Fabric Hearts Bunting

Hello there, on this Snowy Monday!

Today sees the start of my Valentine's week of easy blog-makes. This delightful little project shows you how to make a swag of bunting for your kitchen.

It is not complicated, I promise!! and you could make the padded hearts in an hour or so. For the whole project, all you need are three fabric hearts and four twiggy hearts.

Lella Loves... Valentine's Ideas

The padded hearts are made from an off-cut of fabric and are stuff with recycled polyester filling (washed and saved from old poly-fill pillows).

Lella Loves... Recycling

A good stash of fabric and off-cuts is always a sight to behold!

If you wanted to learn more about recycling centres and how to salvage upholstery samples, please search in my blog's archive for Recycling Arts Clubs or click this link:

http://lellalovescreativity.blogspot.com/2011/11/scrapstores-and-recycling-arts-projects.html

Lella Loves... Fabric Hearts

To make your hearts, simply draw a template and cut out two sides for each heart.

Sew them together with the fabric facing inside out.

Leave an inch gap and then turn the hearts right side out.

Stuff with the filling and then hand-sew the hole using tiny stitches.

Lella Loves... Twiggy Hearts

These are handmade twiggy hearts made from willow. You could make them yourself but to save time this week, they can be found online or in Hobby Craft stores nationwide - £5.99 for 8.

Lella Loves... Valentine's Ideas

To create your heart garland, lay out the three padded hearts and use the twiggy hearts as spacers in between. When you are happy with the look, sew each of the padded hearts and the twiggy hearts together using three or four loopy stitches to hold the two hearts in place. Use invisible thread or microfine fishing wire to hide the joins.

Lella Loves... Heart Bunting

*Tip: Don't make the joining stitches too tight as your garland will buckle. Leave them ever so slightly slack. This will give the garland its natural swag.

I hope you pop back tomorrow for another heart-themed craft project. Do let me know if you make any of this week's blog-makes as I would like to see photos.

Bye for now,

Lella  xx

http://lellalovescreativity.blogspot.com

Cupcake Tea Towel

Hello there and today's project requires a sewing machine for ease and speed. Here is a cupcake which I made from old clothes. I assure you that applique and patchwork is great fun and very addictive.  

This cupcake is easy to design and sew. Simply draw your own templates, cut and sew the cupcake and applique it to a tea towel.

Lella Loves... Applique

I recycled a stunning red floral dress - it was never going to fit me - I only bought it for the fabric! The pink material was a beautiful sequinned cotton tunic which saved me time hand-sewing all the silver twinkles.

If you wanted to give your tea towel a yummy cupcake, you will need:

Plain fabric for the cake case

Floral fabric for the cake top

Backing fabric

Scissors

Card and pencil

Sewing machine

Tea towel

Button

To start, take your chosen fabrics and iron them.

Lella Loves... Applique

Take two pieces of card and draw a cupcake base, making sure that you leave an extra inch when you cut out your template. Free-hand draw the cupcake top and draw as your heart desires. I drew a large over-baked cake with three swags but yours could be just one swag or five.

Lella Loves... Applique

Lay your templates on your chosen fabrics, pin them and cut out. 

Lella Loves... Applique

I used a sewing machine to stitch mine to a piece of backing fabric. This gives the cupcake stability and enables you to outline the cupcake with a contrasting thread.

Lella Loves... Applique

I chose a pink tea towel but yours should be the colour to match your own fabrics.

Lella Loves... Applique

Have a play with different buttons if you fancied adding a 'cherry' to your cupcake.

Lella Loves... Applique

I hope you try this little project as it is rather satisfying to pick up a tea towel that you made look so fabulous. Start to gather cotton off-cuts and if you don't like cupcakes why not draw a teapot or a chicken. Create something you will enjoy using.

Have a lovely day 

Lella  xx

http://lellalovescreativity.blogspot.com

Embellishments (Cushions)

Today's project is an easy one.

All you need is a nice cushion which you want to make into a fabulous cushion.

Before you ask, I did not make these lovely cushion. (I wish!!  ;) They are from Laura Ashley and were £30 each. However, what I have done is to simply jazz them up. They are very pretty to begin with but I added buttons, beads and crocheted flowers.

Lella Loves... Embellishments

No cushion with cupcakes could escape my bead and buttons treatment!

Lella Loves... Embellishments

This is the cushion as purchased but I wanted to add a little touch of 3D to the appliqued cakes.

Lella Loves... Embellishments

This crocheted flower came off some knitted slippers from last Christmas.

Lella Loves... Embellishments

Sparkly little flower buttons such as these were 12p each and the teeny-tiny green flower is a bead.

Lella Loves... Embellishments

Crocheted flowers, satin roses and little buttons were salvaged from slippers and worn out clothing. I have been saving old buttons and trimmings for years.

Lella Loves... Buttons

Vintage buttons are a pleasing item to collect. I buy them whenever I see them as they are usually really cheap. I found these at a large second-hand goods market.

If you like the idea of this, start collecting flower-shaped buttons, crocheted flowers and satin buds. The best way is to stop at a haberdashery shop or pop into a market once in a while and allow yourself to spend £1. Yes, just £1 and you could buy a cute selection of little flower buttons or satin roses.

Have a lovely day and treat your cushions to an up-do.

Lella  xx

http://lellalovescreativity.blogspot.com