The hearts in the quilt shown in the Entire Quilt view are floral scraps gathered from the stashes of the staff here at Quiltmaker. If you need a few more large floral prints, your quiltmaking friends might share with you too. With spring cleaning just around the corner, challenge them to tidy up their fabrics, saving floral scraps for you!
See Quiltmaker's Basic Lessons for more detailed instructions on the steps of quiltmaking.
Directions are for both the topper/wall and the twin size. Information that differs for the twin size is given in [ ].
Choosing Your Fabrics
First pick scraps of large floral prints for the C patches. Next, choose a variety of light and dark scraps with small-scale prints for the A patches that coordinate with the florals.
From the fabrics you've chosen so far, decide which color is predominant. Pick a tone-on-tone or a solid fabric in that color for the B patches.
Cutting the Patches
Cut half of the A patches from the dark scraps and the other half of the A's from the light scraps. Cut the Prairie Points from a random mix of both light and dark scraps.
A Patch
Cut the borders parallel to the selvedges before cutting the B patches. Cut the top/bottom border strips first, and then the side border strips. [Cut the side strips first and then the top and bottom border strips.]
B Patch
Dimensions of the diagrammed patch include seam allowances.
Cut size as given.
Blocks
Sew one light A and one dark A together and press the seam allowances toward the darker fabric. Join and press the second pair of A's in the same way, as shown in the piecing diagram. Nestling the opposing seam allowances, match center points, pin and sew the units together. Repeat to make 64 [212] Y blocks.
Block Y Piecing
Make 64 [212]
For the Z blocks, fold the B patches and lightly press to mark the center lines. (Figure 3a) Lightly mark the center lines on the hearts (the C patches).
Figure 3a
Without adding a seam allowance, cut a freezer paper template for each heart. Center the template on the wrong side of the C patch with the shiny side of the freezer paper toward you, and pin in place (Figure 3b).
Figure 3b
Being careful that the surface of the iron does not touch the coating on the freezer paper, press the point of the heart up over the freezer paper with the tip of the iron. Working from the point upward, turn and press the seam allowance in place (Figure 3c).
Figure 3c
At the top curves of the heart, stop pressing and clip the seam allowance of the inside point a few threads short of the freezer paper. Continue pressing the seam allowance to the freezer paper (Figure 3d).
Figure 3d
Remove the pins. To position the heart on the background (the B patch), match centers and press (Figure 3e). The coating on the freezer paper will hold the heart in place.
Figure 3e
Blindstitch the heart to the background. Trim the background fabric from behind the heart, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance (Figure 3f). Then gently remove the freezer paper (Figure 3g). Repeat for all Z blocks.
Figure 3f
Figure 3g
Block Z
Make 9 [35]
Making the Rows
Turning the Y blocks as shown, make 4 [8] Row 1's and 3 [7] Row 2's as shown in the assembly diagram.
Row 1
Make 4 [8]
Row 2
Make 3 [7]
Assembling the Quilt
Matching seam lines, join the rows.
Fold each border strip end to end and finger press to mark the center. Match the centers of a side border and one side of the quilt, and pin in place. Stitch the border strip to the quilt. Repeat for the opposite side. At both ends, trim excess border fabric even with the quilt.
Pin and sew the border strips to the top and bottom. Trim excess border fabric even with the side border strips.
Wall/Topper and Twin Quilt Assembly
Layering and Quilting
Mark the Valentine morif in each C patch.
Place the lining wrong side up on a flat surface. Layer with the batting and the quilt top and baste together.
Quilt the seam lines between the Y and Z blocks and the heart patches in the ditch. Quilt the valentine motifs as marked. Outline quilt each A patch and the border along its inner seam line.
Finishing the Edges with Prairie Points
Remove the basting and trim the batting and lining even with the quilt top. Following the instructions in Prairie Points, sew 18 points to each side of the quilt [26 to the top and bottom border strips and 36 to the side border strips]. Turn under and blindstitch the lining edges to the back of the Prairie Points. Outline quilt 3/8" from the outer edge of the border.
Blindstitch
Adding a Sleeve
To display the smaller quilt on the wall, attach a sleeve to the back.
Mark the Valentine morif in each C patch.
