My Scrappy Valentine - Tutorial
For my daughter's first Valentines day, 11 years ago, I decided to make little fabric Valentine books for her and my husband. They turned out so cute, and though neither recipient was particularly impressed with my craftiness (one being a baby, and the other being unimpressed by crafts in general), they would surface from time-to-time, as I dusted a bookshelf or organized a drawer, and they always made me happy.
Since then, I've made a habit of coming up with valentines projects each year, including paper and fabric Valentines Cards, a woven valentine purse, and a quilted Valentine card. This year, I used some shantung silk scraps (though any scraps would do) to make a different style of fabric Valentine card based on the paper and fabric card from a few years ago. The white silk was left over from that time 15 years ago when I lost my mind and decided to sew my own wedding dress, and Valentines Day all these years later seemed like a good time to use them. The other pieces were bits of cotton and silk that I had left over from various projects. Here are the step-by-step instructions if you want to try it yourself.
Step 1: Determine the size of your card, and cut out 2-3 rectangles of a neutral or light-colored fabric that will serve as the ground. You will want to double the width of your card (as it will be folded) and allow for a 1/4-1/2" seam allowance when you make your measurements. I wanted my card to be 5.5"x7" finished, so I cut 2 pieces at 7 1/2"x11.5". I also knew my fabric was going to be fairly transparent, and I wanted the card to be opaque, so I cut a third piece that would be sandwiched between the outside and inside layers of the card like a quilt batting. You can also use craft interfacing for this, which will give it a stiffer feel. Stack the rectangles, matching the edges, and fold down the center, pressing to form a crease where the spine of the card will be. (This is just for heart and message placement later on.)
Step 2: Next, find a variety of scraps in a range of reds and pinks - or really whatever color scheme makes you happy. Arrange as desired, and piece together with right sides facing and a 1/4" seam allowance. I cut mine in irregular strips, a couple at slight diagonals for a scrappy, wonky look. Cut out a paper heart in the size you want for your card (giving at least 1/2" margin between the edge of the heart and the edges of the card) and check the sizing against your pieced strips so you can be sure that they will accommodate the size you want. You will need to allow for about 1/2" extra on all sides.
Leave a comment