Some Special Scandi Love For a Special Scandinavian Friend

Published: Aug 8, 2026 by Amy Smart · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments

Quilting is deeply sentimental for many of us quilters and if you are one, you can probably relate to making a quilt for a dear friend or family member in your life. This week I'm sharing a sentimental quilt inspired by a very special friend of my own. This Scandi Hearts Quilt was inspired by both: our 30+ year friendship and my visit to see her in Norway last summer. The hearts themselves are based on the traditional Scandinavian woven paper hearts.

When I started making this quilt back in January, I didn't know that it would become even more meaningful to me by this summer. Here's a little of that story.

A Special Friendship History

Thirty-one years ago this fall, I met one of my best friends. We were both in our early twenties, volunteering as missionaries for our church, and assigned to live and work together as companions in the UK, specifically on the Isle of Man. Julie is Norwegian, but she spoke flawless English (which was lucky for me because my Norwegian is non-existant).

We had the best time together! Our personalities and interests are so similar that we just clicked. But Julie is the type of person that everyone loves. She probably has more best friends than any one I know - I'm just lucky that I feel like I'm one of them. 😉

After our missionary experiences in northern England and the Isle of Man, we both returned home. I got to visit her once a year later in Norway on a trip with my parents before I got married. It was the BEST reunion.

But, this was the mid 90's and I wondered how we would stay in touch. Well luckily someone had invented this new fangled thing called email that made it so much easier! And eventually Facebook and cell phones made regular contact even more easy.

I was also lucky because she loved to come visit the US and came about every other year. She stayed with us multiple times during the years when my kids were growing. Even though she never had kids of her own, she had a gift for connecting with kids - especially teenagers. My kids adore her.

We grew even closer after our mutual Irish friend, Sarah passed away suddenly in 2009.

A Flag Quilt for a Dear Friend

In 2010 I made a quilt for her and presented it to her when she came to visit. This quilt was made of flags representing our two countries (Julie loved the US and I loved Norway because I have Norwegian heritage) as well as the Union Jack for our mutual love of the UK. You can read all about this quilt when I gave it to her here.

Quilt made representing flags from the US, UK and Norway

This was one of my first forays into my now well-documented love of flag quilts.

Unfortunately (more like, horribly) Julie was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. She beat it and went into remission for a few years. But, even more horribly, the cancer returned a three years ago.

At that point, after Julie, along with her wonderful husband, had visited us so many times over the years, we decided it was time to get ourselves to Norway and visit them!

Last summer we had an amazing visit with them, as well as falling in love with Norway itself while we were there.

That trip and time with our wonderful friends was such a gift in my life. And it inspired a new quilt pattern a few months later: to play with some Scandinavian-inspired design.

The Scandi Hearts Quilt

This quilt is inspired by the Scandinavian woven paper hearts tradition - which happen to look a lot like quilt blocks to me!

I made a red and green version at Christmas time this past year. It also inspired a very Scandinavian Christmas at our house.

CHristmas quilts inspired by traditional woven Scandinavian paper hearts

After the pattern was released I hosted a quilt along while I made version below. I'm calling this my Norwegian Scandi Hearts - (compared to the Christmas version above and a pink and red Valentines version.)

Scandi Hearts Fabric and Quilting Details

I love how the hearts pop off the dark blue background. Also the red, white and navy colorway tie perfectly to the iconic Norwegian flag.

The background is Oxford Blue Riley Blake Confetti Cotton and the red prints were ones I designed. The red floral is from the Mary Catherine collection and the plaid is from my Albion collection.

I backed it with this perfect red and navy flannel that I found in my stash. (Stash backing for the win!)

The quilting on this one is the Baptist Heart Clam panto from Sew Shabby Quilting. I love how it gives the quilt a traditional quilting vibe, but still repeats the heart motif.

Melissa used a light pink thread which I love because it blends into the navy background fabric, giving the quilt texture but not standing out and distracting from the quilt block designs.

I used Bamboo batting for this one, giving it a little more weight and making the quilting pop. It also has a gorgeous drape. I still need to put this one through the wash to see what happens, but it's easier to photograph before washing. Now that the quilt is documented I will wash and report back.

Julie was so tickled that I designed these Scandinavian-inspired quilts. I had totally planned to send one of them to her.

A Bittersweet return to Norway

As we've kept in touch over the past year, Julie's health has been deteriorating. When we planned for our trip trip in Italy this summer my husband and I determined that we needed to get ourselves to Norway before heading home - if only briefly - to visit our friends. While I hoped it would just be a precaution and Julie was going to get better again or at least keep fighting for a while to come, I knew I would regret it forever if I missed this chance to see her.

Here is the guest room in their home where we stayed each time. And there is that first flag quilt on the bed that I made for her 16 years ago. (Also this Union Jack pillow that I sent one Christmas. ❤️)

We were able to spend a few days just being together. This time no touring, just sitting in their home, visiting, remembering funny times, FaceTiming with all of my kids who adore her. It was a sacred time.

I also got to take her to chemo one day and witness her interactions with her doctor and nurses. She charmed them all - just like she did with everyone she knew - treating them like a special friend. I watched them love, share with, and delight in her. (We also made a little stop on the way home at her favorite store, Søstrene Grene, that she introduced me to.)

So you can imagine my shock and heartbreak less than one week later when her dear friend called to share that she had passed suddenly.

I feel profoundly grateful for that sacred window of time to be with her and in her home again. To witness her gentle, sweet spirit touching everyone she came in contact with.

And I am profoundly grateful for this friend in my life - someone who was more like my sister, a beloved Norwegian aunt to my children.

We weren't part of each other's everyday lives, but we FaceTimed and texted regularly. Whenever I see something Norwegian or something that makes me think of her, I still have this instinct to message her and tell her about it. Like watching the Norwegian soccer team in this year's world cup! And my heart breaks a little each time realizing she's not on the other end of the phone to receive it.

More Scandinavian Quilt INspiration

Seeing that original flag quilt from 2010 again a few weeks ago, reminded me that I've always wanted to make a Norwegian Flag quilt block. (And enjoying delightful antics of the Norwegian World Cup team.) I never wrote down the dimensions the first time I made it. Rest assured this time I will be publishing and sharing the block pattern!

These blocks have been a perfect project to keep my heart and hands busy. I have been pulling 100% from my stash and each combination makes me happy. I know Julie would have been tickled by them too. ❤️

I'm still processing this whole experience. Right now it still feels so fresh that I know I'm not fully feeling it.

I know so many of you have been through similar losses of dear friends or loved ones. Life brings so many gifts and challenges, and sometimes - often - they are tightly intertwined, just like love and grief. I will always be grateful for the gift of Julie - her friendship, her goodness, and the many years of memories we shared. These scandi-inspired quilts will forever remind me of her, of beautiful Norway, and of the lasting blessing and gift of a truly special friendship.

You probably have stories of quilts made for or in commemoration of a lost loved one. I would love to hear about them in the comments. ❤️