Exploding Heart Quilt Along Announcement - TAKE 2!

Thursday, December 23, 2021

At the start of 2021, I hosted an Exploding Heart quilt along. Many people weren't able to finish or wanted to sew along but couldn't, so let's do it again!! Let's make the Exploding Heart quilt TOGETHER in 2022!

Exploding Heart quilt pattern

That's right, starting on January 6th, sew along with me and make your own Exploding Heart quilt!

I'm SO excited for this second QAL! There will be weekly tips and hints and hundreds of people sewing along!

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Exploding Heart quilt

The QAL will be hosted through a weekly email delivered straight to your inbox. The weekly info will also be right here on the blog, and I'll also post it on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to follow the hashtags #explodingheartQAL and #explodingheartquilt to see and cheer others on in the quilt along too!

Love & Kisses fabric with Oliso mini iron


ALL THE DETAILS:

Dates: January 6th - February 10th (six weeks)

How to join the QAL: Sign up for the weekly email to receive all the tutorials, inspiration, and tips right in your inbox each Thursday! You can follow along on Facebook and Instagram too.



QUILT INFO & SUPPLIES:

Be sure to purchase the Exploding Heart quilt pattern before the quilt along starts! If you don't already have one, you can purchase the Exploding Heart paper pattern or the Exploding Heart PDF digital pattern in my Etsy shop. Your favorite quilt shop might have them in stock too!

Exploding Heart quilt pattern

Be sure to get your fabric and supplies before the QAL begins on January 6th! I've shared several color options in this post, so maybe one of those will inspire your fabric choices! The pattern recommends 15 or more fat quarters, so this is a great time to use a fat quarter bundle, but scraps from your stash work fantastic too! For more inspiration, be sure to check out the #explodingheartquilt on Instagram! (Click the hashtag to hop to Instagram!) There are so many amazing ones!

Exploding Heart quilt pattern

I love using my AccuQuilt cutter and quarter-square triangle die for this quilt! If you don't have that, you can get the cutter and die you need in this bundle. I use die #55711 from my 8" Qube, though there are other dies that cut the same size including the Ohio Star die!

AccuQuilt

If you'll be sewing along without an AccuQuilt, then I recommend using a sewing machine laser so you don't have to draw lines to make the quarter-square triangles. (You can get it HERE on Amazon too!)

Sewing machine laser

A 4 1/2" HST Bloc-Loc ruler will really speed up the block trimming too!

Of course you can sew along without any of these optional tools too! I'll be sharing tips for that along the way!


QAL SCHEDULE:

Pick your fabric and share the I'M IN button on social media! Use the #explodingheartQAL and #explodingheartquilt on Instagram so we can all see what fabrics you've picked!



Week 1 - January 6th - Cutting (with tips and tricks for both AccuQuilt cutting and traditional rotary cutting)

Week 2 - January 13th - Sewing the blocks (with tips for chain piecing, using a laser, and pressing)

Week 3 - January 20th - Continue sewing the blocks and trimming them (with tips on trimming with and without a Bloc-Loc ruler)

Week 4 - January 27th - Sewing the rows (with tips on layout, staying organized, and pressing seams)

Week 5 - February 3rd - Sewing the quilt top (with tips on nesting seams)

Week 6 - February 10th - Quilting and finishes (lots of ideas, inspiration, and celebrating!)

Exploding Heart quilt pattern


INSPIRATION:

I've mocked up several versions of the Exploding Heart quilt to get your creative juices flowing!

Exploding Heart quilt made with Almost Blue fabrics by Libs Elliott
Almost Blue by Libs Elliott with solid white background

Exploding Heart quilt with True Colors fabric by Tula Pink
True Colors by Tula Pink with purple solid background

Exploding Heart quilt with bright solid fabrics for a neon look
Bright solid fabrics with a black background

Exploding Heart quilt using Trellis fabric from Clothworks
Trellis collection from Clothworks

Exploding Heart quilt using solid blue fabrcis
Solid blue fabrics with light blue background

From the Heart collection by Sandy Gervais for Riley Blake Designs

Exploding Heart quilt using Golden Aster collection from Riley Blake
Golden Aster collection by Gabrielle Neil Design Studio for Riley Blake Designs

Exploding Heart quilt in sunset inspired solid colors
Solid fabrics in oranges, pinks, and purples with a navy background

Exploding Heart quilt in pinks, purples, and yellows
Solid fabric in pinks, purples, and yellows with a white background

Exploding Heart quilt using Just My Type collection from Island Batik
Just My Type fabric from Island Batik with a black background

Exploding Heart quilt using Forest Life collection from Dandelion Fabric & Co.
Forest Life collection from Dandelion Fabric & Co. with solid dark teal green background

Exploding Heart quilt in Declassified fabrics by Giucy Giuce
Declassified by Giucy Giuce with a black background

Equator collection from Kaffe Fassett Studios

Tula Pink Linework with solid hot pink background

Solid pink fabrics with solid black background

Primavera collection by Figo fabrics


I will be making an Exploding Heart quilt with Colour Wall fabrics from Riley Blake Designs during the quilt along. I've made the quilt SEVEN times so far, and I haven't seen one yet that I didn't like!

Exploding Heart quilt pattern
Pink, purple, and teal Island Batik scraps with solid white background

Exploding Heart quilt pattern
Morrison Park collection by Pat Sloan with sky blue background

Exploding Heart quilt pattern
Love & Kisses collection from Island Batik with solid white background

Exploding Heart quilt in the Parakeet collection from Kaffe Fassett Studios
Parakeet collection from Kaffe Fassett Studios

Exploding Heart quilt in the Emperor collection from Kaffe Fassett Studios
Emperor collection from Kaffe Fassett Studios

Exploding Heart quilt in Confection Batiks by Kate Spain for Moda Fabrics
Confection Batiks by Kate Spain for Moda with solid white background

Exploding Heart quilt in solid pink fabrics
Solid pink fabrics from Riley Blake Designs with a light pink solid background


AND if that's still not enough inspiration, check out all the quilts people have made and posted in the #explodingheartquilt on Instagram! See those HERE!

Sign up to get the emails in the form above, pick your fabric, and tell your friends to join the fun! 

Let's quilt along!

17 comments:

  1. I've had the pattern forever... maybe this is the boot in the fanny to get going! I have a variety of Kaffe fabrics in blues, reds, oranges, purples. But want to make it bigger with a larger die. Trying to figure out how many fat quarters I actually will need. ����

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  2. Yippee! I got everything last year, and then life got in the way. Hopefully this will be the year! Thanks for doing this again.

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  3. I'm using the 6 inch Acccuquilt dies and hoping for a king size.

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  4. I have had the pattern and fabric for a while, can't wait to get started.

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  5. I bought the pattern from your etsy's site and I need this sew along to get me started.

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  6. YAY! I just bought this pattern. This QAL will help me have the inspiration and motivation to make it.

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  7. How exactly would you go about making this king sized?

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    Replies
    1. Increase the size of your blocks. Based on a quick math, you'd need your unfinished blocks to be 6.5" to get a 108x108 quilt.

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  8. Can I make this quilt with a layer cake?

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    Replies
    1. I think you'd either have a lot of waste (and need a lot of layer cake squares) or a smaller quilt.

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  9. Made this a couple times and it's seriously one of my favorite patterns! Even though I've got a couple projects already going, I think I'm going to join in live this time!

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  10. I'm ready - pattern and fabric in hand!

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  11. I just bought this pattern at Xmas. Still looking thru fabrics. I'm not on Instagram, can we post somewhere else?

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  12. I have my material and I am getting ready to get cutting

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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!