Skip to main content
Free quilt pattern: Woven Treasures
Like many quilters, APQS Dealer Heidi Kaisand started her quilting journey under the watchful eye of her grandmother, whose attention to details and her passion for combining fabrics and creating quilts left a lasting impression on Heidi. At that time, neither that nine-year-old girl nor her grandmother could have imagined how those early lessons would lead to Heidi’s career in the quilting world.
The pattern Heidi shared is called “Woven Treasures.” It’s symbolic of how her grandmother’s lessons have intertwined with Heidi’s passion for quilting, creating the “fabric” of who she is today. The gift of learning from her grandmother is an heirloom that can’t be sold; it is priceless!
Though it looks complicated to create, this quilt goes together quickly and easily. No need to cut out dozens of rectangles and squares individually. Long strips are sewn together and then sub-cut into smaller units. Those units are then cleverly arranged to create the illusion that the fabric strips are woven together using the quilt assembly diagram included with the pattern.
Machine quilter Stephanie Unruh added a fun, overall swirl pattern using her computerized APQS longarm. The playful curls are the perfect complement for the spring-colored floral fabrics in this lap-sized quilt.
To make this quilt even easier, Heidi made a kit available for the pattern, so you don’t even need to strain to choose fabrics! Click here to learn more.
Heidi’s professional quilting journey began as the editor of Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting magazine where she learned to write how-to instructions. The team’s daily goal was to create magazines to inspire quilters to make projects, making their free time fun!
After three kids and 17 years at Meredith Corporation (the parent company of the magazine), she joined the APQS work family. Her focus shifted from pattern creation to seeing the quilting world from the perspective of finishing quilts on a longarm quilting machine. From understanding how thread can change a quilt’s look to learning the skills required to stitch beautiful designs across the quilt top, Heidi acquired a valuable, unique skill set. Not only could she visualize and create beautiful patterns, but she could also make the top and quilt it beautifully!
That left one slice of the “quilting pie” untouched … owning a quilt shop! Heidi excitedly took a bite out of that piece in 2011 and opened Hen & Chicks Studio in Conrad, IA. When you walk through the vintage doors framing the store’s entrance, you’ll quickly see why it was named one of the 2019 Top 10 Shops in North America by Quilt Sampler magazine.
The store carries a wide variety of fabrics and quilting notions and has a fully equipped retreat center for both quilters and scrapbookers to create. Customers can also finish their own quilts by renting time on the shop’s APQS longarm after completing a simple rental class.
To help quilters hone their skills, Heidi has an active Facebook page, offers Take Home Tuesdays where viewers get ideas for new projects, and she even hosts a radio show and podcasts devoted to all sorts of creative endeavors. With so many ways to be inspired, it’s no wonder that one of the shop walls holds the quote “Obsession is Essential to Creativity!” If you’re obsessed with quilting, you’ll find lots of essentials to help with your creativity at Hen & Chicks Studio!
