When a community suffers a tragedy, we turn to making. Making to comfort, making to process our own emotions, making to work through grief, especially from a distance. Making to heal.
The events that unfolded in Nova Scotia over the weekend of April 18-19, 2020 were horrific, never witnessed by our community and even our country ever before.
So we turn to making.
The Maritime Modern Quilt Guild is running a quilt drive — completed quilts in blue and white for victims families, first responders and community members directly affected by this event. Please consult the guild’s website for best practices in quilt making during this period of physical distancing.
I have put together some scrap designs that you can do by yourself, or with just a few people — the fewer the better in this time. The MMQG website has suggestions for other designs as well.
These are striped blocks that are 8.5″ unfinished, 8″ finished in different tones of blue from my scrap bin. I thought that they evoke the waves of the ocean. Either prints or solids will work just fine. This is a great design to work on collaboratively (please keep physical distancing measures in mind during this time).
They can be improvised widths of stripes, like mine above, or they can be more precise. I use 4-5 stripes for each block varying in width. The renderings below picture (4) 2.5″ x 8.5″ strips stitched together to make each block.
The traditional rail fence pattern is used here as a base. The “woven” feel of this pattern makes me feel like a part of a bigger community and also makes me think of our beloved tartan. If you want to test out some other colour possibilities, check out PreQuilt’s digital colouring page!
This rail fence heart finishes at 64″ x 64″, using 64 blocks. The darker blocks are used to make the heart stand out.
Number of blocks:
- (34) Light
- (20) Dark
- (10) Light/Dark HSTs: These half square triangles to make the diagonal edges of the heart. To make these HST blocks, pair a 9.5″ stripe block with a light toned 9.5″ square. Follow the instructions here to make the HSTs. You will need 5 pairings, which will yield 10 HST blocks.
Here is a more abstract arrangement of the blocks finishing at 48″ x 48″ — 36 blocks in total:
Another great pattern with hearts is one from Cluck Cluck Sew, which finishes at 42″ x 44″. I’ve rendered it here in blue and white and all blue.
Cluck Cluck Sew, Free Simple Hearts Quilt in blue and white
Cluck Cluck Sew, Free Simple Hearts Quilt with blue background
Don’t forget to label your quilt with: “Quilts for Nova Scotia”, Your City/Province, Your Name (optional), 2020
Make to grieve. Make to comfort. Make to heal.
Amazing options Andrea, thank you!
Hope these can spark some ideas. Much love to you, Adrienne.
Thank you, Andrea.
Love to you, Karen. xo
Thank you for the inspiration, Andrea! 💙 Love the rail fence heart 💙
xoxox
Thank you for the ideas Andrea,
I have many scraps and strips to play with. I took your strippy idea and changed it up a bit. Hope you are ok with this…. If you email me , I can share a pic with you. Hugs from BC.
Thanks, Stella.
Very ok with you changing it up! There is much open for interpretation.
I’d love to see a picture! You can email me at: hello@3rdstoryworkshop.com.
Hi there, I live just outside Victoria on Vancouver Island. My heart grieves for Nova Scotia one of my favourite places to visit. Where would I send a quilt to and what would be a good size?
Hi Janet, Thanks so much for your kindness.
The guild is asking for quilts that are throw to twin size. The details can be found here: https://maritimemodernquiltguild.ca/quilt-drive-for-ns
If you plan to make a quilt, please send a message to MaritimeMQG@gmail.com and you can arrange shipping with the wonderful folks behind this initiative.
I think this can provide some comfort as social distancing is still on going I would be happy to make one The Blue Heart I have belonged to the Ocean Waves my teacher was Barb MacIntyre the best
Wonderful, Penny. Thank you for your kindness. Hugs to you.
Love the heart pattern. Off to check out my blue bin, which I have tons of. Thank you for doing this and my heart goes out to all of you there.
Thanks, Lynda!
I love your heart design. It speaks to me in some way. Any idea of an approximate amount of fabric. I have some blue but will need to order more and also white. Thanks for this Andrea.
Whites can be replaced with light blue and light greys.
I don’t have a good approximation to give you and I don’t want to give you inaccurate information. I know for sure that each block can be made up with the equivalent of one 2.5″ strip X width of fabric.
I may be able to get some more precise info later, but not for a few weeks yet.
Thanks, Katina!
So heartbroken for the people of Nova Scotia. Have just cut strips of blue to make that beautiful blue heart quilt and hoping to make one from Cluck Cluck Sew as well. Hugs from Vancouver Island, Valerie Raye
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and quilt(s), Valerie. Take care.
Andrea, let me start by saying that math is not my forte. I have done all the cutting for the heart quilt, but am stuck on the 9.5″ strip blocks. How wide do I need to make the individual strips? I sincerely appreciate your help
I would make the two outer strips 3″ wide and the inner two as normal (2.5″). Then centre the other square on that when you’re making the HST. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much
I found a group of friends to make this with. Can’t wait for our fabric to come :). Such a great pattern to work on with others.
So glad, Lydia! It is a great collaborative project and working together on it will help with the healing process, I think.