Tuesday Tutorial with Paxton Valley Folk Art

Rag Heart Ornament Tutorial

 Here's a quick and easy rag heart ornament tutorial for you, If you are having problems downloading the template full size from the blog, click here to download it from Box.net. Enjoy!

Print the template out on card stock and cut out as pictured below.

You'll need some small print cotton fabric (I used a red and cream toile for Valentine's Day but use any color or pattern that you'd like), 1/4" ribbon in a coordinating color  a disappearing ink marker, scissors, sewing notions (pins, thread, etc.), a sewing machine, fiber fill for stuffing and your favorite coffee staining concoction. 

Trace the inside and outside of the heart template onto the RIGHT side of your doubled fabric. Pin in place.

Cut out along the OUTER traced line.

Cut a 5" piece of 1/4" ribbon and double it.

Position the doubled ribbon between the two hearts. Make sure that the tails of the ribbon hanger are inside the inner traced line.

Pin the ribbon in place and head to the sewing machine!

Sew along INNER traced heart, leaving an opening for stuffing where indicated on the template.

Stuff the heart with fiber fill and sew the opening closed, by hand, along the inner trace line.

Clip the edges of the heart up to the inner sewn line. Be careful not to clip through your stitches!

It's time to age your heart! Use your favorite coffee stain or grunging mixture, paint it onto your heart and bake in the oven at 200 F until dry. WATCH IT CLOSELY so it doesn't burn. I turn my items every 4 to 5 minutes or so and bake them on a baking sheet that I've lined with an old tea towel and some parchment paper.

If you don't have a coffee staining recipe, the Old Farmhouse Gathering team has compiled some great ones on their blog, click HERE to read the post.

When your heart has dried, gently separate the ragged edges to 'fluff' them up. You can also toss it into the dryer with an old towel for a few minutes to rag the edges up even more if you'd like.

There, you are done! Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

Thanks Deb for a great tutorial!

Deb can be found here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaxtonValleyFolkArt

http://paxtonvalleyfolkart.blogspot.com/