Together Quilt Finish: A Heart Quilt

Finally this quilt is done! I thoroughly enjoyed quilting this one and it didn’t take as long as I thought it would be! Mindset is really key to enjoy the free motion quilting process. By taking regular breaks and limiting my quilting sessions to 20-30 minutes at a time, I found myself fully immersed in the free motion quilting process without feeling overwhelmed or fatigued. And that has surely made a big difference!

Together Quilt Pattern and Tutorials:

• Together Quilt Pattern
• Together Quilt Moda Stitch Pink Sew Along using this pattern – video tutorials

Quilting Tools and Notions I used:

• My trusted workhorse, Janome Horizon Memory Craft QCP8200
• So Fine Thread for piecing and Quilting
• My ergonomic Rotary Cutter 
• Large cutting Mat
• Wool ironing Mat (I have no issues with the smell, but sometimes it can burn if the iron is way too hot and no steam)
• Sets of Trimming Rulers (small rulers makes a difference when you need to trim small units)
• Stripology Ruler ( Absolutely love this ruler – makes cutting lots of tiny pieces and strips so easy, I even used it for cutting binding strips)
• Glue Baste (I used this to baste my binding before top stitching my binding)

Monogamous Period – Pushing through to the finish line

I quilted this quilt over the span of this few weeks but honestly I only quilted 4 -5 days within that few weeks as it has been a busy month for me in general. I did find myself being tempted by other projects. I longed to just stop and do other stuff in the sewing room. However, since I haven’t got my other machine set up for piecing, I had to keep on quilting the quilt whenever I came into the sewing room. That is also a good move as it allows me to focus on getting the quilt done and out of the room! The temptation of working on other projects has also motivated me to just be monogamous this time. While I may love working on many projects at one time, this time I sure try to keep working on just this one quilt! 

If you’re curious to see a glimpse of me quilting this beauty, I’ve shared a video in my previous blog post HERE>. 

As I mentioned before in the previous blog post, what I love the most about Together Quilt Pattern is that it comprised of various heart blocks that keep the design fresh and engaging. Plus, I’m particularly proud of the fact that I was able to create this quilt using materials from my own stash. While I didn’t have an abundance of pinks and reds, I made the most of what I had, and the result is truly heartwarming. I am so glad it worked out!

Binding

The binding’s got its own little story – I’m pretty sure I had some leftovers from those sashing fabrics! But when I went digging for them to find the perfect binding for this quilt, they seemed to have vanished. I was about to get frustrated, because I really I think that using the same fabric for the binding as I did for the sashing would be spot-on to finish it off just right. It’s probably a sign I need to tidy up my scraps. I am pretty sure, I chucked those leftovers into the scrap bin. Anyway, since I was itching to get this quilt done and dusted, I just grabbed the best option from my stash to wrap it all up nicely.

I machine bind by sewing the 2.5″ double fold binding from the front and folding it to the back, glueing it in place and sew it closed by sewing in the ditch from the front and trying to get those itty bites at the back. I use white top thread and a matching thread to the binding in the bobbin. I did have to catch some of the missed stitches after I finish one round. It wasn’t perfect, but surely it’ll get better with more practice. I love the guy basting idea. I use this glue and a hot iron to baste it before I top stitch the binding. 

Quilt Label

I pieced the backing and put the label band in. The label is a printed label that I appliquéd onto a block I made extra for the back. It is the perfect way to piece backing if you don’t have enough 45″ fabrics to cover the length of the quilt. I did have plenty of the backing fabrics though and while I usually like to piece my backing, I did not this time. I happen to have this hoarded pink yardage in my stash and thought it would be great to use it as backing. 

The label is one of the designs included in The Quilt Label Wizard, so if you’ve printed your labels – you should have this one in your printed yardage too! If you are not in Quilt Label Wizard yet, come check it out HERE>. You can quickly customised 50+ quilt label designs with your name and custom text and print them all in one go. That way you’ll have all your labels ready to go!

But here’s the best part: I’m gifting this quilt to my little sister! It’s a long-overdue present, considering I didn’t manage to make her one for her wedding back in 2019 (though I did sew up her wedding dress!). Better late than never, right?

Celebrate a finish with me!

Well, a finished quilt called for a celebrations! And what better way to celebrate than starting something new or shopping for more fabrics! Lol. If you’re looking to shop for fabrics and notions, use THIS LINK to get 20% off at Missouri Star Quilt Co for purchase over $50. The discount will be applied after you click the checkout button just before the final payment. Some items are not applied. 

Speaking of next project : Here is mine – can’t wait to cut into these!

Together Quilt Pattern and Tutorials:

• Together Quilt Pattern
• Together Quilt Moda Stitch Pink Sew Along using this pattern – video tutorials

Quilting Tools and Notions I used:

• My trusted workhorse, Janome Horizon Memory Craft QCP8200
• So Fine Thread for piecing and Quilting
• My ergonomic Rotary Cutter 
• Large cutting Mat
• Wool ironing Mat (I have no issues with the smell, but sometimes it can burn if the iron is way too hot and no steam)
• Sets of Trimming Rulers (small rulers makes a difference when you need to trim small units)
• Stripology Ruler ( Absolutely love this ruler – makes cutting lots of tiny pieces and strips so easy, I even used it for cutting binding strips)

Previous Heart Quilt on the blog

• I Heart Quilt
• Scrappy Heart Pillow
• Patchwork Heart Quilt
• Free Motion Quilting Hearts