Homespun Hearts Part II

In case you’re curious, here’s the backside of the two hearts I posted yesterday. They’re hand-stitched and really so easy a child could make one. In fact one of these would be a perfect gift for a teacher.

I used plain muslin for the backsides. That somewhat uneven tan running stitch is how I attached the back to the front. I stitched it right sides together and left the raw edges exposed.  I don’t figure they’ll see a lot of use so I think the raw edges will be OK.

I stuffed it tight. I crammed it with fiberfill and closed it up one stitch at a time.

I used white thread and stitched the lace to the front. I stitched along the original seam to reinforce it. When I finished I attached a loop of ribbon for a hangar.

I attached the buttons on the front as a final touch. Don’t trim the lace “to fit” until you stitch it on. You’ll have to gather and pleat the lace around the curves and corners, so don’t trim it until you get it all attached.

That’s all there is to it.

Enjoy.

Jan

Homespun Hearts

How’s this for stash management?

I made these hearts with scraps of home decorating fabric, wedding lace, and vintage buttons. I even stitched them by hand. Whipped them up in an evening during a few hours of TV.

They would be nice on a Christmas tree, but alas, they did not get that far. They are still hanging where I left them just after I took these pictures.

I’d had this scrap of cotton lace forever. The way the ends were unraveling I tend to think it was handmade. It was only about 15-ish inches long so it was never enough to do anything with until now. I think I have about three inches left. It’s still in my stash.

I changed the shape for this heart of sturdy upholstery cotton. I paired it with a delicate lace, which appears to be machine-made. I have no idea what kind it is.

I finished off both hearts with a few vintage Mother-of-pearl buttons. I love sorting through my button boxes.

Both hearts have satin ribbon ties for hanging on a tree, or a door knob, or anywhere you think they’d be cute.  You could fill them with lavender and make a sachet to put in a drawer or hang in the closet. You could also fill them with rice and after a zap in the microwave keep them in a pocket to warm your hands in this crazy cold winter.

So I didn’t make much of a dent in my stash, but I didn’t buy anything to make these either. I probably have enough fabric and random lace to make a dozen or more of these.  And of course they’d all be different. They would be part of a very pretty rustic farmhouse holiday style.

They could also tag a Valentine’s day gift, adorn a flower arrangement, or hang from a wreath. Put a little pocket on the back and they could be the package for a very small Valentine’s gift.

Any other ideas on how to put these to use?

I could make some templates if anyone wants them, but these are pretty easy to make freehand. Do it just like in grade school. Fold the fabric in half and then cut a curve around it . You can even practice with paper first if it makes you feel better. And then you can use that paper for a pattern if you like it.

Easy peasy.

Hope you’re all staying warm.

Jan

Which Witch is in the Wreath?

I make a lot of stuff, but I didn’t make these little witches. A friend made them and gave them to me a few years ago.

Aren’t they adorable?

They’ve been wrapped in paper, resting in a shoe box for several years but I was determined to show them off. My personal challenge to make a new wreath every season this year is the perfect way to do that.

After I removed the summer sun from my the styrofoam wreath I’m using this year, I realized I would only be able to use one of the witches.

I wrapped the wreath with this pink, rust, gold, mesh fabric I found in the red tag section at JoAnn Fabrics.

Then, my mom dug through her stash and started cutting out leaves.

I pinned the leaves to the wreath and perched the smaller witch in the center.

 The first wreath I made was for Valentine’s Day.

The first wreath I made this year was for Valentine’s Day.

Next came lots of green sparkly tulle for St. Patrick’s Day.

Then crocheted flowers made up this Springtime wreath.

In June when I went patriotic for Flag Day and the Fourth of July with a Stars and Stripes Wreath. which I updated here.

Patriotic Wreath on JanMadeIt

I had an idea about the “dog days of summer” for my next wreath, but couldn’t make my idea look right, so I went with a simple summer sun.

I updated that wreath for the eclipse on August 21.

And now it’s fall.

My little witch will stay in place until Halloween, and then I’ll take her down and do something a little more harvesty.

I had in mind to make a wreath each month, but I haven’t kept up that pace. I think I’ll end up with nine or ten maybe. We’ll see what I come up with over the next few months.

Do you hang wreaths on your door or around the house throughout the year? I don’t usually, but this year I’ve had fun coming up with something new as the seasons change. And I really like not having to store something, or give it away, when the season is over.

Jan

Summer Sun Wreath

Here’s my August wreath.

If you don’t have a stash of fabric to dig through to make one of these, I’m so sorry to hear that. But you can go to the fabric store and buy what you need. You’ll need about two yards and a fat quarter of fabric, straight pins, a needle and thread, and a Styrofoam wreath form.

Pick out a collection of yellows, I used solid colors, but blenders and calicoes will work too. Buy widths of 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 yard, to come up with a total of 1–1 1/2 yards of yellow. Get the most of your favorite, with other shades just to make it interesting. Find a half-yard of a contrasting print for the center, and select a fat quarter that goes with all of it for the sunspot.

First the Stars and Stripes wreath had to come apart. My nieces were at the house for a few hours one day last week and Riley took it apart for me and started this one by wrapping my handy-dandy Styrofoam ring in a strip of yellow fabric.

Then I ripped different shades of yellow fabric into strips about four inches wide, give or take. Some strips are about 45 inches long, the width of the fabric, and others, from scraps, are shorter.

If you bought fabric, use the 1/8 yard as is; rip the quarter-yard in half; and rip the half-yard three times to make four strips. You can cut some of these strips in half if you want shorter strips for more variety.

I hand-basted a loooong running stitch down the middle of each strip and pulled each into a ruffle. I pinned one end of the ruffle to the wreath and randomly gathered it and shaped it as I pinned it to the wreath.

I folded some strips in half length-wise and then basted, gathered, and pinned them to the wreath; others I left open and pinned them down the middle with gathers on both sides.

Since it was sooooo yellow I finished it off with about a half-yard of orange and yellow calico.  I folded it with the raw edges into the center and then folded it in half and draped it loosely in the center of the wreath and pinned it into place.

I found a fat quarter of batik, red with yellow flowers to make a sunspot on my sun.

I made the sunspot by pulling the corners of the fat quarter—wrong sides under—and stuck it to the wreath with a pin through the center, catching the four corners underneath. I formed it into a little puff, held it in place by hiding a few pins inside the folds.

That’s about all there is.

I’m brainstorming for my next wreath subject.  Something for September before I roll into Halloween.  Don’t know what kind of wreath I’ll make either. So far I’ve done fabric a few times and crochet.  Maybe something with paper?

My only criteria is to make it on this same foam wreath form, and to be able to use the parts for something else once the season has passed.

Any suggestions?

Jan