Spring has Sprung

So far we haven't had much Spring and the bulbs are not coming out all together but this heart planted about 4 yrs ago is still welcoming Spring each year.

Blocking the hearts from around the World 5

This gorgeous heart was made by Margaret P of Sunny Queensland, she will know the meaning of the daffodils.  Sorry I left a couple of pins in.

Blocking the hearts from around the World 4

So many people have looked at the album I have kept all the hearts in over the years that some of the notes have been mixed up but having a fairy on it does make it one of my favorites so even though the note is lost I'm sure this is made by Lindy W of NSW

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 3

Heart From Maureen B

One of the lovely hearts I have from Maureen B in Victoria,

Blocking the Hearts from Around the World 2

This heart came to me from Hideko in Sendai, Japan.

This was one of the first hearts made by Hideko on Chains of Hearts a few years ago.  I  was so pleased to hear she was safe after the tsunami.  I had the heart were I could see it each time I went into my craft room, it was then that I got the idea of how I would put some of them together.    I was hoping to get one heart blocked a week but have already fallen behind. .   I made the frame to surround each block so as to hide the raw edges, when I sew them together I'm going to use the same fabric to sash them.

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 1

One of my hearts from Margreet of the Netherlands

During the wait to hear about Hideko I had her block and heart on the table, it was laying on a small wall hanging I had made for a project I didn't follow through on, what it did do was give me an idea.   AS some of you know, I have a  LOt of hearts, I keep them in a folder so they don't get tatty from being handled to much but I really felt I shouldn't swap any more until I had done something with the ones I had since I really couldn't fit any more pages into the folder and was reluctant to start another one.   So for my own DYOB block I have made strips that are going to be made into a frame for a block that will hold a "blocked heart" I will aim to block and quilt a heart each month but try to do one weekly or I will still be blocking in 7  or more yrs time. It will then go into the frame until the next one is finished, once I have a few they will be sewn together as a quilt, size will depend on weight. I have so far blocked two. Margreets is the first one.   I don't want to add to much to the block as I don't want to crowd the heart. .   When time allows I will place the progress on the blog, it will make a change from the poor  snowmen collection  quietly visiting alone each week.

The backing.

I'm on a 'use what I have' pledge this year.   I have about 5 pieces of fabric that is the same colour but different patterns so have decided to use them for the backing. 

The hanging that started it off

Each month there was a small hanging to be made to place on this background, the centre was suppose to be plain but when I was making it I thought that as it would probably be a stand alone hanging that it may as well mean something. I have so many things just to finish I decided not to re-subscribe to the site it was on.  I'm having withdrawel symptoms so may rejoin at a later date, it was from Angies Bits n Pieces

My Collection

I'm a collector of things, if its colourful, whimsical, ceramics, hearts, bears, snowmen, dolls, animals, fairies, plates, teapots, musical, buttons, well you get the idea,   its a  certainty, it will appeal to me.      I've tried getting it under control but then I realised they all had something in common, it wasn't value or size but Cuteness factor.  I realised I only collected things, Cute.  Among my collection of cute are various categories that branch out into individual groups but some of the groups overlap because they are really just "cute" and thats what I collect, right!!!, Well thats what I'm telling myself so it must be true.   Theres also the linking affect, take crazy patchwork, made up of fabric, buttons, lace, charms, threads,  in that group alone theres buttons = flowers, hearts, cute.  Then theres Fabric, silk, satin, texture, Cute.  so I'm not going to worry any more about my addiction collection, its just one thing.  CUTE.

My Cute button, charm and bead heart collection. Some of these have been used on projects but more have been added.

New Hearts

Have worked all week on "things" most will end up as more UFOs. I finished the last of the blocks for a star quilt I'm making all 49 hand sewn using English paper piecing, while trimming I sliced one of the blocks so its now in the "to disgusted to do any more pile till I find a piece of the same fabric to replace the patch otherwise I will have to remake the whole block.


I've done my first seam on my DYOBs at Do Your Own Block and have just got six new hearts made for Chains of hearts At least they are not UFOs.