How I Heart Thee...Countless Ways

Several artists have graciously offered to display their hearts here at Subversive Stitchers during Heart Week. Love is definitely in the air and hearts still speak loudly in any piece of art. They tend to steal the scene, take center stage and turn our thoughts to love, romance, relationships and maybe just maybe remind you of that first love or at least that first heart-shaped box of candy! -- Dawn


Marjorie Holme wrote: "I have two pieces, both made for my sweetie (my husband of 30+ years). I generally make him a home made valentine each year--paper, a poem, or sometimes something stitched. I have a photo of one from 2008--heart-shaped yo-yos on a miniquilt. (see first photo)

The second is a design I developed originally as a Puzzle Piece for Pat Winter's "pieces of friendship" swap on her blog "Gatherings." My husband really liked this so I made him his own as a heart."

Loretta Alvarado offers two unique approaches. Stepping out of her comfort zone she crafts the first fabric art titled "Heart Strings" It has a real violin bow attached and strings (actually gold cording) and the edge is about 5 inches deep.

The second uses a more standard collage technique incorporating fabric choices that reflect the music theme thus Loretta titles it "With a Song in My Heart"

 

Music and romance -- can we really have one without the other?

Does a special song remind you of someone?

 

 

Julia Arden created her heart in a Quilt University class led by Linda Schmidt: Filament Fantasy. The blocks were her ideas, the heart arrangement and organza edging were mine.

 

Julia explained, "The Filament Fantasy class (QU, Linda Schmidt) uses hearts or any other simple shape to trial different threads, painted fusible web, foiling, snippets under tulle, applique, reverse applique, couching, thread lace, programmed stitches with decorative threads - in fact as many things using threads as you can think of! The blocks, which were quilt as you go, sat for a while, until I came up with the idea of trying to set them as a heart shape with some white fabric printed with holographic gold wavy lines, . I then used the wavy lines as a basis for the quilting. Rather than bind it, I twisted two kinds of organza into a loose ribbon and threaded it through some bar tacks, joining the ends into a rosette."

 

Ann Ruthsdottir chose a crazy quilt technique for her sweet heart which she calls 'Art of the Heart.'

 

She pieced and embroidered this as a gift for a dear friend in July of 2008. What a pleasant surprise to find this in your mail box no matter what month of the year! You'll want to check out the variety and diversity of Ann's projects from an egret mobile to crazy hearts and a 'heart warming' drawing of the sweetest baby.  

 

You may remember these last two quilts from a previous guest blog. But I love both of these quilts and with the maker's permission, I'm displaying them again during Heart Week.

 

Ellen Guerrant heads off in directions I could never imagine with her creations. These hearts first appeared with Ellen's Hurricane Warning quilt. So maybe they didn't get quite as much attention as they deserve. Enjoy them now! If you want a peek at her other quilts, check out her guest blog, listed in the right column. Just click on Ellen's name and enjoy learning more about her work.  This first quilt is titled "Hold on My Heart....Throw Me a Lifeline and is a 52” square. Made of commercial cottons and silk, it is hand painted and beaded. Created as a healing quilt for her family following the heart transplant of our son.

 

Her second heart We Fix Broken Hearts, a 51x63” collage, is pieced cottons and hand-dyed fabrics. Painted and beaded, too. It was created to honor those who heal.

 

Hope you've enjoyed this little gallery of hearts. It is only Wednesday in heart week -- lots more to come! -- Dawn