Exploding Heart Quilt in Parakeet

Monday, May 24, 2021

I just finished my SIXTH Exploding Heart quilt!

Exploding Heart quilt in Parakeet Kaffe Fassett fabric

I absolutely love seeing the quilt in different fabrics, and this time, I made mine in Kaffe Fassett fabrics!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you're new here, hello! I'm Laura! I design quilt patterns, and I'm a self-proclaimed deal hunter! Be sure to join the popular Quilting & Sewing Deals Facebook group where I post sales, deals, and coupon codes from all around the web!


Several months ago, I did a few a few dozen mockups of the Exploding Heart quilt (get the pattern HERE!) in new collections of Kaffe Fassett fabrics for Free Spirit fabrics. They chose five colorways to print in a brochure that their sales reps are currently using to show quilt shops the new fabrics!

Exploding Heart quilt in the Kaffe Fassett Prism collection
This version uses the Prism collection with Jumble in Blue for the background.

Exploding Heart quilt in the Kaffe Fassett Emperor collection
Shown with the Emperor collection with Aboriginal Dot in Wisteria for the background.

Exploding Heart quilt in the Kaffe Fassett Parakeet collection
This is the one I made! It uses the Parakeet collection and Jumble in Magenta for the background.

Exploding Heart quilt in the Kaffe Fassett Ocean collection
This version uses the Ocean colorway with Heliotrope for the background.

Exploding Heart quilt in the Kaffe Fassett Equator collection
The final version uses the Equator collection and Jumble in Prune for the background.

Lucky for me, Free Spirit sent me enough fabric to make one of them!

I didn't know which fabric they were going to send ahead of time, so it was a fun surprise to open the package to find a fat quarter bundle of the Parakeet collection and yardage of Jumble in magenta for the background!

Kaffe Fasset Parakeet fabrics

The fabrics are so bright and fun!

Fat quarter bundle of Kaffe Fassett Parakeet collection

I love how each fabric is strong enough to stand alone, but all together, they create such a fun mix!

Fat quarter bundle of Kaffe Fassett Parakeet collection

If you haven't ever used the Free Spirit sateen backing, RUN don't walk! You NEED it in your life! It has the softest hand! It's like silk!

108" sateen backing fabric by Kaffe Fassett, Lotus Leaf in Jade

I followed the pattern exactly, and used my AccuQuilt to cut all the pieces. (Yes, the pattern includes directions for making it with an AccuQuilt!)

AccuQuilt cut triangles

My Oliso mini iron and wool pressing mat made quick work of pressing the blocks.

Oliso mini iron and wool pressing mat

This quilt marks 1,296 quarter square triangles that I've made for Exploding Heart quilts!

Exploding Heart quilt blocks

I use a flannel backed table cloth and push pins on the wall of my dining room to layout the blocks before sewing them into a quilt top. Oh, and numbered pins too!

When taking the photo of the quilt top below, my husband noticed a 4' snake skin in the grass right where he was standing. We snapped the photo and got out of there quick!

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett fabrics

Once the quilt top was done, I had to choose what color of Aurifil thread to use for quilting. My first thought was hot pink, my second choice was lime green, and third was orange. After laying them all out on the quilt top, I decided orange worked with all the prints the best - even though it was my least favorite of those three colors! This is #1154 Dusty Orange.

Dusty Orange 50wt Aurifil thread

I layered the backing fabric, Hobbs wool batting, and the quilt top on my longarm (a 1989 Gammill that I've named Kramer. Yes, he has googly eyes.)

1989 Gammill longarm machine

I free-hand quilted a small meander all over the quilt.

Free-hand quilting on my Gammill longarm

The texture of the quilt with the wool batting is amazing!

Meander quilting

For binding, I tried a new-to-me gadget that worked much better than I expected! The Binding Eaze is silicone iron rest with "belt loops" on the sides. You just fold your binding in half, place it through the belt loops, place your iron on top, and pull! It folds the rest of the binding perfectly in half and presses it at the same time! It's so fast! Honestly, I thought it was going to be one of those "as seen on TV" things that didn't actually work, but it does! Totally worth it! (Get one here!)

Binding Eaze for quick binding making

Of course I sewed the binding on by machine! (Tutorial here!) The fabric is Paperweight in Lime.

Sewing binding on by machine

I even remembered to sew one of my Ever Emblem labels on!

Satin quilt label by EverEmblem

I LOVE how the quilt turned out!

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

Up close, you can see the details of each fabric, unique and bold.

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

The quilting blends so well into the fabrics that you don't even notice it!

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

The back perfectly complements the front! (And it feels amazing!)

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

This was the first one of the Exploding Heart quilts that I've made where the background is darker than the heart fabrics. 

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

It's stunning! And now I want to do it again!

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

You can see the previous versions of the quilt that I've made here, here, here, here, and here.

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

Have you made an Exploding Heart quilt? Get the pattern HERE!

Exploding Heart quilt in Kaffe Fassett Parakeet fabrics

I'm thinking about doing another quilt along for it this fall, so be sure to sign up for the notifications if you might want to join the fun!


5 comments:

  1. Oh, I think this is my favorite! Love all you have made, but this one is just so happy! (And it is pink.... 😁)
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love each one of these, but PINK!!! I live in a boy world and love the pink! Congrats on this version!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love, love your quilt! Those fabrics are the bomb! (No pun intended!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your quilts are all so pretty.

    Patty

    paweis at yahoo. com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those are wonderful fabrics for that pattern - it's so happy!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and for your comments! I try to reply to comments via email, so if you're expecting a response and don't hear from me, check if you're a no-reply blogger. Happy sewing!