Tuesday, February 9, 2010

DIY - Fabric Heart



DIY Day @ ASPTL



Today I'm linking up with Kimba for DIY day.  Pop on over there to see more DIY projects and enter your own for a chance to win a beautiful cupcake stand!


I decided to make these cute little fabric hearts as Valentine's gifts this year.  I personalized them with the names of my sisters and, of course, my best friend.  They were super easy to make, and I'm gonna show you how I did it...



You'll need:

 Pretty fabric
Muslin or plain white fabric
Thread
Embroidery thread
Wonder Under Transfer Web
Coordinating ribbon
A decorative button
Some stuffing

First, choose your fabric and cut out 2 hearts (front and back) ~ I used a 6-inch heart pan as my pattern...




Next, cut out a smaller heart out of the muslin and lightly write on a name or word in some pretty style of script...



If you have horrible handwriting trouble free-handing cute words, print it off your computer and copy it! :)



Using 3 strands of embroidery thread, just use simple straight stitches to fill in the script...I added little french knots, if you don't know how to do this and WANT to know, I'll do my best to explain. :)


Next, you're gonna want to grab your Wonder-Under (from now on referred to as WU)
 ~ this has nothing to do with fancy undies by the way! ~
Wonder Under is fusible web (use your iron) that makes one piece of fabric stick to another...



Cut out a heart from the WU just a smidgen smaller than your muslin heart...




There will be a smooth paper side and a more textured side.  Place your muslin heart face down on the ironing board, and place your WU heart with the textured side toucing the wrong side of your embroidered heart...got it?  Iron it with a hot, NO steam iron.  This only takes a few seconds.






Let it cool for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then peel off the paper, making sure the web isn't coming off too.




Now, lay your pretty fabric heart on the ironing board FACE UP.  Lay your muslin heart on top FACE UP.  Center it, and iron it on in the same manner.  Voila!  It's on there!



Now for a pretty edge.  To get the "blanket stitch" look, I use a "serging" stitch on my machine.  Practice this on scrap before you begin, so you know where the edge of the heart should line up under your presser foot.  You can do this by hand if you want.


Now place your two pretty heart pieces WRONG SIDES together.  Stitch with a regular straight stitch about 1/4 - 1/2 inch from the edge, leaving a small 1 1/2 inch opening to stuff it.



I stitched mine twice to make it darker. :)



Stuff it lightly, not too fat.  Stitch the opening closed either by hand or using a zipper foot.


If you have pinking sheers, clip the very edge so it won't fray looks cute.  OR, if you DON'T have pinking shears (like me, ugh!) sit there for 15 minutes getting a cramp in your hand and make little pointed cuts all around the edge. 


There you have it!  A lovely little heart to give as a gift or add a little love to your home. :)


Have a Lovely Day!

12 comments:

  1. Those are so cute and what fun gifts. They will love them.

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  2. Awww Your heart is beautiful and so are these gifts! You are just precious my friend....just precious

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  3. I always wished I could be more crafty! But, I enjoy just looking at the process!

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  4. OH..and I forgot to tell you that those are so cute!

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  5. Gee! I'd make one but I've already got one! LOL! Thanks to my BFF!
    I gave a shout out on my blog to this cute thang!
    Love you my friend.

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  6. Girl, you are so crafty! I love this. I wish I had stuck with sewing when I was younger!

    ~ Nan

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  7. You are so clever - those hearts are great. I am hopeless at sewing - one day perhaps I will have the time to learn:)

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  8. Those are so cute! I hope I get a sewing machine for my birthday so I can do some of those fun projects!

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  9. These are precious. All the more special knowing they are handmade by YOU.

    Hugs and love from sunny Colorado!

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  10. So adorable!! I don't own a sewing machine and wouldn't want to do it by hand, so not happening here - LOL! I did link to this for Valentine craft ideas!

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  11. Great gifts! Enjoyed a giggle over the lack of pinking shears...so something I would do. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Lovely blog, I enjoyed the heart tutorial! Please stop in and say Hi sometime.

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