I'm not going to lie...I love making my mini 'Heart of the Home' houses! Big, small, one or two at a time, I just enjoy the process. So it's no surprise I filled some down time with making another Circle of Love wall quilt.
The first 'Circle of Love' I made was in December of 2020. Naturally because it was the first it received a lot more quilting detail. The excitement of having it turn out spurred me to go all out with lots of quilting detail. With the second version, I wasn't quite as detailed but the main idea is the same.
'CIRCLE of LOVE'
20" x 20"
I still went with a rainbow of hearts, 3 1/2" houses, as well as different window treatments, roofs and chimneys for each dwelling. One thing I added for this one was a sun smack dab in the middle! You gotta give each one it's own personality I think!
The sun has eight (8) shades of yellow randomly placed around the center. It gives this neighborhood a playful happy vibe. With each house sporting its own charm I can't help think about how everyone is unique and is what makes a neighborhood special.
Much of the fun of making this quilt is picking the fabric. I cannot believe I'm saying that! I usually agonize over fabric selections, but with this...you can't really go wrong. I tend to have plenty of small print scraps, and as you can see it doesn't take much to build a house of this size. Finding eight (8) prints even for me is pretty simple.
As for the quilting, I stitched in the ditch around each house, heart, roof, and chimney. Did a geometric star motif in the center of the heart and free motion loop stippling. Ending with a geometric design around the perimeter 'neighborhood'!
If I'm making single homes I get more detailed with the window treatments by adding tiny animals or people. With the circle houses I don't find it necessary. Plus, it would drive me crazy trying to find sets of animals or peoples times eight (8). Which would result in me not finding the joy or excitement of making it.
The backing is a piece of fabric I got years ago from Ikea. I love the funky geometric design and figured why not?! For the binding I used a Kaffe Fasset stripe, at least I think it is. And of course, I finished it off with my go to hanging system of corners and loops! You can find my tutorial here: Hanging a Mini Quilt.
I seem to be on a wall quilt craze right now! I don't know about you but I go through phases like this. I'll make a few wall quilts at time, or runners or even a batch of mini mini quilts. As much as I want to make a quilt, a real full size quilt...I don't have a plan or idea to work with right now. So I'll fill my time with 'things and stuff' until I come up with a great idea!
LINKING:
Another winner, I like how you quilted the geometric design around the outside.
ReplyDeleteOh I love that! So happy and fun, and what a great layout, too. I used your 3.5 inch houses to make a mini quilt at Christmas time. It helped me get through not having my kids home for Christmas. Each little house represented one of our homes!
ReplyDeleteI’m so glad to hear the houses got you through a tough Christmas. Hopefully this Christmas will be much better and twice the celebrations!
DeleteThis is such fun - whimsical, from front to back!
ReplyDeleteJust a little something to keep me in the quilting game! Some days it seems like I have lost my creativity, but making small things always helps!
DeleteI love the bright happy sun in the center! your little house pattern is one of my go to favorites
ReplyDeleteAdorable Jayne! I still haven't made one of your houses. But it is on my list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
They are both so cute! Of course now I am thinking about how your houses have their own personalities versus neighborhoods like mine that have draconian HOA restrictions. Identical mailboxes, identical brick, can't repaint your front door without prior approval, and all window treatments must have plain white lining facing the street! That would make for a SUPER boring quilt!!
ReplyDeleteIt's fun when you can recognize that you are in a phase and are still eager to keep working in that same space. The sun in the middle of this heart of the home mini adds to its good cheer.
ReplyDeleteI have worked that way for a long time! Either making several of one thing back to back or having to use every last scrap of a bundle until it’s gone! These also fill the time when I’m not feeling particularly creative, yet allows me to keep quilting until I get over the creative block hurdle!
DeleteWhat a wonderful homey wall hanging, and the sun in the middle really adds to the charm. Are you going to list a pattern for the sun in your Etsy shop?
ReplyDeleteThe quilts are lovely. You wrote that the backing is a piece of fabric I got years ago from Ikea. I was surprised to see this. I am always in Ikea. Do you remember which department, so I can be on the lookout there next time?
ReplyDelete