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1.25.2016

Make a Valentine Heart--FREE Pattern


What you need to make 1 Valentine Heart:
  • Pattern piece (This complete tutorial plus pattern piece is available on Craftsy for free.)
  • Fabric scraps large enough to accommodate the pattern piece (at least 10" by 9")
  • Fusible fleece (craft weight interfacing will work too)
  • Ribbon 

Download and print the pattern piece. Print the pattern piece at actual size--do not check fit to page. You will want to use the square on the pattern piece to check that your pattern printed at the correct size. Simply measure one of the squares. If it measures 1 inch or 5 cm then it printed correctly. Cut out the pattern piece and use it to cut out the following parts:

  • 1 heart front
  • 1 heart back
  • 2 heart fusible interfacing
Cut the ribbon into 4 inch pieces--you will need at least 12 pieces of ribbon, more if you want to place them closer together around the heart.
Using an erasable pen or chalk, make a mark that is half an inch away from the outside edge on the fusible fleece. Mark all the way around each heart that you cut out of fusible fleece. 

Connect the marks that you made and use fabric scissors to trim away the excess fabric along the marks or line that you made. This is to reduce the bulk in the seam allowance.
Follow the instructions that came with your fusible fleece to fuse the fleece onto the heart shapes that you have already cut out of fabric. Center the fleece and fuse it to the hearts--one for the front and one for the back.
Fold each strip of ribbon in half and clip or pin it to the edges of one of the hearts. Line up the raw edges of the ribbon with the raw edges of the heart shape. You should be clipping them to the right side of the heart. I placed my ribbons about an inch and a half apart all the way around the heart. Choose whether you want to arrange your ribbon pieces in a pattern or place them randomly. It is up to you. Use a basting stitch to secure the ribbon pieces in place.
Layer the heart front and heart back right sides together. Stitch using a half inch seam allowance. You should be sewing right on the edge of the fleece or just inside it. Leave about a 2 inch opening on one of the straight edges for turning. In this picture you can see my basting stitches, which are closest to the raw edge of the heart--those are holding my ribbons in place. If you look closely you can also see my seam stitching just on top of the fleece.
Clip the curves. Since you want your heart to lay flat when it is finished you need to clip the curves. Take your scissors and make a small snip that goes just up to, not through, the seam. Continue snipping around each curve. I place my snips about a half inch apart. When you reach the center of the heart, make a snip right into that center point of the heart. This will give it a nice clean point when you turn it out. Also clip off the bottom of the heart to allow room for the excess fabric when turning it.
At this point the heart is ready to turn right side out. Carefully turn the heart through the opening you left in one of the sides. Gently tug on the ribbons to pull them all the way out of the seam and to get a nice crisp edge. Fold the opening under to match the rest of the seam and give it a good pressing.
Top stitch all the way around the heart using a 1/8" seam allowance. Top stitching is totally optional, but I like the professional finish that it adds to the project. It also helps to keep the heart together.

This complete tutorial with the pattern piece is available on Craftsy as a free download.

I'd love to see your finished project. Tag me to share it with me on social media--@SewHappilyEverAfter on Instagram or @SewHappilyLinda on Twitter. You can also find me on Pinterest and Facebook. Thank you for following me!


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