Heartflowers, published in American Quilter March 2021

Closeup before it gets quilted

What are you drawn to in a project?
I love a little of this, a little of that, probably not so fond of the projects that are endless blocks, all the same, just sitting at my machine sewing.

This project has a little bit of applique, a little bit of bargello, a little bit of reverse applique, a different kind of setting and not to huge to be intimidating. So take the Heartflower's challenge and give it a try! The pattern is in American Quilter March 2021. I'm teaching one class on it, at Quilter's Dream in Loveland, CO at the end of this month, join me!

Fabric Choices:
I chose to use Banyan Batiks Essentials because they're timeless, continuously available for anyone stumbling across this a little bit later and wanting to try. For exact fabric I chose, please send me an email. Also, scroll down a little, I'll make sure to show a second colorway in pastel colors. I liked the earth tones here, the rich colors we have been so drawn to in gardening the backgrounds that are the same color application in the batiks, but different motifs. The border, nice large bouncy style floral, the background for the heartflowers, a smaller dot, to support what's happening in the block. And of course check out the appliqued heart blocks with two of the Brush Strokes, a handpainted stripe in batik that is just gorgeous.
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Bargello as Reverse applique!
My favorite way of adding color and movement to any project is with bargello. Bits of Bargello  (that's actually the title of my book I wrote on the subject. Visit my store page if you're intrigued and grab a copy!) Heartflower's gives you a taste of that, kind of like starting out gardening, you plant maybe a small planter box and see what you can achieve. In this project I created the bargello and then used it in a reverse applique technique, limiting the movement of the bargello to just the heart flower.
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Bits of Bargello Book

In the pattern, the travel itinerary is given, small segments of bargello are created. It's not hugely important to match seams, you're just looking for eye catching intrigue of the movement of color. Note the bargello segment is bigger than the heart?? That's so you can have different looking hearts if you'd like. Also allows for smaller seams, or if you cut out a larger heart than I did! Beginner friendly!!

Bargello as reverse applique!

​Choices in Applique
I chose to applique my flower pot and leaves first, made the piece easier for my to hold and manipulate while doing hand applique. If you prefer machine applique for those pieces, you might want to get your bargello in place first, then the other pieces. One you cut that heart out, you've got to place the bargello there!!

Favorite Things
Speaking of cutting, my must have gadget for reverse applique bargello are the duck bill applique sissors. Easily trim for no shadowing and no risk in cutting the front! Because bargello has a lot of seams, traditional sissors don't work as well. Yes, I use them to trim behind hand applique as well. Have to have two uses for a favorit thing!!

    Love them!
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Bargello has seen resurgence after resurgence in quilting as we embrace the movement of color it provides. A needlework technique, translated to quilting! Instead of doing an entire quilting in it, be more literal with the translation and just try it in certain areas of your piece. I've tried it in landscapes as reverse applique as well as in piecing to liven up areas of a quilt. 

Photo credits to American Quilter, truly capturing this project!!

Second Colorway option!