Hearts & Flowers

And this is what happened to the fabric rosettes from yesterday's tutorial...

...added to the front of a felt padded heart - perfect for Valentine's Day, or any day: just to show you care.xx

Fab Fabric Flower Tutorial

This year I didn't make any new year's resolutions. This is unusual for me - it is fairly traditional for me to have a conversation with my friends during the first week in January about how I intend to take up running, cut down on sugary food and become more organised during the coming year. Needless to say none of these things ever happen! As the clock struck midnight on 31st December 2012 I decided not to bother as I came to the realisation that I am totally rubbish at keeping New Year's Resolutions.

However, one thing I would love to become better at during 2013 is being less wasteful. This applies both in work and in the home. So for now I have decided to try really hard to not buy fabric if I don't need it and to use up supplies that are currently sitting around in boxes in my workroom. This is not strictly a resolution because I do like to have a get out clause if I feel the need to buy something I can't resist, so I am calling it more of a guideline!

With this in mind here's a great idea for using up spare scraps of fabric that you have lying around...

You will need:

Circles of fabric (for a flower measuring approx 4cm across cut circles with a diameter of 8cm), buttons and cotton thread.

Step one:

Using small running stitch sew around the outside of the fabric circle approx 1/2cm from the edge. Stop when you have sewn all around but do not finish with a knot.

Step two:

Pull the thread so that the edges of the circle gather and meet in the middle.

Step three:

Flatten into a rosette shape and you can secure with a couple of small stitches.

Step four:

Sew a brightly coloured button into the middle to hide the gathered fabric and your rosette is complete.

These rosettes are so easy to make and can be used to brighten and embellish all sorts of projects. You can also add a brooch pin to the back and use them wherever you need a splash of colour.

Heart "Felt" Sentiments

Happy New Year! This is admittedly somewhat belated but day to day life took over during the lovely Christmas break as it always does with entertaining and visiting family and friends along with keeping my children entertained and happy before their return to school earlier this week.

Many of our Sewing clubs began this week so there has been tonnes of prep for the busy term ahead and now that the weekend has arrived I can finally turn my thoughts to sewing projects for the new year and updating the Hope & Gloria Blog.

Christmas is undoubtedly one of the best sources of inspiration for anyone who loves to craft and sew and each year once all of the decorations have been returned to the loft for the majority of the year I can't help but feel a little sad that it's all over and festive projects will now have to wait until much later in the year.

However, another form of inspiration always comes along at this time of the year to lift spirits in the form of Valentine's Day. Two years ago one of my boys had the starring role of St Valentine in his class assembly at school. It was then that I discovered the story behind the legend of St Valentine. In a nutshell, he was a Roman priest who lived around 270AD. He also practised medicine and was imprisoned for treating Christians as well as performing marriage ceremonies for them. Whilst in prison he healed his jailer's daughter whom he fell in love with just before being executed. It's a poignant story but I have to say it was slightly disconcerting to watch my gorgeous son acting out having his head chopped off!

So in honour of this lovely saint who has been associated with love for many centuries I shall be concentrating on Valentine's inspired projects over the next couple of weeks. The first is a simple padded heart using reverse applique along the lines of the stars that I made for Christmas.

These hearts are a great way to use up any scraps of fabric that you have lying around. As with the Christmas Scandi Stars sew the patterned fabric in place behind the cut out felt heart - you can use running, blanket or backstitch. Then sew the two pieces of felt together with your chosen stitch leaving a hole for filling, and then sew up the remaining gap. I added some bright ribbon to hang and added a button for the finishing touch.

Easy to make and using bright felts and vintage florals these simple felt hearts look great hanging over door handles or on drawers and add a touch of colour to any room on dull Winter days.