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Monday, October 4, 2021

Heartstruck and Star Spangled

Hey there, y'all!  It's time to feature another two quilts from my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, and first up today is Heartstruck.  I'm in the South, so Valentine's Day is usually the time that I feel like spring is right around the corner, even though I know winter isn't quite done with us yet.  By that time, Christmas is long behind us, and my thoughts start to turn to Spring Break plans and planting in my yard.  It's the perfect time for a little holiday celebration, and the hearts and arrows in this quilt are a fun way to acknowledge the season.  

I love hearts that have a taller, narrow shape;  it makes them look more hand-drawn.  The shape of these hearts make this quilt different from other heart quilts I've seen, and the red and pink scrappy improv really give them a Valentine's Day look.  Shades of gray scraps are perfect for the arrows, and complement the hearts really well.

The hearts and arrows get some definition from dense quilting lines that echo each shape, and I quilted the Kona White background with the softest pink thread.  The stippling in the background is a great contrast to the linear quilting in the hearts and arrows.

I love pieced backings, even on mini quilts.  I think it gives the quilt a little extra handmade charm, and these two pink and gray prints are just perfect for the Heartstruck quilt.  For the binding, I found the perfect red, pink, and white polkadot in my stash.  I don't use a ton of pink (especially pink/red), so this find was a win!

The blog hop stop for the Heartstruck quilt is over at Rebecca Grace Quilting, and she put her own unique spin on the pattern.  Be sure to head over there to see it! 

Up next is Star Spangled.  This patriotic quilt is perfect for a Fourth of July tabletop, pillow, or even a gift for a veteran.  The arrangement of the single star and stripes is unique on its own, but the blue and red scrappy improv sections really make this one special.

The red and white stripes in Star Spangled are quilted with coordinating thread, with overlapping wavy lines, giving the impression that this quilt is waving in the breeze.  The single sawtooth star is quilted with the tiniest grid I could manage, and an easy stipple fills the field of blue.

On the back of the quilt, this cobalt blue crosshatch fabric works beautifully for showing off the quilting.  I love those overlapping wavy lines!  And this Cotton and Steel dot print is the perfect American gray-blue, so I knew I needed to use it for the binding.

Christine at Triangles and Squares made her own version of Star Spangled for the blog tour, and you don't want to miss it!

I'll share the next two quilts on Wednesday, so I'll see you again then!  And check out the full blog tour schedule below!

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :) 

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-
10/6- Birds of a FeatherPreeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall FoliageSusan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- OrnamentalGail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, ChurnCynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset CrossingKate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed UpLinda @ Flourishing Palms
             ShockwaveAnne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 



2 comments:

  1. LOVE the way you spread out the Book Tour Blog Hop, Kelly! Two more lovely examples of your designs in today's posts. I'm particularly fond of Star Spangled!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Star Spangled is such a fun use of red, white, and blue scraps. Love the way you quilted it too. It was fun catching up with the links and seeing all the variety of takes on your patterns from the book.

    ReplyDelete

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