Pixelated Rainbow Heart

While I'm waiting on blocks from the Threadbias Newbees block swap (loving what I've received so far!  People's creativity never ceases to amaze me...), I decided to start a new project.

I have a dear, dear friend who loves all things rainbow and to whom the heart symbol has special meaning in her family.  After seeing several pixelated heart quilts around the 'net, I was inspired to make a gift quilt for her combining those elements.

So after drafting it out on paper, I pulled out my stash to see if I could make it work.  Since it's Christmas time,  I don't really have extra funds to put toward fabric buying.  With some adjustments to my original color layout, I found that I had enough!

Here's the beginning layout of the heart...

Many thanks to my daughter, Madeline, for helping with perfecting the fabric layout!  My first idea was to use a variety of black and white prints for the background of the quilt, but when we played around with the fabrics, we both agreed that the heart got lost.  Then I had the idea to outline the heart in black and use shades of gray for the background.

Here's the heart outlined in black...

I didn't have enough gray fabrics on hand to complete the quilt, though.  I looked at purchasing some charm packs online, but still wanted to meet my no spend goal.  We have recently moved to the Charlotte area, and I just discovered that there is a Goodwill outlet here.  You can by clothes there for $1.39 a pound!  I decided this would be the best solution--I would not be spending very much $$, I could get a variety of fabrics, and I'd be recycling (which my friend will love!).  So I brought home 11 pieces, one of which is a really cool sheet that I will use as a backing fabric someday, for $9.  Yay!  Gray dress shirts are perfect for this project.

And here's a pic of the current state of the quilt...

I'm steadily cutting out 5" charms from my Goodwill stash and placing them on the design wall.  I hope to be ready to sew by Saturday.  I have to admit...I'm a little obsessed with this quilt right now.  I wish I could put everything else aside and just work on it.  But I am very happy with how it's turning out.  I really think my friend is going to love it!  I am going to spend the week after Christmas visiting her, and I very much doubt that it will be completely done by then, but I would like to be able to show her the completed quilt top.

x and + Block

 Hi everyone!  Here's my tutorial for the November Newbee Hive #9 block, the x and + block.  I would really like a scrappy look for this quilt.  Please use any shade of purple, teal or turquoise for the x and +, in any way that you'd like to arrange them.  I would prefer that you use a bright white for the triangle pieces.

To begin with, you'll need the following pieces:

For the x-- four 5" squares in a print and eight 3" squares in white.
For the plus-- one 6.5" by 2.5" rectangle and two 2.5" squares from one print, and four 3" by 2.5" rectangles in another print.

To assemble the block:

Draw a line down the center of each white square.  I used the FriXion pen.  Love that thing!  Then line the white square up with one corner of the 5" square and sew along the line.

Repeat for each 5" square.
Then line a white square up the the opposite corner, and again, sew down the center line on your white block. 

 Repeat again for each 5" square.

Trim away the corners, leaving 1/4" of fabric from the seam.   Press the seams open.

 Sew the 2.5" squares to one side of two of the 3" by 2.5" squares.  Sew the remaining 3" by 2.5" squares to each end of the 6.5" by 2.5" rectangle.  Press the seams open.

Sew a corner unit to each side of the square units.  Be sure that your "x" pieces are pointed in the right direction.  Press the seams open.

 Sew the resulting "x" halves to each side of the middle rectangle unit.  Press the seams open.

Your finished block should be 11.5 inches.