Lavender Heart Tutorial

 

I thought I would do a little tutorial as I haven't done one for a bit.

 

It's a good one for using up scraps especially the ends of strips if, like me,

you have just made a peg bag.

 

Anyway start by drawing up a template heart.

 Mine is about 16cm in height and 15cm across but you can make it however big you like.

I made mine from cardboard.

Place the template on a piece of plain fabric.
This piece will be covered in a minute so any old scrap will do. I used an old pillow case.
Draw round the heart template using a fabric marker (or biro!).

Next lay some small strips of fabric over the heart until you get a colour and pattern combination
 you like and the heart is completely covered.

Then take the strips off, placing them on one side and keeping them in order.

Place the plain fabric with the heart drawn on it, right side down on the mat in front of you.

Take the first strip and place it right side up on the top of the backing fabric (mine is a bit further down to show you the placing but it's ok as long as the heart is covered.
Then take the second strip and place it right side down on top of the first strip, matching the bottom edges, and sew a straight 1/4" seam through all three layers as shown below.
Then open out the second strip so they are both right sides up and press.

Add the next strip in the same way, right side down onto edge of second strip and continue until the background is covered.
I think this method is called 'stitch and flip'.
 

 

If you turn this over you should now have the heart shape drawn on the back..





which can be used to cut the heart out.
 

 

 

Next, it's time to make the back of lavender bag.
 

This can be made of any fabric really but I like to use linen.

If, like me, you haven't got a big enough piece,

 just join two bits together and add a bit of ric rac or ribbon to cover the join.
 

You can also add a bit of embroidery if you want to.

 Here I used two strands of Anchor embroidery thread and backstitched the letters free hand.
 

 

 

Place the linen on the table right side up, and place the fabric heart on top of it right side down.

Pin in place, keeping any embroidery roughly in the middle of the heart.

Sew around the edge about 1/4" in, through all layers, leaving a 2" gap for stuffing.

 

(You can also add a loop of string at the top of the heart, in between the two layers before sewing this bit if you want it to hang up. Remember to put the loop in the middle and the ends sticking out so that when you turn it inside out the loop will be on the right side.)
 

 

 

Trim away the excess linen, and clip the curves before turning right sides out.

Press with an iron before filling, as this helps the finished heart to look neater.

 

I filled mine with half lavender and half toy stuffing as I think this keeps it's shape longer but it's up to you.

Sew up the opening by hand (I use ladder stitch for this bit).