Saturday, February 5, 2011

tutorial: Valentine Heart Hoop Art

I ♥ hoops, and all they entail.  Whether they're holding my latest embroidery project, or acting as frames for beautiful fabric, I just love them!  And Shirley from These Moments of Mine has THE cutest tutorial using none other than a hoop, linen, felt and thread... Just in time for one more last minute Valentine decoration :)


Valentine Heart Hoop Art

Materials:
  • 8" embroidery hoop
  • 1 yard felt
  • pencil
  • scissors
  • linen (just big enough to fit into your hoop)
  • needle and thread

Draw a heart on a piece of paper that would be small enough to fit inside the hoop.  Then iron the linen and place it on top of the paper with the drawn heart. Make sure you can see the drawing through the material.  Lightly trace the shape of the heart onto the fabric and then secure the fabric in the hoop. 

Next, cut the felt into a million (maybe not that many but it sure did seem like it) 3" circles. Cut out two at a time to move things along.


After all the circles are cut out, fold each circle in half . . .  

 

and in half again.


Secure the circles one by one to the fabric, filling in the heart shape. To do this, use a needle and thread and sew the point of the folded circles to the fabric, starting in the center of the heart and working your way out to the borders.  Alter the direction of the folds every so often.
 

Finally, add some ribbon for hanging and another as a bow and hang.


Many (many) thanks to Shirley for sharing her fabulous and oh-so-lovely tutorial, originally posted here.  Feel free to check out her shop Willow Whimsy for more stitchy goodness.  Some seriously cute stuff in there!

What's your favorite Valentine project you've done?  I would LOVE to see them!  *B

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