Hearts & Crafts Project #6: Crazy Heart Runner

Welcome to Mattie's Hearts & Crafts Blog Series! To find out more about the series (projects and supply list - free instructions!)

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NOTE BEFORE YOU START:  Crazy quilts are fun, and easy, but there are also things to consider when you make one that are not common to a traditional quilt. So, though there is a lot of reading, I'd encourage you to read the pattern (below), the TIPS, and the italic sections.

This is fun!  I'm not sure I would call it quick - because of all the extra touches that are usually added to it!  Gather everything that you think might work.  Here's the pic of my first "gathering".  I ended up finding other things and changed it quite a bit, but the point is that you may be surprised what you end up with considering what you had to start.
I did not quilt this as I made it in the tradition of a crazy quilt which are generally not quilted due to the heaviness that came as a result of so many fabrics being  piled on top of each other.  They were considered quite warm without added batting and quilting.  Long ago, the quilting started out utilitarian - simply to hold the layers together.  In the crazy quilt, the layers were held together by the many intricate hand stitches.  We have machines that can do those stitches now, but many people also still do the handwork.  There are some designs printed on wash away stabilizer that make the stitches easy to do as well.  By using old linens and laces, you will also most likely have some elegant embroideries in the linens and you can work around those to give them a focus. Batting was also not common in the crazy quilt due to the heaviness and variety of fabrics such as velvets, wools, satins, etc...all fabrics not common to the cotton utilitarian quilt.  Some crazy quilts were made simply to have warmth in the winter in a cold cabin.  Others were made to showcase fancy stitches, or to practice the stitches.  They often started with a 5 sided shape, which I use in this design.  I like the 5 sided as a representation of home, though I don't think that it has that historical sense.  Binding was not used for all the same reasons.  They were typically turned and tied, as I do here.

The base quilt or blocks were generally made with straight cuts, with appliques on top - or a fan might be curved pieced to the straight pieces.  It was thought that the straight stitching was easy enough but that the curved piecing was difficult. The Quiltsmart printed interfacing methods make this much easier - so there is no "needle turn" (a traditional but difficult and time-consuming method) or curved piecing. So when you google, "crazy quilt" that is why you will see many with just straight lines.  It was considered an art-form to add the crazy quilt stitches, the ribbons, etc.  Sometimes even paper photographs were sewn into the quilt.
Crazy Heart Runner: Hearts & Crafts: Project #6
STANDARD METHOD:  Zigzag Applique, "Zigzapping".

Use scraps or:
Hearts: (6 ) 6" squares, a variety is nice, (6) 4" squares. I used linens, and put the colors under the laces, so they would peek through.
Background: (I used painter's drop-cloth).  (1) 12" x 40/42" (Width of Fabric)
Linens & Laces: a variety. If you don't have some, try the Thrift Store! A win-win for all!  IF THEY ARE DARK COLORS - Color test them first! 
Backing: 1/2 yard: 18" x 40/42+" (does not allow for quilting (read italics above), 
Quiltsmart Interfacing: 1panel of Sweet Hearts
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FABRICS & TRIMS:  When using many different kinds of fabrics and trims, if you wash your crazy quilt, I'd be very careful - unless you have tested everything.  Maybe just a spot clean would be best, or dry cleaning.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Cut fabrics according to list above.  Lay out your laces and some fabric scraps approximately how you think you might like them - OR, just go for it!  My teaching here would be: don't go backwards - you could go crazy with that....maybe that is why I named it Crazy Heart Runner!
2) Cut, with as much margin as possible, around all the LARGE hearts.

3) In the middle the small heart,cut on the dotted line.  TIP: Stack the hearts and cut once through all.  







 
4) Place interfacing rough side (glue dot side) to RIGHT side of SMALL heart fabric.  The Large heart interfacing will hang over the SMALL heart fabric. 
TIP: Just a word of caution when you are working with laces, the presser foot can get caught in the lace - so always watch while you are sewing.

Starting along the straight part of the heart, stitch on the solid line and overlap the starting stitches by about a half inch.  You want to stay on the SMALL solid line if you plan to use the large heart interfacing.
TIP: The smaller the stitch, the smoother the curve!  A 2.0mm is great on this project.

5) Cut a small slit along the dashed line of the straight part of the heart.  DON't cut into the large heart interfacing if you plan on using it.  I use a rotary cutter for this part, but you can use scissors if you wish.  Continue cutting out the SMALL heart on the dashed line with sharp scissors, clipping at the center inner angle. This method gives a nice amount of interfacing around the large heart for later turning.  Terri - Customer Service Extraordinaire (CSE), came up with this idea just about a week ago - its fabulous!  Just goes to show you we can all keep learning.  We will see if Terri actually reads this stuff I write!  You can set the heart aside and turn when you turn the large heart or do it now.  Most people can't wait.  Although if you are going on a trip, these are great to take along for the drive.  Well, not if you are the driver.
6) Turn right side out.  The pointer-creaser is a great tool for this! You will get nice smooth lines and points.  
 Keep the tool IN BETWEEN the fabric seam, not between the fabric seam and the interfacing.  I use the rounder end first around the rounded parts of the heart, then the point.  Be very gentle. You don't want to poke through but everyone does it about once or more.  When I am in a hurry, I am almost guaranteed to poke through!

Follow steps 5 & 6 for the LARGE Heart: Place the LARGE Heart interfacing rough side to the RIGHT side of the heart fabric.  Stitch on the solid line as before.  Trim & turn as before. You can make your hearts crazy, or plain.  I started out with plain small hearts and by the time I got to the large hearts I was bored (which is why I LOVE crazy quilts), so I decided to make the large hearts crazy too.  But, I like having a base fabric to stabilize things.  I don't like to overdue it because I like to have nice space for the crazy stitches. Crazy stitches are often put over seams, but they do not have to be.  I put them wherever I like.  Also, if there were a lot of layers on the base, the heart might be difficult to turn.   
TIP:  If you want to sew lace onto the runner in any spot, you can use a thread that matches the lace, or use invisible thread. 

 I like to cut strips and sew them to the base.  It makes it easier than dealing with odd shapes.

TIP:  If you don't want to pin the interfacing to the shape, you can tap the OUTSIDE of the dashed cutting line with the iron.  This will hold the interfacing in  place while you sew.

 TIP:  It is wise to use an applique pressing sheet when pressing over fine linens, laces, and delicate fabrics.

 A simple zigzag stitch is great to hold the lace in place.

 7) Place your hearts where you think you would like them on your base piece.  They will probably not end up there!  This will just give you an idea of how it might look.  TIP: Take a picture for use later in the process so if you love the placement, you can refer to it.

 8) Sew lace to strips of fabric if you wish. 

 9) Sew the strips of fabric around the 5 sided shape, using a 1/4" seam allowance. You may add as much lace or trims as you want as you go around the shape.   

 Continue going around the shape.

 Cut off excess from each strip, even with the edge of the crossing strip.  Open and finger press, then press with an iron (use an applique pressing sheet).

 10) When the width has been filled, you might wish to cut wider strips to fill in until the end.  It goes a little faster that way.  You also could make 3-4 separate 12" blocks and then sew them together.

Keep "auditioning" your hearts with your lace/fabric base.  I keep changing things as I go. You are going to keep layering until you are happy! 

Runner prior to hearts being added...

One of my art teachers drilled this into our heads "You want to get to ah-ha, but most people go past that to oh-oh", artists know when they are at ah-ha."  My oil painting teacher said, "if you mess up, just put something over it!" While we are on art teachers -  Another told me that my work was tripe.  I was in high school and did not know what she meant.  So, I went straight to the library and looked it up.  Cow stomach. People eat it.  I thought that is about as low as you can go. I knew I would never forget that.  Later that year while doing a reading assignment in English class, I came across the word "trite", and after looking that up in the dictionary it occurred to me that it was likely that that was what she had said.  Defiinition: "lacking originality or freshness."  I do think that that could also be the definition for cow stomach.... but no matter, she was not thrilled with my work. That may have been the first time it occurred to me that I did not care what anyone thought as long as I liked my work - and this is what I tell my students.

...and after hearts are positioned.

 If you wish to "soften" any of the fabrics, you can sew lace over them.  With a zigzag as before.

 11) Add crazy stitches as you wish, or if you wish.  Many machines have beautiful stitches that are large and fabulous.  For this runner, I choose to add hand stitches and use a stick on tape that I love by Dawn Schuck of Sew Cherished, Crazy Quilt Stitches.
You stitch right on the line, then rinse off the tape.  Make sure your fabrics are water-safe.  My 1800s dark red lace was not, but since it is a crazy quilt, I was able to remedy the situation. 




You can turn the stitch tape along a curved edge by putting a few cuts in it.
I used 3 strands of embroidery floss on my stitches.

After stitching, I rinsed the tape away -super easy. Then I put it on a pants hanger and hung it in the bath to dry.  Otherwise, Bennie might have looked for it.  He loves to snarf interfacing and quilt pieces!
I still want to add some hand-look stitching from my sashiko machine.  So I will add the finished picture when I am done.  I also made a lace heart from a napkin my mom had....and I found that under the fabrics as I was cleaning up.  I'm going to put that over one of the dark fabrics.

12) When ready, turn to the base side and trim along that edge.  Press your quilt top from the back, and if from the front - always with an applique pressing sheet. You may put a back on it and bind. Batting if you like, but that is not the traditional.  You may also tie it.  Square knots with embroidery floss (6 strands).  You can keep the knot on the front or the back.  I use my sashiko and not the ties.  You can also sew the back to the front, right sides together and then turn it right side out...finger press, and hand-stitch the opening.
My pieces got bigger and bigger toward the ends of the runner, but that is all ok, because there really aren't any rules in crazy quilting.  I also got bolder in color and gave up my "it has to match my mother's china" rule. 


Please send any comments or questions to info@quiltsmart.com, Facebook, or Instagram.  Thanks so much!
I hope you enjoyed this project, send us pics to share!
Take Care, Mattie