Looking for a way to use the scraps of batting you've been saving from past quilt projects? Or the little pieces of ribbon you've collected over the years because they were just too pretty to throw away? Do you LOVE fabric and have a bunch of scraps lying around? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have a tutorial for you!
Plus, they're a great way to put your scraps to good use!
I (along with several employees of the quilt shop I work at - Maker's & Co. in American Fork, Utah) made a bunch of hanging hearts to warm up the store for January and February!
We also wanted to show our appreciation to our awesome customers for
supporting us in the first few months we've been open!
I'll be sharing a simple photo tutorial below or you can go to the end of this post for a printable PDF.
NOTES:
Use two different pink or two different red fabrics for each heart. For a pink heart, use
pink thread. For a red heart, use red thread. You can get about 8-10 hearts from two
¼ yard cuts of fabric (less with certain directional fabrics).
To make these Hanging Fabric Hearts, you will need:
- Red and pink fabric scraps (1” bigger than the heart templates)
- Thin batting scraps (1” bigger than the heart templates)
- Coordinating ribbon or lace (optional)
- Red and pink thread + invisible thread or fishing line for hanging
- Frixion pen, straight pins or 505 Temporary Adhesive Spray for Fabric, sewing machine, iron, scalloped pinking shears, needle, and heavy spray starch
- Clear packing tape, push pins, or removable poster mounting putty for hanging
1. Cut out the paper HEART TEMPLATES.
2. Use a Frixion pen to trace a heart onto the right side of a pink or red piece of fabric.
NOTE: The Frixion pen's ink disappears with heat.
Then lay a piece of thin batting on top of it.
Then lay the fabric with the traced heart on top of the batting, right side up.
4. Follow the directions on the 505 Temporary Adhesive Spray
or use straight pins to baste the 3 layers together. I tried it both ways.
I thought pinning worked just fine, but if you find your fabric is puckering or shifting,
you could try pinning more, using the spray, or using a walking foot.
The spray is a little bit messy, so use a plastic bag or cardboard to cover your
workspace if you try it. It definitely bastes everything together, well!
5. Stitch on the drawn lines around the heart with a simple straight stitch. (If you’re adding ribbon or lace, center the top edge of the ribbon/lace at the base of the “valley” of the heart. Start and end your stitches at the bottom edge of the ribbon/lace to secure it in place. I use a piece that is 3-4 inches wider than my heart.) Avoid the ribbon/lace when sewing around the heart.
6. Remove the straight pins, if used.
7. Starch both sides of the heart with spray starch and set with a hot iron.
This will stiffen up the heart so it stays flat while hanging and will remove the traced lines.
8. If using ribbon/lace, tie the two ends into a knot. Trim as desired.
9. Use scalloped pinking shears to cut out the heart 1/8” away from the stitches.
Be careful to avoid the ribbon/lace.
10. Thread a long piece of invisible thread or fishing line through the heart at the base of the “valley” (through the stitches, right above the ribbon/lace). Attach the two ends of the thread/fishing line to the ceiling with tape, putty, or stick a push pin into the ceiling and tie a knot around that (that's what we did!)
You could also hang these as a garland on one long piece of ribbon or twine.
I think they would be super cute on a mantle or staircase banister!
We even hung some on the porch outside the shop!
I hope you found some inspiration here today! Please let me know
if you decide to use this tutorial.
