Project Quilting 11.5: Give It Away

This week's Project Quilting Challenge theme was Give It Away. Trish, the challenge designer, asked all PQ participants to "open your heart and open your hands, to unleash your talents, gifts, and love on our communities...This week’s project has one true purpose: giving. No matter what you make or how you do it, the end result must be given away freely to another person, organization, or charity for their unencumbered use."

I will confess there was some initial panic, as most of my Project Quilting finishes are used as teaching samples in both my lectures and workshops. But then I remembered the I Found a Quilted Heart Project (IFAQH). "The IFAQH community of volunteers place small quilted hearts around the globe to brighten the day of a stranger." The IFAQH website provides resources for participation, as well as reporting hearts found/taken home. For the past few months, I've been following this project on Instagram and Facebook and have greatly enjoyed all the joy that is expressed upon finding a quilted heart. This week's challenge would be my opportunity to add to that joy.

Like all my projects for this season of Project Quilting, I started with 2 fat quarters of fabric (this week involves Michael Miller Cotton Couture for the quilt top and backing) and some batting. Prior to making the quilt sandwich, I printed out a heart-shaped paper template and used a Hancy Ultimate Marking Pencil to trace around each heart. Note: This is a new-to-me marking tool, so I am still in the testing phase, although pleased with the results thus far.

Fabrics featured in this post were provided by Michael Miller Fabrics as part of my being a Michael Miller Brand Ambassador

Prior to quilting, I brainstormed a list of positive affirmations I hoped to project through my quilted hearts: love, hope, peace, kindness, joy, etc. As I approached each heart, I selected a new focus word and chose related motifs (ie. Hearts for Love) to improvisationally free-motion quilt using Superior King Tut 40wt variegated threads.

Once all 9 hearts were quilted, I used my rotary cutter to rough cut around each heart and then used my Karen Kay Buckley scissors to carefully cut up to the stitched perimeter. Instead of binding each heart, I used Tulip Puffy Fabric Paints to conceal the raw edges. This required some careful maneuvering and the use of sour cream containers (and one candle) to prop up for air drying.

The IFAQH websites instructs participants to print and attach an IFAQH tag that reads: 

I Need A Home

www.ifaqh.com
#IFAQH

I Found A Quilted Heart

I downloaded their printable tags to print onto bright pink cardstock paper.

While the hearts were lovely as is, I thought it would be fun to embellish using the Ruff Ruffles that Michael Miller Fabrics included in my Brand Ambassador Welcome Box. I used some Elmer's School Glue to glue baste the ruffles into place prior to heat setting with a hot dry iron.

There was a little bit of a learning curve to glue basting the ribbon and ruffles into place, but I had plenty of practice to refine my technique!

The last step was to secure the ruffles and ribbon tags with topstitching along the perimeter of  each heart (and some back and forth stitching to reinforce the ribbon loop).

While I hope these hearts bring joy to the strangers that find them, I was surprised by how much joy I experienced while making them! This included channeling the positive messages into the free-motion quilting as well as thinking about the reactions of those that may find these hearts! This is a wonderful project for using up scraps, orphan blocks, giving new life to UFOs, or perhaps cut from all those FMQing practice sandwiches?!?

All that is left is to send these little hearts out into the world--which will take place over the next few weeks!  The IFAQH website provides some guidelines for public places to sow a quilted heart. As I was making these hearts, I started to think about some places that might be fun to leave a heart or two around the San Jose area and beyond (especially as I have some teaching travels coming up). While some of the outdoor venues may have to wait until our rainy weather subsides, I've got an indoor space that I plan on visiting tomorrow and leaving some quilted love...

A big thank you Trish (Challenge Designer) and Kim (PQ Host Extraordinaire) for a truly inspiring Project Quilting Give It Away challenge. I encourage you to check out all the amazing love and creativity that PQ participants put out into the world this week!!