Stitched with Love: The Quilted Heart

This month Pattern Flex© will be hitting the quilt shops, and I'm so excited for this product! Though my main use for Pattern Flex© is to be able to print out small project patterns with my printer, I have gotten hooked on all the different uses for it. It's been a blast and can't wait for my order to arrive.

I have always traced patterns and never use copy paper. This is for many reasons, but mainly to be able to cut accurately and not dull my sewing shears. Now, I can just print and go! What a game changer!

The more I play with Pattern Flex©, the more uses I've found for it. One use is grid foundation patchwork. I've made a bunch of mini quilts, mug rugs, and a doll quilt. It can be quite addicting, especially when the projects go together so quickly.

These are also great projects for youth. My daughter made a mug rug for her friend in an afternoon with very little help from me.

Today, I'm sharing one of the patchwork projects I created, Quilted Heart. If you are not familiar with the I found a Quilted Heart project, you can read more about it here: www.ifoundaquiltedheart.com

Tiny patchwork is so fun to look at but working with 1" squares can be fiddly and matching up points can be tricky. Using Pattern Flex to print out the tiny grid for foundation patchwork takes all the effort out of it. It goes together so quickly, effortlessly, and look at those points!

Download the printable pattern and grid here: https://www.ctpub.com/quilted-heart-project-by-erin-hentzel/?ctk=4616044b-5c72-481c-9626-11d9b83c11a4&showHidden=true

Materials

1 sheet of Pattern Flex©

Small scraps of fabric (up to 30 different prints)

Backing: 5½" x 6½" (14 x 16.5cm)

Batting: 5" x 6" (12.7 x 15.2cm)

Fabric glue stick

Pinking or scallop edged shears, designed for cutting fabric

Ribbon, faux-leather cord, or embroidery floss for hanger

Optional:

Basting spray

Wonder tape (washable double sided sticky tape for fabrics)

Printable "I found a Quilted Heart" labels can be found here: www.ifoundaquiltedheart.com

Cutting Instructions

1. Cut from scraps squares that are just under 1¼" (3.2cm), but larger than 1⅛" (2.9cm). Cut 30.

These don't have to be exact or uniform in size.

Instructions

1. Download and print, with no scaling, the template onto the sheet of Pattern Flex©. The squares should measure 1¼" (3.2cm), but the heart project will still work if it is off a little. Just check that your fabric squares fit inside of the printed grid squares. 

Work one line at a time: fold, press, and sew. Folding and pressing all of them at once makes it trickier to work with.

The cut fabric squares should fit centered in the printed grid squares, so the lines are visible and fabric edges are close to the printed lines, but not over them.

2. Carefully separate the grid from the heart template. Set aside the heart template.

3. Place a small amount of fabric glue in the center of each square on the printed grid and place a fabric square in each square on the grid, with right side facing up. Center the squares, so the grid lines are still visible.

4. Fold the Pattern Flex© along the first vertical line on the grid and press to crease. Make sure all the fabric edges are folded together without folding the raw edges of the fabric squares. The fabrics should be right sides together.

5. Sew ¼" (6mm) from the fold, with a short stitch length.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each of the vertical lines.

7. Press the seam allowances to one side.

8. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the horizontal lines.

9. Press the seam allowances to one side.

Quilting

1. Layer the patchwork fabric with the batting and backing. Basting spray works well for this project.

2. Quilt it as desired.

Notes: To quilt only the area needed, carefully cut out the heart template and make only one cut line from the side to the heart first.

The excess part (open heart template) can then be placed onto the quilt sandwich as a quilting template. I used Wondertape© to hold the open heart template on the quilt sandwich.

As you quilt, shorten the stitch length when approaching the edge of the Pattern Flex©.

3. Sew around the heart shape and remove the open heart template.

Finishing

1. Cut out the heart shape, using the heart template and scallop edged shears.

2. Sew the hanger to the back.

I hope you have fun making some cute quilted hearts. I'll be sharing more projects and ways to use Pattern Flex, so be sure to follow Avery Lane Sewing on Instagram (@averylanesewing) and C&T for more fun projects!

...

Shop Pattern Flex

Erin Hentzel first fell in love with sewing as a child when she began making stuffed animals and doll clothes. Today, she runs the sewing pattern company Avery Lane and teaches sewing classes near her home in Willamette Valley, Oregon. averylanesewing.com