Quilt as you go heart

   On day #2 of my Heart-A-Day challenge I decided to try a quilt as you go technique. I am still crushing on the potholders idea so I used %100 cotton batting and fabric, etc. I worked on 2 simultaneously to speed up the process time, kind of like an assembly line.

The first thing I did was to cut out the batting and backing fabric and stick them together with my Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive. I love this stuff! so much easier than basting and it doesn't leave a tacky residue. I then sewed my scraps down starting in the centre and working my way out, carefully overlapping the edges.

This is a potholder so I prepared the "handles" side of the heart. I safety pinned the handles to the heart so they would stay together during the turning out process.

I pinned the heart to the quilt right sides together.

I sewed around the heart, leaving an opening large enough to turn out through. I cut off the extra quilted material.

before turning I snipped the curves of the heart so it would lay flat later.

This is the heart after I turned it inside out, before I ironed it.

I tucked in the extra fabric at the turn opening and ironed the heart on both sides. I then sewed a ribbon into the opening to serve as a hanger.

I reinforced the heart shape with a blanket stitch around the edge in a contrasting cotton thread. Day #2 is complete!!!!!!

Heart-A-Day challenge

   I had so much fun making the heart potholder that I decided to make some more. I tweaked the design a little bit to my liking and tried to get more creative. It feels good to be in my little sewing corner and to have a "purpose". Plus it takes my mind into my Happy Place. I challenged myself to make at least one heart every day. It will be a little difficult the week that I have EM, so I will definitely need to go double duty when she is in school.

I am not sure if I will sew every heart. Maybe a piece of jewelry or embroidery. I have so many fabric scraps that I will never need to buy more supplies.

I used a different quilting technique for this heart. I wanted to use some of my smaller scrap pieces.

I did a blanket stitch around the edge to reinforce the heart shape. I also made some binding tape for a different look.

My Heart-A-Day challenge begins!!!

Heart shaped pot holders

   I have a "thing" for hearts. I saw this photo in my Pinterest feed and knew that I had to try to make them! I have a large fabric stash and thought this would be a great way to use some of my scraps.

The first thing I did was measure my hand and create a heart template.

I then laid out some scraps on top of the heart with an overlap.

I sewed the scraps together with cotton thread, and ironed with starch to keep it from shifting. Make sure the entire heart is covered by the scraps.

I traced around the template and cut out the heart. I used a sharpie marker. It doesn't matter if you can see the marker after you cut it out because it will not show after you sew.

I made a template for the "handles" and cut out two pieces, turning the template over for the second piece. I left extra fabric along the straight edge to fold under so the edge of the fabric will be tucked under with a hem.

I place the three pieces in place and basted them together along the outer edges.

I cut out the heart from 100% cotton batting. Cotton will not melt when exposed to heat like polyester will.

Instead of basting the batting to the scrap heart, I used fabric adhesive. Then I quilted the batting to the scrap heart. I now have 2 pieces to join together. The quilted fabric heart, and the heart with "handles". I pinned right sides of the 2 hearts together and sewed around the perimeter, leaving a 1.5 inch opening.

I pulled the heart inside out through the opening I had left. I ironed it flat and put a ribbon in the opening for hanging. I hand sewed it shut, but you can always use the machine.

I hand stitched around the entire heart to make it more secure when I wash it. I also sewed along the hemmed "handles".

Not too bad for a first attempt...

Time for tea!!!