Cluck Cluck Sew

I just realized it’s less than a month until Valentine’s Day, and I haven’t written a post yet with my favorite thing to sew….heart blocks!  I can’t let a January or February go by without some heart blocks on my blog.  

I’ve probably made more heart projects than anything else.  I posted a quick video to Instagram a few days ago of me making a heart block with Diagonal Seam Tape to speed up sewing all the corners….not having to draw all the lines really speeds up these blocks!  

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Speed making a heart block! Making heart blocks this month? Diagonal Seam Tape will save you SO much dang time drawing all those diagonal lines! Heart Block pattern and Diagonal Seam Tape are in my links. Can you tell I was speed sewing through that last seam? My table was shaking! #diagonalseamtape

A post shared by Allison Harris – CluckCluckSew (@cluckclucksew) on Jan 17, 2020 at 2:56pm PST

You can find a free printable for Making Heart Blocks in Multiple Sizes here.  You can find Diagonal Seam Tape here.  

The tutorial for this Simple Heart Quilt can be found here.  It’s my favorite! 

The free printable pattern for this I Heart You mini quilt pattern can be found here in this blog post.  This is such a fun quick sew.  

Amy has this cute 12″ heart-in-a-heart quilt blocks on her blog with a free printable…these would make a cute quilt all put together!  

I also think this free Pixelated Heart Pattern is adorable.  Amy made it a little bigger here adding extra squares.

Lastly the Box of Hearts pattern I wrote last year can be found here.  

Since it’s Martin Luther King Jr. day and this post is filled with hearts, it’s fitting to end with one of his quotes I love: 

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”

Spread some love today!  

Scraps can only mean one thing…the kids are back in school so Mom can sew!   

I didn’t even bother trying to sew or post over Holiday break.  My kids are growing up so fast and we make such great memories during these short school breaks (in between the extra cleaning/cooking/kids fighting).  It’s nice to have some forced breaks every once in awhile, even from sewing. 

2019 kept me hoppin’ all year long, but with no restrictive deadlines or projects I felt like I was able to sew and create and write patterns when I felt like it.  It felt like a busy but easy year, and hopefully I can take that same feeling and flow into this year.

I don’t make any sewing or work related goals as I’d rather just flow with what I feel like doing at the moment, but I did make one sewing resolution for myself this year: 

BUY MORE FABRIC!  

Last year I was SO good at using my stash and buying fabric only for specific projects, but at times it inhibited my creativity.  I made most of my quilts with my own fabrics (and a new line I can share soon!), or lines that were given to me but I didn’t necessarily pick.  I used up the very last bits of some of my favorite basics and feel “meh” about the rest.  So this year instead of trying to only use what I have, I’m giving myself a fabric allowance to buy fabrics I love….and who knows, maybe I’ll even save money being more intentional about my purchases.  

Also my fabric stash is in a pretty sad state right now.  I don’t even have any white solid fabric on hand for the first time in maybe ever.  

If you are trying to save money this year while quilting, here’s a post I wrote a few years ago that still has some great reminders in it (except the fabric part…I need more fabric!):  

Happy 2020!   I’m ready to start another fun year of quilting!  

Anyone else have so much to do that you do nothing?  

I’m already in Christmas break mode.

I finished up my floral Trellis quilt last week.  I purchased a minky back for it and sent it to be quilted by Kaitlyn in a pretty flower design.   I think I’m going to save this one until someone I know has a baby girl to gift it to…this was a “just for fun” sew!

Did you take advantage of any Black Friday sales last month?  I did so well using my stash this past year and buying minimal fabric, but now I’m out of some of my favorite basics and colors. 

It was a good time to replenish, and this Rollakan fabric by Cathy Nordstrom was a total impulse buy that might be my favorite fabric of the past year.  I added in a couple other basics with it, and I’m ready to make a January quilt. 

Jane and I braved Costco today with 40000000 other people and we barely survived.  

She wouldn’t wear her coat, will only wear her “shiny” sandals, and will only sit in the cart if bribed with ice cream while we shop.  

Good luck with all of your Christmas preparations…and remember that ice cream while shopping makes everything better.   ;)