Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks



            Quilted Cora here welcoming you to the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks blog tour!!  For those of you who don’t know me, I am Renelda’s alter ego.  Anyone who knows both of us will tell you that I’m the better looking of the two, snappier dresser and better accessorized!  Well, enough about me (who typed that?) let’s look at Renelda’s block: Block #412 Blooming Hearts.

            Before I give you some inside construction info about the block, please look at 100 Blocks, volume 5, page 14.


             In the Designer’s Gallery, the #3 quilt is a bed runner using the Blooming Hearts block, yellow background and blue “flowers”.

            1. Hearts: Determine the size and number of blocks in your Blooming Hearts quilt.  I’m constructing the quilt to the right!  


            For this demo I chose to do a 4 block x 4 block wall hanging, so I have 16 blocks, 2 “flowers” per block means I have 32 flowers.  Each flower is comprised of 7 hearts which means I’ll need 224 hearts.  (I always cut more hearts than I need!)  I checked through my stash of batiks, thank you Hoffman Batiks of California! and pulled out about 20 different reds and pinks.  I try to create a balance of 1/3 dark hearts (75 hearts minimum), 1/3 medium hearts (75 minimum) and 1/3 light hearts (75 - you get the point).

            Determine if you will machine or hand appliqué the hearts (a lot of work) or fuse them to create the flowers:  Steam-A-Seam2 saves time and frustration!  My quilt will be a wall hanging which will not be handled much so I choose to fuse.  If your Blooming Hearts will be used on a regular basis it should be machine or hand appliquéd.
            After selecting fabric, cut it to fit fusible backing.  Fuse to back of fabric and trace hearts on the fusible backing.  Cut out the hearts.  The hearts are duel-directional, doesn’t matter if you trace from the front or back – the stems are uni-directional, it does matter how you cut them out.  After you check which direction to trace the stems, trace and cut out stems.


                     2. Make Flower:  Trace the flower template onto a fusible safe surface, peel the Steam-A-Seam2 off the back of the hearts and arrange them over template.  Press using a low iron just so hearts stick together, but not hot enough to melt the glue.

            3. Prepare Block:  Because you are making multiple blocks and you want the flower placement to look consistent throughout the quilt, make a block template.
           Trace the flower and stem twice and adhere them to an actual size block insuring flower and stem placement is the same for both (even being off ¼” - ½” will make your quilt look off center).



  Darken the template so you can see through light fabric.  Place the flowers and stems on the background fabric, align it with the template, and slide it onto the ironing surface and press.
      The placement template is next to the ready-to-fuse block!

Other possibilities, colors, combinations:

 Pansy with Stems


117 comments:

  1. I really like how you showed the variety of projects from one block. Adorable.

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  2. Such a great block. Love the layout possibilities!

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  3. I especially like it colored as a pansy!

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  4. Great flowers! Love seeing it as a quilt and in the different colorways. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Love the flower wreaths. now I see a good application for the Go cutter.

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  6. The heart flowers are darling! Thanks for putting the directions on your blog. I hope I win a copy of the magazine!

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  7. What a lot of fun! Your blocks really look like spring.

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  8. Beautiful block...thank you for sharing.

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  9. I love the scattered look you can get from this block, beautiful. Thank you.

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  10. Love fusible applique...wonderful options with your block! Congrats!

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  11. Love applique' and love the versatility of this block.

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  12. congrats on a great block! and for the tutorial!

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  13. I like the bed runner - neat idea!

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  14. I think putting directions on the blog was a really good idea.

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  15. Very pretty block! I love the pansies.

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  16. Your Blooming Hearts block is very pretty.

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  17. Im so glad that some of you designers are giving us such wonderful tips and instructions with your blocks. Thank you so much. I love the heart pansies!

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  18. What a fun block. The hearts are a great way to do the flowers. Love your settings.

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  19. I love seeing the different possibilities available with your block - very inspirational! Congratulations on being included in 100 Blocks!

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  20. Congratulations! I love your quilt block and am enjoying my first blog tour. thank you!

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  21. I love how the hearts make the flower. It is great to see the different ways the pattern looks when arrange differently in the quilt patterns. Thank you for including the detail instructions for the block.

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  22. Thank you for showcasing your block! Congrats on getting into the magazine.

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  23. I like seeing your block in different colorways. The purple/yellow comination is my favorite. Thanks for sharing.

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  24. fun block. I like the purple and yellow version.

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  25. What a great block! I love your 4 x 4 version!

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  26. Love the red and the purple ones. Great quilts.

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  27. I just fell in love with your Pansy with Stems. That is so pretty. Just need a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 5 now. It is so nice to see so many creative ideas and with your layouts it becomes so enticing. Thank you for participating and giving us all a chance to win.

    Sandi T.
    sandit1@sbcglobal.net

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  28. So pretty! I love the four circular arrangements.

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  29. Very pretty block and you can do so much with it, depending on how you set the blocks. Great. Congratulations on being in the magazine.

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  30. Very nice and colorful block.

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  31. great block. thanks for sharing.

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  32. Congratulations. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  33. this is a really fun and versatile block. I love applique and and your tutorial was great. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.

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  34. Grats on having your block published.

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  35. Adorable innovative block with a ton of possibilities! Congratulations and thank you for hosting a great giveaway. :)

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  36. Quilted Cora, please tell your "peep" that she did a great job. The pansies are really nice and like how they can be used in so many ways.

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  37. Que maravilhosa,eu amei.Obrigada por tudo.PARABÉNS idém.tiacarminhapezzto@gmail.com

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  38. I love it when hearts are turned into flowers!

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  39. Very pretty. Thanks for the tute!

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  40. I really like the pansy version of your block.

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  41. Block previews, demos and giveaways, oh my. I love this blog hop!

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  42. You have made a very clever design! I love how the hearts overlap to make a gorgeous flower. Thanks for showing different examples. tkmattson@hotmail.com

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  43. Wow! Love your block. Awesome tutorial. Thanks

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  44. Neat block, congrats to you. Thanks.

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  45. Your "Pansy with Stem" layout makes my heart spin as I adore pansies! I definitely bookmarked your tutorial to study later.

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  46. Awesome Block design!! Love it!! And congratulations! Thanks for showing us those details! Can't wait to get the magazine so I can make your block!!!

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  47. Cute applique project. Thanks for the instructions

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  48. That's a really pretty block, and I love how the stem makes a viney look! Cool.

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  49. I like the block. The quilt looks like it is going to be wonderful. Congrats on being chosen for a block in the magazine.

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  50. I like seeing the different color combinations. Congrats on being selected for the magazine.

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  51. I love your block! It is unusual, and when it repeats it is amazing!

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  52. Oh My! What a fun block! I can hardly wait to make a pillow out of a block like this!

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  53. This block is very pretty and I love the way the quilt looks. Congratulations on being included in the magazine.

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  54. What a great block. You tutorial on "how to" is very good. Thank you. I will be trying this block.

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  55. Renelda or Cora, Congrats on being published. I like that secondary pattern that happens with your block, nicely done. Can't wait to check out that publication. Jane

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  56. love the blooming hearts. Thanks for the instructions

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  57. Love this versitile block, so pretty! Great layouts too. Thanks for the demo too.

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  58. What a very sweet block. I love the blooming hearts. Thanks for sharing the how to's.

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  59. Close-up, I see hearts in each of those flowers, but put together into a quilt...they look like little pom poms! Very cute block! Congrats on getting into the best ever quilt publication!

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  60. Oh, LOVE that pansy variation! Must have! Congratulations!

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  61. Very cute block and could be done in so many settings!! Congratulations on being chosen! Can't wait to have Volume 5 in my hands!!

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  62. Thanks for the tutorial - love your block. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  63. Thanks for the tutorial.Love your pansy variations!

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  64. Pretty block! I love applique.

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  65. Congrats to your published block. I love the fabric choosen. I will have to try the applique tut'. Thanks for sharing...Judith, Texas

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  66. Hearts & Flowers ..a great combo. I would be using the fusing! :)

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  67. I'm not usually into pinks but I love Bleeding Hearts, so I really like this in variegated reds and pinks. I also really like the purple and yellow version, because I love little pansies and violets ( I need to get some for my flower beds, so thank you for the reminder.)
    Thanks and congrats.

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  68. I like Blooming Hearts very much and agree that Steam a Seam is the way to go. Those flowers have so many possibilities.

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  69. Thanks for the tutorial. Love the block!

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  70. Your block has so many possibilities.

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  71. love your swirly hearts!!! would be cute in so many colors!1

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  72. I'm into heart shaped anythings too! Adorable.

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  73. Hearts have so many possibilities. Never thought of petals. Thanks for the suggestion.

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  74. Very nice!! I like the block and I really like how you used it in the samples!! Thanks
    Vickie

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  75. Really nice block and the different layouts.

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  76. Your block is very pretty. Congratulations on being in the magazine.

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  77. That's very clever - making the flowers from hearts. I liked the way your block turned out.

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  78. What a sweet block! Congrats on being published in Quiltmaker's!!

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  79. I've always been intimidated by the idea of applique - but this looks posible. Is it possible to carefully wash a quilt after just fusing?

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    1. Cindy,

      Fusing entails a mastery of the manufacture's glue. Because it is double-sided, you have to fuse at the right tempature the first side and then fuse at the correct temp the second side. If you under-fuse (temp wise) or over heat the fusing (which happens a lot) the glue doesn't work and starts to peel at the edges. Washing will just facilitates the peeling. That is why I embroidered around the edges, or as I am making the pink hearts, I'm zig-zagging around the stems and hearts. Gentle washing a zig-zagged edge should be OK!

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  80. What a clever way to create flowers! I like the block a lot. I think it is one I can make.

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  81. Very cute flowers! Thanks for showing the blocks in a layout! :)

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  82. Oh, I love this block and the bed runner looks great! I will really enjoy making this, thanks.

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  83. Your design is so pretty! I love the way it looks in red.

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  84. I am a big fan of hearts so I love your block.

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  85. Your block is so cute. My mother-in-law loves pansies so I would probably try that. congrats on having a block in the Quiltmaker's 100 block magazine.

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  86. I really like the designs 2 flowers can make and your tutorial makes it seem like the average sewist could complete it. That make me happy. Would love to win the magazine.

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  87. Amazing how those flowers grow, great block thanks.

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  88. Love the block, and the color scheme you are making.

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  89. I like this block. And the pansy variation as well. I think I would pin those strips of hearts together and cut out 4-5 layers at one time. I tried to vote for your star block at McCall's, but it didn't come up. I think the site is overwhelmed from all of our attention.

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  90. What a fun block! Thanks for the tips on making it. I love all the variations.

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  91. Wow, I love how you can make so many variations with your block.

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  92. Cool. I love the rings of posies. So cute.

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  93. I love flowers and hearts such a swirl. Just love all the combination. Thank you for showing the how to do it - this is my fave so far. Just so gooooood.

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  94. Lovely! Thanks for showing the different settings. Congrats!

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  95. Great block. Really appreciate the step by step directions. You make it look easy.

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  96. I Love your "Blooming Hearts" Block!! Thanks for having this Great Giveaway!

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  97. What a beautiful and versatile block! Thanks for sharing all the great tips.

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  98. WOW! I love that blooming hearts quilt.

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  99. So much creativity; thanks! (EMAIL: marshudson at comcast dot net)

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  100. Love, love, love the pansy version with stems. Pansies are my most favorite flower. Have a wonderful day Cora/Renelda! Thanks for any chance at winning! Sandi

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  101. I love flowers and the possibilities with your block are wonderful. Thank you

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  102. I like your block. It's cute! Congrats on being in the 100 Block issue.

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  103. I love your blooming hearts block. There are so many ways it can be done. Thanks for your great tutorial.

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  104. Now that is so stinkin' cute I love the pansies. Thanks for the tute, it was so easy to follow. Congrats on the block in the book. I am hoping I will win #5 Orange.

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  105. I love how versatile your block is.

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  106. wow...ooo's, and ahhhh's from the peanut gallery. LOVE the possibilities with the layouts. Congrats with this lovely block. Will add it to the to-do list of blocks!!

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  107. Oh my, just adorable...love the twirling flowers.

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