Inspired by Nature Blog Hop and Give-Away!

Welcome to Love & Kisses!  This pretty collection designed by Kathy Engle for Sherry Shish of Powered By Quilting. The precuts are available in some stores (I do have 10" squares available in my Etsy shop) and yardage will be shipping to shops soon. Please contact your favorite and ask for it!

The theme this month was Inspired by Nature. But this fabric has cute hearts and swirls, dots, feathered quilting designs that feature hearts, and hearts in the dot patterns. I love it all! But how do hearts translate to Inspired by Nature?

Well, I know a lot of warm hearted people, and people with big hearts. Their human nature is to be giving and generous, sweet and funny, and positive and uplifting. They share their hearts in everything they do for others. So, Big Hearts is inspired by their nature.

It was so windy at the beach that I couldn't get the quilt smooth against the slats of the fence, it was plastered! I couldn't move it. 

During the quilting process on my Amara long arm.

I've done heart blocks before, but wanted something fun that would show off all the fabrics and not cut them too small. I thought for days about how I wanted to design this, until I came up with hearts of different sizes. The smallest is 6", there are 5 12" heart blocks, one 18", one 24" and one 36". I planned it on a 3" grid. Even after planning it, I needed to change a few placements and determine how to sew it together. The largest heart has 2 smaller size hearts inside. The label even has part of the hearts on the top edge. When I was making the 6" block I miscalculated the size of the triangles for the top, so the extra ones were added to the label.

6" block and the lovely Lockets panto.  It has swirls similar to ones in the fabric tjaps. 

Here are the details: Design is mine, using EQ8

Quilt measures about 91" square.

Love & Kisses fabric, all 20 SKUs were used in various places. Background is Grey solid by Island Batik. First Border is Petal, and outer Border is Purple, Island Batik Basics. Binding is Amethyst, also a Basic. Backing is a wide back I have, a grey swirl.

Batting is Hobb's Natural Cotton with scrim

Thread: Aurifil 50wt for piecing Color 2024 White Aurifil 40-3 for Long Arm Quilting in color 3840 French Lilac, a lavender/purple variegated.

Quilted on my Handi-Quilter Amara with Pro-Stitcher using the Lockets Panto from Urban Elementz.

Photo Locations:  Jones' Beach, Long Island, NY.  Special thanks to the family who let me borrow their teen to get wrapped for the photo.  Her mom asked, "Did it feel good?"  And the daughter said "Yeah, very good!"  Made my day!  It was very windy, so I had a challenge getting more photos at the beach.  I did lose a clothespin.  Other photos were my yard, and bedroom.  

Outtakes! 

Right before I lost another clothespin, and was afraid the quilt would blow into the neighbor's yard.  It did go high enough.

I was just about to put the quilt on my bed and Hazel thought it was play time, and put her ball down.  Rather than have a lumpy quilt display (over the ball) we played for a minute then she let me put the Hearts quilt down.  The one in the photo is Crystal Ball Jewel Box, one from last year's hops, which I sleep under every night.  Love it!

Disclaimer:  All fabric (except backing and binding) were provided by Island Batik for me as an Ambassador.  Hobb's Batting, Schmetz Needles and Aurifil Thread was also provided.  I purchase the 40-3 for quilting on my Long Arm.  

Give Away! Island Baitk is giving away 2 collections of Fat Quarters.  Please enter their drawing by using the Rafflecopter link below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There are 2 other Ambassadors with Love & Kisses inspiration for you.  

• Joanne Hart, Unicornharts
• Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine You're here!  Thanks.
• Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

The Hop also continues this week, so please check out the other collections.  

Please comment, follow my blog and follow me on Facebook and Instagram!  I'll be sending someone who leaves a comments a selection of Island Batik fabrics.  I'll cover shipping to USA, but if you live elsewhere and want to pay the difference to ship to you, please comment. If' you're chosen as a winner, I'll tell you the difference, and make it worth your while.  Thanks so much for reading.  

Maryellen