Step 1. Choose fabric combinations that are pleasing to you and your décor. For this project, lights to darks in a similar color family were chosen.

Step 2. Cut each color selection into 1” strips and ¾” strips. Sew together with the Cotona thread with ¼” seams alternating the strip sizes and light and dark strips.

Step 3. Press seams in one direction. Press Heat n Bond Lite to the back of your strip sets following the manufacturer’s directions. Set aside for later.

Step 4. Open IQ Designer on machine. If you do not have IQ designer, choose a heart embroidery design and stitch as desired.

Step 5. Choose the shapes icon. Select the heart icon and reduce the size of the heart to a size that is pleasing. Save shape in the memory pocket on the machine.

Step 6. Select line properties. Choose the run stitch and select a color. Touch the line of the heart and click the link icon to make sure that you have a continuous stitch line.

1. Save to memory pocket. This is your placement line.

Step 7. Touch add. Then go to the memory pocket with the arrow pointing out and select the saved heart shape.

1. In line properties choose run stitch again. Then select a different color and touch the heart.
2. Click the link icon to make sure that you have a continuous stitch line.
3. Save to the memory pocket. This will be your tack-down stitch.

Step 8. Choose add one more time. Select the pocket with the arrow coming out of it and choose the heart once again.

1. This time go to line properties and select the candle wicking stitch. Choose a different color and touch the line of the heart.
2. Click the link icon to make sure that you have a continuous stitch line.
3. Then click next and you will be able to size your candle wicking and adjust the spacing between each candlewick.
4. Once you are happy with this, save it to the memory pocket.

Step 9. At this time, you should test out the design before stitching on the final pieced strip sets.

Step 10. Next you will start making your applique blocks.

1. Cut your white fabric larger than you need for your 6.5” block so that you have plenty of room to properly hoop and square up to create your block later.
2. Hoop a 5” x 7” hoop with firm tear-away stabilizer.

Step 11. Stitch your placement line.

1. Take your strip pieced applique block and peel off the protective sheet from the back of where you have fused the Heat n Bond Lite.
2. Place the strip set over the placement line adjusting until you are pleased with the way it looks.
3. Stitch the next stitch sequence to tack down the strip pieced.

Step 12. Carefully remove the hoop from the machine and on a flat surface trim away as close to the tack down stitch as possible to remove the excess applique fabric.

Step 13. Put the hoop back on the machine.

1. Make sure you have the thread color that you want the candle wicking stitch to be threaded in the machine.
2. Put a piece of water-soluble film type stabilizer over the heart and tack it down with a perimeter stitch.
3. This will prevent the embroidery foot from getting caught in one of the seams of the pieced applique.
4. Stitch the candle wicking around the heart.
5. Remove from hoop and remove excess stabilizer and water-soluble stabilizer.
6. Repeat process 1 through 3 for each of the blocks.

Step 14. Next you will create your heart blocks.

Step 15. Cut your 6 ½” blocks centering your hearts on each one.

Step 16. Cut 10 (2 ½” x 6 ½”) strips of the border fabric.

Step 17. Cut 8 (2 ½” squares) for your corner stones.

Step 18. For the heart block, sew a 2 ½” x 6 ½” strip to the top and bottom of each heart block. Press towards the dark border fabric.

Step 19. With the 8 (2 ½ squares) sew one to each end of a 2 ½” x 6 ½” border strips. Press seams towards the border.

Step 20. Sew the corner stone border piece to the left side of 2 of the heart blocks.

1. The center block is reversed so you will sew the corner stone border to the right side of that block.
2. Press seams toward the borders.

Step 21. Sew the side of the block with no border to the center block edge with border. Repeat this step for the last block.

1. Press toward the borders as you don’t want the darker fabric showing through the white fabric of your heart block.

Step 22. Cut 2 (3 ½”) strips of fabric the length of your table runner.

1. This project was made for 29 ½” but check the finished length of your runner before cutting your strips.

Step 23. Cut 2 (3 ½”) strips of your border fabric.

1. Check the length you will need before cutting. For this project we needed 18”.

Step 24. Sew the longer border pieces on first.

1. Press toward the outer border and then sew on the shorter border strips.
2. Press towards the outer border.

Step 25. Now you can size your batting and backing fabric. Make it at least an inch larger than the top.

1. Layer your batting on top of the backing fabric with wrong side facing up. Then layer the quilt top on the batting with the right side facing up.

Step 26. Hoop the center block and then use the scan feature to get positioning for the fills.

Step 27. Bring up the previous heart shape and add a square shape size to 6.25“.

1. Center the heart around the heart in the scan and the square within the block.
2. Go to fill properties and select one of the fills.

Step 28. The rose fill was chosen and sized down around the heart. For all the quilting use Madeira Rayon variegated thread #2021.

Step 29. On the borders size a wave line to 6.25” and place it in each border.

Step 30. For the corner stones, use an open shape heart sized down to fit nicely.

Step 31. For the outer borders in IQ Designer, click on shapes. Chose a square by using the sizing tools.

1. Then create a rectangle the size of the border that will fit within large hoop.
2. Choose the stipple to fill rectangle and increase the size of stipple to your liking.
3. Hoop your border with sticky wash away stabilizer to hold the border for stippling or you can use a magnetic hoop. hold the border for stippling or you can use a magnetic hoop.

Step 32. Once all the stippling is complete you can trim down the edges of the quilt so that is even and ready for binding. Use your favorite method of binding.