Valentine’s Day Showcase – Debbe from Pieces to Love

Welcome to day 6 of the Valentine’s Day Showcase! Today I have my friend Debbe from Pieces to Love. She has a gorgeous candle mat for you that is an original design and positively stunning!

1. What got you hooked on your craft of choice?
I have always enjoyed sewing and making crafts.  When I was in high school, I worked at a fabric store and continued to do so all the way through college.   I made my first quilt my senior year of college and it has just grown from there, just like my fabric stash.
2. What lights your crafting fire (ie. what keeps you crafting, why do you do it?)?
Sewing is my outlet.  When I get stressed out my first go to is my sewing, where I have to focus on what I am working on and not the petty things that had me wanting to strangle someone.  It also give me ‘me time’ which when you are a stay at home mom, sometimes you just need that solitude.  I’m not a super hero so I create or re-create things as much as possible.
3. What is your favorite Valentine’s themed junk food?
Hmm…I love the boxed candies, they don’t even have to come in the pretty little heart package either.  My favorites are the ‘raspberry creme’ and ‘orange creme’  then the caramels as long as they are ooey gooey and not hard.
Take it away Debbe!
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When Melissa @ Sew Bittersweet Designs asked me to be a part of her Valentine’s Showcase, I got a little excited.  Obviously I agreed to be a part of the fun.  Then a few days later the regret hit, I had no clue what I was going to make.  I kept thinking of applique projects, paper piecing projects, yummy sweet treats, needless to say I was a bit overwhelmed and every time I thought I had something to do, I would see the same thing posted around blog land.  I finally came up with the ‘Kissing Hearts’  This is my own design, I spent a lot of time with my trusty seam ripper (which I think needs a name, Jack maybe?) as I learned what worked and didn’t work during the sewing process.  This is a ‘fat quarter friendly’ or ‘scrap friendly’ project that can be made in no time at all.

For an approximate 17″ block, you will need to cut the following pieces:

2- 6.25″ squares  (use 2 different fabrics)
8- 3″x4.25″ rectangles (4 each of 2 different fabrics, same as your squares)

(For the next 3 cuts of fabric I used the same white on off white fabric)

4- 3″ squares

1 1.5″x24″ strip of fabric (or 2 1.5″x12″ strips)

2- 2.5″ x WOF (width of fabric)
(or 2- 2.5″ x 13″  and 2- 2.5″ by 18″)

Take the 2  6.25″ squares and cut in half on the diagonal.

From then 1.5″x24″ strip of fabric (or 2 1.5″x12″ strips) cut 16 1.5″ squares.

Take your 16 1.5″ squares and draw a line on the diagonal from corner to corner. (This is going to be your sewing line)

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Now that you have everything cut and marked, it’s time to sew! All seams are 1/4″ unless otherwise specified.

Take your 8 3″x4.25″ rectangles and your 16 1.5″ squares.  Line you squares up on the corners of your rectangles like in the picture below and sew on the line you drew.

Next, line your ruler up on your stitching line and trim off the excess leaving a 1/4″ seam.

You should have something that looks a little like this.

Press your ‘flaps’ open.  Make sure to press 1 seam allowance to the light and one dark You only need to do this on 4 of the pieces, so when you sew them together they line-up nice and pretty.

You should have 8 pieces that look like this.

Now, take your 8 rectangles and sew them together.  Match up your seams where you pressed one seam forward and one backwards so they ‘lock together’.
Once you sew them press again, and admire your pretty points.  These will be the tops of your hearts. (These should measure 8″ across)
Next, take your 4 triangles and lay out a square.  Sew the triangles together so that  when you open them up they will lay in the alternating  order

Press your seam toward the dark of each peace.

Now line up the seams locking them together.  If you run your finger down the seam you can feel if they are locked together or not.  You may want to place a pin or two so it doesn’t move on you.  I tend to live on the edge most of the time and don’t use pins.

Press your square open and you should have an 8″ that looks something that looks like this. Well I hope it isn’t this blurry. :o)
Now, sew your 4 3″ squares to the ends of 2 of your heart tops.  If you lay everything out in a square it should look like so.

Take the 2 heart tops that you did not sew the squares onto and sew them to the large center square and press open.  Then sew the other 2 heart tops that have the squares sewn to them to the other two sided of the center block.

Your piece should now look like this.

It is now time to sew on the outside borders. Pick 2 of your border strips and sew them to opposite sides of your block. Then repeat on the other two sides.

Use your ruler and rotary cutter to ‘square up’ your block.
Now That you have your block all squared up.  Layer it with your favorite batting and add some backing  and quilt as desired. Happy stitching to all, I hope you come to visit me over at Pieces to love.
My finished block.

Action shot, sorry for the poor lighting.

Thank you Melissa, for hosting and giving me the opportunity to create something for your Valentine’s Showcase. Through the blood, (yes, there was blood involved), and almost tears from banging my head against the wall, I enjoyed creating something new and would love to do something again.
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Thanks so much Debbe! Tomorrow Lyanna from Purple Panda Quilts will be here sharing a beautiful mug rug with you!

NOTE: Don’t forget, I am one of the bloggers who is going to lose Google Friend Connect in March 2012, please take a moment and follow me via Bloglovin’, Facebook, RSS or networked blogs.  You are important to me and I want to be able to stay in contact with you!  Check my side bar for all the best ways to stay in touch after GFC goes bye bye!

 

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16 Responses to Valentine’s Day Showcase – Debbe from Pieces to Love

  1. Sha says:

    Great tute! I have been wantng to piece a heart.

  2. This turned out so awesome ! I love hearts and am going to make this to keep out after Vday !! thanks for the tutorial .

    • Debbe says:

      Thank you for your kind words.

    • Vinay says:

      Hi Barbara,Only the patterns for block #1, Lucky Clover, and block #2, Celtic Twist, are alvilabae for download right now. I’m still working on block #3, thanks to my silly foot, but will get photos and instructions posted for it by the end of next week. As to using the blocks, I’m planning to set mine all together with sashing to make my Irish quilt, but the blocks can be used any way you wish. Thanks for following along with me by June I’ll have my blocks all done and hope to find fabric for the sashing (and maybe borders) in Ireland! Patterns for Lucky Clover and Celtic Twist are alvilabae .

  3. Kris Garst says:

    Beautiful work, Debbe! ♥

  4. Lisa L. says:

    So pretty Debbe!! I definitely want to try this soon!!

  5. VickiT says:

    Great tutorial. Love the name you gave it too. Thank you.

  6. Jacque says:

    Debbe, this is so nice – the name is cute, too! Thanks for a really clear tutorial, and simple block that looks great…I bet it would be stunning in a runner! 🙂

  7. tubakk says:

    Oh, so sweet! Reminds me of Norwegian waffels/vafler. I’ll certainly try this.

  8. Mary says:

    Very nice! Thanks for the tutorial.

  9. Connie says:

    This is so beautiful Debbie and what a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

  10. CeLynn says:

    Thanks for such a wonderful tute! This is now on my to make list 🙂

Comments are closed.