Quilts for Pulse

The Orlando Modern Quilt Guild organized a quilt drive for all the injured and the families of the lost following the Pulse nightclub mass shooting, in which 49 people were murdered and 53 wounded. The Orlando MQG suggested a heart theme, based on the the block design of Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew.

I completed a quilt top this weekend. Read on if you would like to know how I put it together.

I started with the 10" square version of her heart block, but I split the two 10 1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangles into four 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" squares so I could pixelate the hearts. The finished quilt is 60" x 60".

I made six heart blocks in each of six different colors, and then I mixed them up. For each foreground color I picked a low-volume background print. Mostly they fade to the distance, but I like that a couple are more noticeable.

I followed Allison's stitch and flip method for the half square triangles and corners, but on the larger blocks I also sewed a second seam at a half-inch offset and trimmed between the seams to create bonus HST units (I have a plan!).

If you would like to make a similar quilt, here is a quick summary. Really, more a series of hints than a pattern. Check out Allison Cluck Cluck Sew's tutorial for more information.

Materials:
Foreground Prints
6 red prints, 3/4 yard total
6 orange prints, 3/4 yard total
6 yellow prints, 3/4 yard total

6 green prints, 3/4 yard total

6 blue prints, 3/4 yard total

6 purple prints, 3/4 yard total
Background Prints
6 low-volume prints, 1/2 yard each

From each of the 36 foreground prints, cut four 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" squares.

From each of the 6 background prints, cut twenty-four 2" x 2" squares and twelve 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" squares.

Some of my six background fabrics have more personality than the others. I especially like the metallic violet paisley I paired with the yellows, and the pink dot Cotton + Steel voile I paired with the purples. They create an interesting halo effect,and the voile just feels so good to work with.

I followed Allison's stitch-and-flip method for the corner triangles, and then sewed another seam a half inch away, and trimmed a quarter inch between, leaving the heart corner block and a bonus scrap HST unit. I did it this way, rather than a 2-from-1-square HST method because it was easier to maintain direction with directional prints, and I have a plan for the bonus units anyway.

For each of the 36 foreground prints, make a left-point unit, a right-point unit, and 2  lobe units (with the 2" flip-and-stitch corners). In the diagram below, sew along the dotted lines and trim along the heavy diagonal. Reserve the extra HST units for another project.

Assemble 10" four-patch squares by row, pinning as necessary to match points. The four-patch blocks alternate split hearts (pont above lobes) and whole hearts. Now combine rows 1, 2 and 3, then 4, 5 and 6. Finally combine the two halves.

I didn't intend this as a proper pattern, but do let me know if you have any questions, especially after reviewing the Cluck Cluck Sew tutorial.

A few notes:

• I substituted similar fabrics in a few situations where I didn't have enough yardage.
• I didn't go for perfect symmetry. Some of the block placements are a bit dissonant because I liked the way it came together. You can put your blocks wherever you like!