Some quilts are made to be given — for a wedding, a new baby, or simply to say I was thinking of you. The 518 Deep In My Heart Pantograph by Hari Walner was designed for quilts like those. It is a continuous-line paper pantograph, 121 inches long, in two row sizes, 9 inches and 12.5 inches, so you can match the scale to the quilt in front of you.
What the Design Is
A paper pantograph is a printed pattern you unroll on the table at the back of your longarm frame. You follow the printed line with a laser light or stylus while standing at the back of the machine, and the needle reproduces that line in thread on the quilt at the front. Because Deep In My Heart is a continuous-line design, you stitch each row in one flowing pass without constant stops and starts, then advance the quilt and stitch the next row.
The name tells you the theme: hearts, worked into an all-over row that repeats across the whole quilt. Stitched row by row, the motif builds into even, affectionate texture from edge to edge — noticeable enough to read as hearts up close, and soft enough from a distance to unify the piecing underneath.
What Quilts It Suits
This is a natural choice for quilts with a personal story: wedding and anniversary quilts, Valentine's quilts, baby and nursery quilts, and quilts made for someone recovering, moving away, or being celebrated. It also suits charity and comfort quilts, where the quilting itself carries part of the message.
On simple piecing, patchwork, and low-volume prints, the heart shapes will show clearly. On busier prints, the same stitching settles into gentle, even texture that ties colours together without fighting them. Choose thread close to the fabric for a softer effect, or add light contrast when you want the hearts to stand forward.
Choosing Your Row Height: 9 Inches or 12.5 Inches
The 9-inch row is the versatile everyday option — a balanced scale for lap, throw, and twin quilts, and for tops with medium-sized blocks where you want the hearts present but not oversized. It will mean more advances, but each row stays easy to manage.
The 12.5-inch row covers a quilt faster and reads bolder, which suits larger bed quilts and simpler, larger-scale piecing. Before you start, divide your quilt length by your chosen row height to estimate how many rows you need, then adjust your starting point so you do not finish with an awkward narrow partial row at the bottom.
Using It on a Longarm
Unroll the pattern flat on the pantograph table and secure it so it cannot creep. Load and baste your quilt, check tension on a scrap or in the margin, and confirm your laser or stylus is tracking the printed line accurately before the first stitch.
Move smoothly and steadily, letting your whole body move with the machine rather than steering from your wrists alone. Keep a consistent pace through the curves of each heart — slowing sharply on turns and rushing on straights is what makes stitch length uneven. When a row is finished, advance the quilt by the full row height, align the next row, and check alignment at both edges before stitching. That two-edge check keeps rows parallel across a wide quilt.
Extending the Pattern
At 121 inches long, this roll covers most quilts in a single span. For a wider quilt, find where the pattern repeats, mark that point on your pattern shield, and shift the pattern down to make it meet up. Aligned at a repeat, the join disappears into the continuous line and lets you extend the pattern for larger quilts.
Tips for a Great Finish
Stitch a short test row first and check scale, spacing, and thread effect before committing to the whole quilt. Recheck tension when you change bobbins, keep advances consistent, and do not rush the curves. Handled that way, Deep In My Heart gives a warm, even finish.
Shop the 518 Deep In My Heart Pantograph by Hari Walner at Linda's Electric Quilters.
