My scrappy valentine

If you are a regular Janomelife viewer you will be familiar with Tania’s posts as Janome Canada artisan. We let you know last week that Tania has now joined our team of Janome Canada Educators. Please enjoy her Valentine’s project treat for you! Ed. 

• Here is a sweet and simple project for your Valentines Day! It works up quickly and easily. I used my Janome MC6700P. She is an absolute treat to work with!

this project was created on my Janome MC6700P

Gather together what you will need:

• scraps of red and pink fabric
• extra binding strips in pink and red, if you have them
• neutral thread for piecing; coloured thread for quilting
• backing fabric – approximately 15″ square
• batting – approximately 15″ square

Using your scrap fabrics, construct a block of fabric approximately 12-15″ square. There is no right way to do this, just add fabric as you go. I found the scrap squares were a bit short once I pieced them together, so I cut through the entire piece and inserted strips of leftover binding to get the piece to the size I wanted.

1. Cut from your backing fabric: one 15″ square.
2. On the wrong side of your backing, trace a heart in pencil. It does not need to be perfect. I cut half a heart from paper and used this as my template.
3. Finally, cut your batting to one 15″ square.

Now you have all your pieces ready for the assembly!
Please note this photo shows the parts you need,
NOT the order in which you layer them for the next step.

1. Lay out the batting
2. Place the improv piece on top, right side up
3. Next place the backing right side down, so you can see the heart you traced earlier
4. Check to make sure your traced heart falls inside your improv pieced block

1. Sew around the pencil heart line leaving about 3-4″ open, I found it best to leave the gap on the longest side of the heart, not at the very bottom (as I learned from experience)
2. Trim around the edge to a scant 1/4″
3. Carefully flip heart inside out –  a knitting needle is useful for this
4. Press.

Sew around edge at about 1/8″ then add quilting and decorative stitches and a simple hanging sleeve.

Hang this scrappy valentine on your front door, in your bathroom, on a bedroom door………… the possibilities to spread some love are endless.

Happy Valentines Day from Janomelife!