WOVEN HEARTS – Around The Frame

On Valentine’s Day people’s minds turn to romantic love: Flowers, cards, candlelight dinner and a night of romance is how many couples celebrate. On a cold, dark February night it’s nice to cuddle up with that someone special you love.

Hearts are the heart of the Valentine celebration. How two separate hearts journey to beat as one is at the heart of many a romantic story. How the couple met, their first impressions of each other, the incremental steps that lead them to the realization that beating together was meant to be thanks to Cupid’s special spell weaving their hearts together as one. Everyone’s journey is special and unique. Kids get a kick out of listening to their parents tell the story of how they met knowing that fateful encounter would one day lead to their birth.

Once upon a time I came into possession of a woven heart quilt top. My friend Liz fell in love with it and had me finish it as a wall hanging for her daughter. Before Liz sent it off to San Francisco, I forgot to take a photo of it but I still remember its quiet beauty.

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To look at the block it looks complicated to make, but it’s not. All you do is make a nine–patch (or as in the photo a 25-patch depending on what size heart you wish to make) square block of two alternating colors like white/pink or red/white or two different shades of red. Next place the block on point so the bottom point becomes the point of the heart.

Next you make two half circles one each of the two fabrics and you “cap” the two upper sides of the square. Now your block can either be appliquéd to a background fabric as depicted in the photo or you can piece in fabrics to square up the block.

How you arrange your woven hearts can make its own pattern. Place four of them in a square with tips together turns the hearts into a flower or place them round sides to the middle and make a star shape where they meet. Make blocks of different colors and add sashing so each stands out.

No matter what size or shape you create your heart patterns, have fun with this versatile shape. You’ll love the results!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lois Levihn is the owner of Born Again Quilts restoration studio and quilt gallery located at 4005 South Wayne Avenue. You may contact her at bornagainquilts@frontier.com