Hearts and Half Square Triangles

The Joyful Labor of Gifting Quilts

In a time where with just a few clicks and two days a gift from Amazon can be delivered at your loved one's door, the sentiment that goes along with gifting something that requires more than internet access is impossible not to recognize. When you gift a quilt, you're gifting more than just a pretty blanket; you're gifting the time, energy, and creativity that goes along with it.

When I was given the honor of being Sylvie's Godmother, I knew that I wanted my first gift to her to unite us in a way that a store bought gift could not. I was intentional about the quilt being understated while also pronouncing the love that will always live between the two of us. I also chose a pattern that is personal favorite of mine: the half square triangle (HST).

Considering my emphasis on love, I chose various colors of pink and an eye-catching heart just right of center. Instead of using one pattern for the fabric, I chose different patterns—flowers and polka-dots—to add a more fun, causal, and child-like appeal to contrast the more delicate and formal pinks. I quilted the entire quilt on a long arm with swirls and loops because of the feminine esthetic they lend.

The HST provide so many opportunities to make each project you use them on unique. There are so many ways to put them together! Whether it’s a repeating pattern or a completely random arrangement, the possibilities are endless. The diagram below shows exactly how I put together the chevron pattern for this heart quilt. Each row is 8 HST. I even made the heart using HST!

An added benefit of HST is that the pattern is bold, but the technique used is super easy to follow. This project can easily be completed in a weekend, or in the months approaching a much anticipated birth!