Snow Happy Heart Quilt

On this page I would like to share with you the details of the Snow Happy Heart Quilt I am making.  This quilt uses the beautiful free patterns being published monthly by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs. 

Before starting each block you will need to download the appropriate Snow Happy Heart Pattern from Anne's blog: HERE. Choose a piece of fabric for your heart background and complete the snowman applique as the pattern indicates. Draw the heart shape from the pattern (following the dotted line) onto the paper side of some fusible web.

Cut it out roughly outside the drawn line and fuse it to the back of the heart fabric making sure to position it so that all the applique (which will be on the front of the fabric) is within the heart shape.

The stitches that you have used to applique the shapes can be seen on the back and should help you get the positioning correct.

Cut the heart out on the drawn line. Set aside.

Each block is pieced together using the layouts and dimensions given for each individual month below. The blocks are pieced using a quarter inch seam allowance throughout. All embroidery is completed before the heart is added to the block. I finished all my applique using fusible web and a hand stitched blanket stitch. Once the block is pieced and any embroidery completed, you can fuse the appliqued heart into position and finish the edges with a hand stitched blanket stitch. I further highlighted the heart by stitching a running stitch around them.

For all the embroidered words I chose a font that I liked on my computer and enlarged the size to 72 points (this size may vary from font to font, so just try a couple until you have the style and size you like). Print the word out onto a piece of paper and then trace it onto the background fabric using a light source.  The words are then embroidered using a back stitch and embroidery thread (I used variegated silk thread by Stef Francis) NB. I backed the central panel of the blocks where the heart and embroidery are positioned with a fusible lightweight interfacing after tracing the words but before piecing the block or completing the embroidery.  This stops any travelling embroidery threads showing through to the front and gives the fabric extra strength to hold the appliqued heart.

I made the flying geese units using a tutorial from Cinderberry Stitches which I found to be excellent.  You can find the tutorial HERE

Each block will measure 12.5" x 12.5" square (unfinished).

Snow Happy Hearts: January

January Layout

January Block Dimensions

Snow Happy Hearts: February

February Layout

February Block Dimensions

The strip of fabric to the right hand side of the February block was divided into 2" squares by an embroidered running stitch.  

Within each of these squares I embroidered a heart using a chain stitch.  I used the heart that the snowman is holding in the original pattern as a template for these embroidered hearts.

Snow Happy Hearts: March

March Layout

March Block Dimensions

For the embroidered flowers above the heart in the March block, I lightly drew a freehand wavy line across the background fabric and stitched a running stitch along this line.  I then added a few leaves and flowers. These were all stitched using a lazy daisy stitch.  I finished the flowers by adding a colonial knot to the middle of each.

The appliqued flowers in the corners were added by drawing a daisy shape onto fusible web and cutting them out roughly outside the drawn line.  Fuse the shapes to your chosen flower fabric and then cut them out on the drawn line.

These shapes were then fused to the block and finished using a hand stitched blanket stitch.  A small yo-yo was then made and stitched to the middle of each flower shape.

Snow Happy Hearts: April 

April Layout

April Block Dimensions

The additional daisy that I added to the corner of the central block for April was just drawn freehand and stitched using a back stitch for the petals. The centre of the flower was made by grouping together a number of colonial knots.  

The whole flower was then framed with a square (approximately 1.5 inches square) which was back stitched. A row of running stitches and some lazy daisy stitches were also added as can be seen in the photograph above.

Snow Happy Hearts: May

May Layout

May Block Dimensions

The only addition I made this month was to embroider a sprinkling of pink lazy daisy flowers throughout the block but, mainly in the central panel.

Snow Happy Hearts: June

June Layout

June Block Dimensions

This month I embroidered the month name and the word 'Butterfly' on the applique background fabric.

I also embroidered three butterflies which I drew freehand.  They are a relatively simple shape to draw. To give you a rough idea of size, each butterfly fits into a 1.5 inch square. They were embroidered using chain stitch for the main outline, back stitch for the outline of the body which, I filled in with straight stitches and, the antennae were stitched using back stitch with a french knot at the end.  I added a fly stitch and a cross stitch inside the wings.

You will also see that I didn't give my snow lady gifts but added more butterflies instead. You may think this is a big change from the original pattern but in fact, it is not. 

All I did was leave out the applique shapes for the gifts but used the bows (which are embroidered) as the template for the top set of wings on each butterfly.  I added a second set of smaller wings underneath, filled the wings in using satin stitch, added a body using a bullion knot and some straight stitch antennae.

Snow Happy Hearts: July

July Layout

July Block Dimensions

This month I just embroidered the month name and the word 'Happy' on the applique background fabric.  July is a happy month for me as it is my birthday this month but, I also want to include the words 'Snow Happy Hearts' in the overall quilt, so this seemed a good place to add the word 'Happy'.  The only other addition this month was a few little star buttons to one side of the heart applique.

Snow Happy Hearts: August

August Layout

August Block Dimensions

For my August block, in the applique background I embroidered the month name and the word 'Fun' as I thought Anne's cute snowman looked like he was having fun at the beach!

I also added some ric rac as I thought this looked a bit like some waves on the shore. I added a couple of lines of running and cross stitches to balance the overall look of the block.

Snow Happy Hearts: September

September Layout

September Block Dimensions

Anne's September snowman is all ready to start the school term with his cap and book, so I embroidered the word 'School' on the applique background as well as the month.

I also added '1 2 3 and A B C' in keeping with the school theme.  

As a little extra I have stitched a wise owl button in place where the words 'School' and 'September' meet.

Snow Happy Hearts: October 

October Layout

October Block Dimensions

This month's heart features a very sweet little snowman with his bucketful of treats.... he is just adorable.

To enhance Anne's lovely heart pattern I added some little embroidered pumpkins to the applique background as well as the word 'Pumpkins' and the name of the month.

The pumpkins were drawn freehand and the stitches used are back stitch throughout for the leaf and tendrils. The pumpkin outlines were stitched using chain stitch and the 'panels' were stitched using herringbone stitch on the larger pumpkin and stem stitch on the smaller pumpkin. The stems were outlined in back stitch and filled in also with back stitch.

Snow Happy Hearts: November

November Layout

November Block Dimensions

This month's pattern from Anne shows another adorable snowman 'giving thanks'.  This seemed the perfect month to add the word 'Hearts' to the applique background as well as the month's name of 'November'.  We give thanks with our hearts and, as I have mentioned previously, I wanted the words 'Snow', 'Happy' and 'Hearts' to appear somewhere in the quilt and now they do! 

I also added a little embroidered heart in one corner of the applique background.  I used the heart template from February's heart to mark the background fabric before embroidering the shape with chain stitch.  The detached chain flower was added freehand to the middle of the heart.

Snow Happy Hearts: December

December Layout

December Block Dimensions

Anne's pattern for December is just so pretty! This dear little snowman is just too cute! I think he is my favourite snowman!

For this block I embroidered the word 'Noel' on the applique background fabric along with 'December' for the month.

I also added some embroidered holly leaves in the corner to make it feel a little bit like Christmas.

Finally, I added a sprinkling of sparkly snowflakes across the whole block. These were created by placing a sequin and then stitching six equally spaced fly stitches over the top to hold the sequin in place.

The finished quilt top looks like this.....

And here it is quilted and finished.....