Do you remember the heart pillow I made some time ago?
Anja Richards used the same pattern and stitched a pillow with a different look.
She used an interesting technique. She did not mark the design on the top fabric. It was printed on another piece of fabric that was used as a lining under the top fabric. “The design was dark enough to see through the top but light
enough not to show, and saved me having to transfer the pattern onto the top
fabric.” Isn’t this a great idea?
Anja kindly offered us all the details of the stitching process.
Thank you so much, Anja!
Iron fabric onto freezer paper. Print the pattern onto your fabric. Trim and Sew the pieces together matching them up carefully.
Layer and pin the top fabric, printed fabric, filling (put the backing aside for now). You can choose your favourite filling – I used three layers of bamboo.
Now is the time to decide your choice and colour of thread (I used red and green).
Using a walking foot, follow the printed lines now visible through the quilt top and sew
· the four centre heart lines and
· outline the words.
Snip away excess filling leaving one layer for the whole quilt and three layers only for the letters and the two heart shaped rings.
Add the backing to the quilt and repin. At this stage you may like to restitch your work but this is optional.
For the Radiating Lines
- Change to white thread
- Reduce your stitch length – 2.2 works well for the dimensions of this design
- Use a walking foot if you can
- When stitching parallel to the lines – ALWAYS ONLY 3 STITCHES
- When stitching away from the lines – RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LINES – a good tip is to line up the edge of the presser foot hole behind the needle
1. Use a fabric marker and mark the centre of the heart from the bottom up.
2. Sew 3 stitches just inside the heart.
3. Sew a straight line, at right angles to the heart line and stop at the centre mark.
4. Sew from here to the other side making a mirror image.
5. Sew 3 stiches just inside the heart.
6. Sew a straight line, at right angles to the heart line and stop at the centre mark.
7. Sew from here to the other side making a mirror image.
8. Repeat 2 – 7
When you come to one of the letters stitch carefully around the letter and continue the line on the other side.
Continue repeats until just above the “O” in “Love” – Lines A B and B C
9. Mark the centre lines in the top two sides of the heart.
(Draw line from A to F and C to F, then at right angles half way along these lines).
10. Stitch back and forth in the same manner as before.
11. Repeat on second side.
12. Fill remaining space to match.
Well done – that’s the tricky bit accomplished!!
Now just line the bar, on the foot behind the needle, up with the heart line and sew the ladder stitch.
Use 3 stitches along the line and then stitch at right angles away from the line.
Once you have completed both heart shaped rings, add a continuos running stitch over all the 3 stitch sections, hugging the heart lines and giving a clean edge to the trapunto.
I chose the green thread to stitch all the remaining lines using the walking foot.
Stop, admire, make a nice cuppa and decide on your border.
I couldn’t resist adding a quote by Suzanne Brockmann to the double folded border before also adding the border, back and buttons.
Dare, dream, dance, smile, and sing loudly!
And have faith that love is an unstoppable force!
Seeing the back had me dreaming about the next cushion, maybe an all white one, or maybe even one with a little hardanger – but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Popping it on our bed with the cushion in was fun as was making the cushion. It is a lovely pattern, thank you Geta. I can’t wait to see your next cushion pattern. Maybe a nice bolster cushion to go with this one.
Great pillow and useful pieces of advice! Thanks for the pattern, Geta and for the story, Anja!
Hola Geta, como gran admiradora que soy me encantan todos tus trabajos.
Вегда только одни благодарности.