day is one of my daughter's favorite holidays and she's been begging for a quilt with a ton of hearts.  When I spotted this Woven Hearts pattern by Sew Can She, I thought it was the perfect inspiration. I did not follow it exactly, and have alternative options if the woven design isn't speaking to you which are written out at the bottom, so please use the steps below.  Here's a picture of my woven heart:

Fabric Selection:

Think Valentine's Day - reds, pinks, whites, creams.  Prints, solids, batiks are all fine, I'd just request no novelty, children's, or holiday fabrics (other than Valentine's Day).  Here's a picture of my fabric pull:

You will need to pick 3 fabrics to create the woven heart.  One will be your background and the other 2 will make the heart.  Please try to make sure there is a clear difference between the background and heart fabrics - a white and pink heart with red background, a cream background with a red and dark pink heart.  

Cutting:

From your background fabric, please cut:

• 1 - 2.5 inch x 10.5 inch rectangle (border)
• 2 - 2.5 inch x 12.5 inch rectangles (border)
• 1 - 2.5 inch x 14.5 inch rectangle (border)
• 1 - 4.5 inch square
• 4 - 2.5 inch squares

From each of your heart fabrics, please cut:

• 1 - 4.5 inch x 6.5 inch rectangle
• 4 or 5 - 2.5 inch squares (4 squares from one fabric, 5 from the other fabric)

Here's a picture of my fabrics laid out:

Sewing:

1. Arrange the 2.5 inch squares into a nine patch and sew it together. I prefer to press my seams to the darker color so I can nest them, but do whatever you'd like and feel most comfortable with!

2. Draw a line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the 2.5 inch square background fabric squares.  You will use these to snowball the corners of the 4.5 inch x 6.5 inch heart fabric rectangles.  Pin 2 squares to the top corners of each 4.5 inch x 6.5 inch heart fabric rectangle and sew directly on the marked lines.  Trim the excess fabric 1/4 inch from the seams. Fold the background fabric back and press.

3. Arrange the nine-patch, the rectangles with snowball corners, and the 4.5 inch square of background fabric as shown below and sew together. Again, I like to press to one side so I can nest my seams, but if you prefer to press open, go for it!  This part of the heart block, before the borders are added, should measure 10.5 inches square.

4. Add a border around the heart. Sew the 2.5 inch x 10.5 inch rectangle of background fabric to one side of the heart and press. Then, sew the two 2.5 inch x 12.5 inch rectangles of background fabric to two other sides of the heart and press. Finally, finish the border by sewing the 2.5 inch x 14.5 inch rectangle of background fabric to the last side of the heart and press.  Your final block should measure 14.5 inches square, but you do not need to trim it! I'm happy to do that when they all arrive.

Here's a picture of a few heart blocks laid out together.

If you have any questions, please let me know - I would love to chat about this! I can't wait to see the hearts you all create!

Sarah 💕

Alternative Options:

Don't love the woven part of the heart? Here are two other options!

Simple Heart - select 1 background fabric and 1 heart fabric, and use a square from your heart fabric instead of the nine patch:

Cutting:

From your background fabric, please cut:

• 1 - 2.5 inch x 10.5 inch rectangle (border)
• 2 - 2.5 inch x 12.5 inch rectangles (border)
• 1 - 2.5 inch x 14.5 inch rectangle (border)
• 1 - 4.5 inch square
• 4 - 2.5 inch squares

From your heart fabric, please cut:

• 2 - 4.5 inch x 6.5 inch rectangles
• 1 - 6.5 inch square

Here's a picture of my fabrics laid out:

Sewing - follow sewing instructions above, starting at step 2, and using the 6.5 inch square of your heart fabric in place of the nine-patch. 

Scrappy Heart:

You can create your own heart fabric by sewing together strips, squares, rectangles, or random shapes of various pink, red, white, or cream fabrics and then following the cutting and sewing instructions above.