Eat. Write. Dream. Stitch.: Valentines

Showing posts with label Valentines. Show all posts

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Valentine Banner - Easy to Stitch!

Whether you're on the decorating committee for a sweethearts banquet, or just love decorating for Valentines Day--it's quite easy to stitch up all the Valentines Banners you want! These cute little stuffed hearts are made of felt and can be stitched with contrasting colors of thread on the machine--or feel free to take your time and stitch them by hand with colorful flosses. Either way, you only need a few supplies!

VALENTINE BANNER SUPPLIES

Heart-shaped cookie cutter
Chalk or marker
8 1/2X11 sheets of felt in any colors or patters you wish
Scissors and straight pins
Colorful thread or floss
Fiberfill
Optional embellishments: buttons, paper flowers, crocheted flowers and glue dots to apply
Large darning needle
Thin ribbon
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STEP ONE: Fold felt over so that you can cut two pieces at once and trace the heart using the cookie cutter as your guide. Pin together and cut out the two heart shapes.

STEP TWO: For each heart, face the two wrong sides of the heart together and machine stitch around the edge, leaving a small gap to stuff.

STEP THREE: Optional step--apply a button or flower with a glue dot.

STEP FOUR: Stuff the heart and stitch the gap closed.

STEP FIVE: For each banner, thread a large darning needle with thin ribbon, and thread through the top part of each heart until you have all your hearts strung together in a banner, leaving some ribbon on each side for hanging.

Eat, Write, Dream, and Stitch your heart out.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Make It Steamy--Your Valentines Tea and Coffee Is Served

Little mug rugs for a Valentines brunch table.

I found several more little well-loved quilt rectangles in my stash, perfect to applique, embroider, and trim and repurpose into a stack of a little mug rugs (a few days ago, I made the large-size for a mug and a cookie). These sweetheart mug rugs are ready for a brunch, a tea party, or bedside with a book and a mug.

It started with a mistake. I was cross-stitching several hearts for a future cross-stitch quilt I'm slowly working on, when I realized I had made one of the hearts in a row the wrong size. Knowing I'd have to start over, I just snipped them out of the aida cloth and threw them aside. Later, they just seemed perfect to applique onto my little mug rugs. Also perfect was a bead and silk bridal-style trim--ideal for my sweetheart theme.

On another mug rug, I trimmed it in a sweet eyelet. I think this was my favorite. It was faster too, I was able to do this trim with the sewing machine. But the more delicate ribbon and bead bridal trim had to be sewn on by hand.

And what's nice about using fabric, or well-loved quilt patches for any size mug rug is that you don't feel so bad if there are little spills or stains...it just adds to the character of the piece!