![quilted lines on batting](https://i0.wp.com/quiltsmith.world/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/01b-Hearts-Aflutter.jpg?resize=1000%2C1000&ssl=1)
Hearts Aflutter was the very first block to be released for the Splendid Sampler!
This was my second attempt at quilting feathers inside a heart shape, and I think it came out a little bit better than the first one. My first attempt was on Block 29, Scrappy Happy Heart. You can tell this one is a little bit smoother. (A very little bit…)
On this block, the heart was a little larger, which helped, and I’d done it once already, which also helped. So… not even close to perfect, but not too bad. Next time I might try joined feathers instead of separate ones.
I echoed once inside and once outside the heart to set it apart and then quilted back-and-forth lines to make the background recede. I changed the direction of the lines in each quarter of the block. I left the corners alone and stitched in the ditch to finish it off.
![quilted block](https://i0.wp.com/quiltsmith.world/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/01a-Hearts-Aflutter.jpg?resize=987%2C1024&ssl=1)
Hearts Aflutter is block 1 of the Splendid Sampler and was designed by Pat Sloan.