Fast and Artsy Scrap Valentine Gifts

Here are some silk scrap Valentine brooches, which can also double as magnets, or greeting card decorations. They're very easy, you don't have to use silk, and, let's see, today's Feb. 3 - you have plenty of time to make them before the 14th!

When I tired of hearts, I made these: 

They look good without much embellishment: 

And better with much embellishment. 

Below there's a polymer clay hand.

The dangle above contains glass, wood and plastic beads. Below, there's a dangling pink crystal from a vintage necklace and a yellow glass bead from Big Lots.

Making these is pure relaxation. Start with a  piece of felt or stiff fusible interfacing. This one is  postcard size, a little bigger than 4" x 6".

If you're using felt, I recommend fusing paper-backed fusible web to the top. Set iron between an acrylic and silk setting (so as not to melt the felt if it's acrylic). Press only as long as it takes to get the fusible to stick to the felt. Use caution, and something like parchment paper or a non-stick pressing sheet, to protect your ironing board surface.

Arrange one or more largish pieces of fabric on top, and, if you used fusible, press it (briefly) in place.

You can of course use cotton, but silk scraps give a nice sheen. I used the thread clots that formed when I wash dupioni.

Toss like a salad, but distribution needn't be even - it's okay to have different patches of color. You can throw all kinds of things on there. It's subtle, but can you see the pieced of gold mesh running diagonally from upper left to lower right?

Next, I grabbed the following glitter-laden tulle. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, because the glitter sheds, but in this case I know it will be covered with yet another piece of tulle, so it's not cruel to incorporate it.

I chopped it into tiny bits and drizzled them around.

I threw on some holographic translucent sequins, which I later regretted -  my sewing machine didn't enjoy sewing through them, and some got cut off, leaving sharp edges. So save your sequins to sew or glue on later.

Test a tulle color to place over everything. White and light colored tulle will make colors paler, but a dark color, like red or, in this case purple, can intensify colors in unexpected ways.

Do you HAVE to cover it with tulle? Yes, or your sewing machine foot is likely to get tangled up and create a nasty jam. Alternative: Water-soluble stabilizer, if you're willing to wash it away later - but be aware that when the stabilizer is washed away, if there is glitter or other tiny bits that didn't get stitched down, they will fall off. (Expensive alternative: Buy a felting machine. In that case, you can pound everything together without tulle.)

Once the tulle is on top, load the bobbin with a color that matches the backing felt, and use something decorative in top - I used a sparkly gold thread here, and did random echo stitching. 

Back: 

Warning: You may fall madly in love with your piece and not want to cut it up! For example, after making this next piece, I thought I was friggin' Jackson Pollack....

...if Jackson Pollack had had a career-ruining love affair with magenta. If you love it too much to cut apart, that's fine, just glue a piece of cardstock on back, address it, stamp it, and mail it as a postcard to yourself or someone else you love!

But if not, it's time to cut out your hearts. (I just cut them freehand.) 

To finish the edges, on some of the hearts, I  machine zigzagged with gold metallic thread. That looked fine, but what really gave the other pieces a wow factor was going around the edges with a variegated perle cotton, specifically, this one from Valdani. (I'm pretty sure this is M32 Jewels, size 8, on this page, no affiliation.)

If you're going to want to dangle something from the bottom point of a heart, drip a little fray check there and let it dry, just for extra strength.

After nine hearts, I branched out. I freehand cut paper shapes that would fit within postcard-size boundaries: A bird, a seahorse, and a crown. Pinned them on. (If you own cookie cutters, you can also use those as cutting guides.)

 Cut them out.

 They're kind of nice just like this.

For the crown, whipstitched the edges. (I suggest dripping fray check on the sharp points, and letting it dry, before stitching, especially if you didn't use fusible web).

The back....

And then I embellished it with shiny glass and plastic buttons and beads, plus cross-stitches.

 For the seahorse, I whipstitched with gold thread.

 Then added a green crystal for the eye.

 For the bird, I used a leftover scrap to make a wing.

I whipstitched around the bird, then the wing, and then whipstitched the wing in position. I dangled an old necklace bit from her beak to serve as an olive branch/worm, and that's a vintage pink bead from a different necklace for the eye.

Sew a pin to the back, or glue on a magnet, and you're done! 

Want more eye candy? Here's a bunch of wonderful and very professional pieces made with a similar process, but using decorative yarns and cords to create a sort of plaid: http://www.mcanaraks.com/brooching-the-subject/. 

And some of my past freemotion quilted valentines are here. 

My pattern booklet for making ocean creatures - especially octopii, fish, sharks, and more - along with detailed directions for making the brooches is available on my Etsy shop, here.

Wishing you a sweet and creative Valentine's Day!