by Mary Ann Sprague, of Mary Ann’s Makings
Over the last few years, I’ve experimented with foundation paper-pieced quilts and table runners. Through paper-piecing, I’ve explored the world of Celtic knots, incorporating shadows into the quilt top to show the over/under of the woven ribbons. I’ve greatly enjoyed creating these Celtic knot patterns. (I’ve learned a lot about MS Visio in the process as well 😊)
Not everyone is as attached to traditional Celtic knots as I am. I started looking for a more traditional image that also utilized my Celtic templates. The Twisted Hearts pattern (MAM-150) fulfills that goal. The interlocking hearts are easily recognizable and the best part of the pattern is that it has only two unique template blocks!
I did this sample with Valentine’s Day colors, but it could also be a wedding, anniversary, or baby shower gift in the recipient’s favorite colors.
When I created my sample, I wrestled with how to quilt it. I do all my own machine quilting on the Singer Featherweight I received from my mom. It was her first big purchase after she got married in 1953. I have a fondness for doodle quilting, or meandering on my Featherweight. Some people call it stippling, but I’ve always thought of it as doodling.
For this quilt, I wanted to extend the heart theme into the machine quilting. I found a number of different stencils and techniques that included hearts, but many of them required a consistency in the hearts and structure I wasn’t sure I could provide. Finally, I saw a picture of a meandering loop and heart pattern that was perfect for my personal quilting style. After a few test runs, I proceeded to use it for most of the quilt.
I hope people find this design intriguing and useful for a variety of occasions. The Twisted Hearts pattern includes a cutting chart for the individual fabric pieces, assembly diagrams, labels and a primer for those new to foundation paper-piecing (or if you just need a refresher 😊).
If you like this pattern, check out my other patterns on QuiltWoman.com, https://www.quiltwoman.com/mam-mary-ann-sprague/ .
