From the Heart Mini- All Things Mini Tutorial
February 28, 2018
Hey Makers,
To end February on the right note I wanted to share with you my mini of the month. Being inspired by Valentine's Day and all the things I love, I created the "From the Heart" Mini.
I created four heart blocks with borders in a variety of different fabrics. I tried to stay in the Valentine spirit by choosing some yummy coral pinks and mixing it up with some warm oranges and black and white prints.
In some of the hearts I added fussy cut elements to show off all the things that I love and that keeps me motivated in life. It's hard to share with you all of my loves in one mini quilt so I narrowed it down to four things, my home/family, friends, my cat and the ability to create! I hope this inspires you to create a " From the Heart" Mini of your very own.
Follow along below to see how I made mine! Please feel free to share the things that you love most and that keep you motivated in your daily life in the comments box below! :)
Fabrics Used:
Finished Size 16"
Fabric A -SOU-2631- Stay Humble Apricot
Fabric B -MKR-2880-Make The Cut Straight
Fabric C -MKR-2882- Make it, Hang it Warm
Fabric D -MKR-3891- I’m A Maker
Fabric E -WOT-31403- Flower Glory Evening
Fabric F -HAH-24405-To Live By Peace
Fabric G -HAH-14407-Block Festival
Fabric H -BSH-78406- Cat Nip Pink
Fabric I -PE-408- White Linen
Fabric J - PE-438- Coral Reef
Fabric K -DEN-L-4000- Soft Sand
Fabric L -CUL-8673- Row by Row Lit- Binding
Fabric M -HBR-5433- Firefly Whisper- Backing
Cutting Directions:
Four (4) 1 1/2" squares from Fabric A, C,D, and E
Two (2) 3 1/2" squares from Fabric A, C,D, and E
Two (2) 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strips from Fabric A, C,D, and E
Two (2) 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" strips from Fabric A, C,D, and E
Two (2) 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangle from Fabric B, I, J and K
Two (2) FQ pieces from Fabric F, G, and H
(Fussy cut elements from Fabric )
Apply Steam-A- Steam to back of the fabric before cutting your elements.
Construction:
To create your heart block take two 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles from Fabric J and place a 3 1/2" square from Fabric D right sides together to the bottom of your rectangles. Place your 1 1/2" squares from Fabric D to each top corner of your rectangle. With a fabric marking pen draw your diagonal lines following the image below.
Stitch on the lines you drew and trim your seam allowance to 1/4". Press all your corner squares open to reveal both halves of your heart. Note: if you are using directional fabrics like me make sure your fabrics are positioned in the proper direction so when you are finished sewing on the diagonal your prints will be orientated in the correct direction.
Sew your heart halves together. Press your seams in alternating directions to make it easier for your seams to nest into place and for your seams to match. Next sew a 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strip from Fabric D to the top and bottom of your heart. Next sew a 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" strip from Fabric D to the sides of your block.
Repeat this same process with your remaining fabric pieces to create three more heart blocks. I fussy cut my house, cats, and text print with my sharp Warm Crochet scissors. Besides for being one of the cutest sewing notion they are great for clipping threads and cutting small pieces of fabric.
Once you have your elements transferred to your blocks sew your blocks together to make a four patch block. I kept my quilting thread neutral and used my go to quilting motif. Meandering swirls is my favorite free motion quilting because you can really go to town with your swirls to create a nicely filled finished product which is going to make your project look more professional and drape beautifully.
For the backing of my mini I used the fun white and black dot print from Hello Bear Fabrics! I love how you can see the playful swirls on the back. For my binding I used the gorgeous orange brushstroke stripe print from Cultivate Fabrics which I love how it ties my whole project together.
Sending you all lots of love and creative energy! I hope to see your "From the Heart" Mini, make sure to use the hashtag #AGFAllThingsMini to share your love for mini quilts.
Happy Sewing,
Meli