QB Block-of-the-Month, February 2013 - Crazy Heart Directions & Discussion
 

posted on behalf of fmhall2.

the attached instructions can be adapted to a number of uses.
fmhall2 used hers to make a mug rug.

i can see it stuffed with something scented to make a sache'.
stuffed as a pin cushion.
enlarged to make a pillow.
used as a fused or needleturn applique motif.

the possibilities are limited only by our imaginations.

i can't wait to see the photos you post to show us how you used it! :)

post them here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...ml#post5829193

This will be fun, and hopefully I can use up some scraps from paper piecing the Jan block.

Any tips for turning under the edges? I went to a needle-turned applique class but it was pretty hard. Maybe just cover up the edges with nice stitching? Oh wait, that's another problem, I'd have to be able to stitch curves. :confused:

I will be doning a satin stitche around mine no hand work for me.

will be using a interfaceing also on the back of heart befor I start my crazy quilting heart.

Is this a block or a Mug rug. I'm not seeing this as a block. It's pretty, but how would you set it with other blocks? Applique?

that's one part of the challenge - to choose how to use the heart once it's made.
as stated, fmhall2 used hers to make a mug rug.
i applied mine to a background using a satin stitch.

there are countless methods for applique.
i think there are several in our own Tutorials section: http://www.quiltingboard.com/sitemap/f-10.html

a quick google or you tube search should bring up lots of tutorials to choose from.

Good idea, I used paper piecing foundation but I'm going to remove the paper and use Heat & Bond, then stitch around the edges.

I can't wait to get started! I don't know what it's going to be when I'm finished :) but I've never paper pieced anything and this gives me a place to start. Yes I can!
Thanks for the block!

I don't know how to start. Could someone tell me? I haven't been quilting long so lots of things are really new to me.

Sweet..I was in need of a new PP project for my small PP sewing group.

for easy applique turn under - I have sewn interfacing on the finished block (right side down) all away around, trim to 1/4" then cut a slit in the center and turn and press and it ready to sew on what every you want.

i hope you can understand.

read the instructions. they explain everything in step-by-step detail. :)
grab some scraps if you have any.
if you don't have any scraps, shop for fat quarters or fat eighths.
you'd get enough fabric from either of those to make more than one heart.

Hmmm, the finished hearts look great. For some reason nothing opens when I click on the attachment. Help please?

if a setting is off in either your browser or your adobe acrobat reader, you might need to download the instructions file first and then open it.

Ideas are just swimming around in my head for many uses of this heart. For a block, I may hand applique to a block background after adding a black bias edge. I like the look of the mug rug with the dark binding. I also make pieces of crazy quilt fabrics with my tiny scraps (sewn by hand for a lap project) and might just cut a heart out of a piece of that. My pieces will be much smaller than these so might lend themselves to a smaller heart and block. Who knows what I will end up with - I have loads of small scraps. The larger ones go into hand-pieced samplers (at least that is the plan). One is almost done but it has taken me 1 1/2 years so far. Maybe this is a better way to use up those scraps.

I usually don't have any problem opening things on my laptop or my desktop but neither of them will open. Maybe I will have to sit this one out or make up my own pp heart.

I use Firefox and was able to open it just fine. You may have to update your Adobe Acrobat Reader if you haven't done that lately.

I started it as a crazy patch, got #1 and #2 sewn on, and also 3 & 4, but when I got to #5, I had a problem because it requires sewing to #1 as well as #4. Then I read the directions where it said to sew 3,4, & 5 together first, then sew them to #1 & 2. Now, if you sew 3,4 & 5 together, how are you supposed to sew them to #1 & 2?

Is this a pattern that's supposed to be done by hand using needle-turn applique? I'm trying to sew mine on the machine.

Thanks Pat. I have the latest download for Adobe Acrobat Reader and it is not letting open it. (: Sadness!

Thank you!!!! It's beautiful! I would like to make a large one for the center of my table!!! Can't wait to start it!!!

It is taking forever to download so I will use your done projects to design and do mine. Thanks for the pictures.
Lynda

This looks fun, so I decided to join in. I figured I'll start with the Feb. block and catch up with Jan. later. Crazy patch has always been a challenge for me...and that apparently hasn't changed. I cannot do this block! Waaaaa...help? I cannot figure out how to attach piece #5. Am I suppose to cut this pattern up into small chunks? Tried that and still cannot get 3-4-5 to attach to 1-2 without raw edges. *sigh*

I'd appreciate any help. Thanks! :) (this smiley face may turn into a crying face...)

<.....still cannot get pieces 3-4-5 to attach.......<tried that="" and="" still="" cannot="" get="" 3-4-5="" to="" attach="">>>>

Sew pieces 3-4-5 together, observe where the line is to attach to pieces 1-2 put face to face... sew... viola!</tried>

Ok, i'll give that a try. Thanks, Sheep.

One of the easiest ways I know is to use a piece of thin muslin or other thin fabric and cut a piece to match your heart. Place them right sides together and stitch 1/4" seam all around the outside. Snip seam on curves so it will lay flat after turning. Next, make a slit in the center of the thin fabric and use this to turn the heart right side out. With a chopstick or other long pointy tool, make sure your seams are well turned and laying flat. Press then stitch to your background fabric by hand or machine, as you wish.

you can make the heart without using the foundation/paper piecing pattern.
i just grabbed scraps and sewed them together around a randomly selected center.
trim the excess as you go.
consider pressing your seams open.
find or draw any heart shape of the type and size that pleases you.
use that as a template to cut out the "finished" heart - which you can use in any number of ways to create a final project. :)

If this is February #2 block, where would I find January #1 block?

I'm new to paper piecing and I'm kinda confused. Is this paper pieced, or paper pieced in sections or something else? I'm eager to learn but have read the directions several times and can't figure out how to get the all the seams on the same side of the piece. I'm just really confused. I can sew 1&2 together, then do 3,4,5 &6 together but joining the first section to the second creates seams on the wrong side. I could do paper piecing with a new sheet for each section and then one last piece of paper to join it all together I guess. Am I making this too hard or is there some trick I'm not getting? TIA from a novice!

yes, trivia42. you are definitely making it too hard.
HOWEVER, i would bet a nice pile of cash that just about everybody does that the first (or first few, or first several) times they take a stab at paper piecing.

you attach the scraps of fabric to the pattern foundation in the order shown by the numbers.
all the fabrics go on top, so all the seams are sewn from the back.

i recommend you go to YouTube. search on paper piecing tutorials.
after watching one or a few i think you'll have a good enough understanding of the process to make this heart and be very pleased with your results. :)

I am joining in the confusion. Since the foundation paper is one piece, how does one sew first 1 and 2, the leave those and join 3, 4, 5 and then sew those 2 units together? Both units are attached to your foundation piece. Do you cut the foundation paper into sections?
I have yet to create more than the most simple PP successfully, so I am definitely in the clear as mud category. LOL

you don't cut the heart into sections.
you attach one piece at a time, each in the order shown by the numbers.

check out this QB tutorial.
it's a different pattern but provides step by step instructions for paper piecing.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...l-t129056.html

LOL, I never could make the Candlequilter Star either, lol, I tried and tried till I wore out the fabric and the paper.

Linda, that would be a nice way to make it, and have a 3-D element to it. I ended up fusing mine with Heat and Bond and then stitched over the edges after it was fused. BTW I didn't see the instructions for this so I ended up figuring out it had to be made in three sections, then I seamed the two right side pieces together, and sewed them to the third piece. I did this by laying them right sides together and sewing along the printed line. (You can stick pins through the printed pattern at the corners to line them up right.) I was unable to sew one of the sections in so I changed the pattern (top right). I didn't notice till I was doing the top-stitching that I had two purples together, oh well.... it's a design choice!
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Patrice I tried following the numbers, in the order given, and found it impossible. I did it in three sections, then sewed those together.

CAS, I was only telling about a way to turn under the outer edges after completing the heart. The question had been asked about good ways to turn them under for appliquing the heart on.
I do like the way you made yours with the raw edge applique. I am thinking that for this project, it may have been the best way!

Yes, I know. I was responding to your suggestion, I like it, and I responded to other questions about how to complete the paper-piecing part. :)

Thanks! The way I did it was an easy way to finish the edges. I got that idea from Juanita Bean in this thread.

I love how we all learn from each other.

Thanks for the links and advice. I'll keep going. I will get this down!

yes. i very most definitely stand corrected. :o

in fact, i see four sections when i look at it more closely.

Cas, I used the flip and stitch method. Lay the new one on top of the one already there, (backside up) with the seams matching as lose as possible - hold it firmly, turn over and sew on the seam. It is similar to the paper piecing technique. I didn't do any applique on mine. Hope this helps. Look at the little illus at the top that says stitch and flip. fmhall2

Cas, you and I must be looking at it the same way. The way you did yours is the way my eyes were telling me to do it.... when... I get to the machine. LOL