From the heart

This time of year is always a lot of fun in spite of the sub zero temperatures we have been having this week because it is Valentine sewing time.  I always look forward to this because I love the colors and fabrics I get to play with.  I started out last week making some cards.  Lots of applique is involved with this.  Once I have the design appliqued onto the fabric, I then spray the back of the fabric with adhesive and apply it to a piece of 8 -1/2" X 11" card stock. One of my favorite fabrics is this cherry blossom print.  I really liked the look of the valentine so I thought...HEY, why not make some balsam sachets?  A 4" sachet is fashioned out of a 4-3/4" X 8-1/2" rectangle.  My fabric piece was 17" wide, how perfect is that!!  All I had to do was cut two 4-3/4" strips by the width of my fabric and I would have the makings of 4 sachets.  Believe it or not, I managed to cut it an inch too narrow not once but TWICE...eegads! Fortunately I still had enough of the fabric to try, try again and managed to get it right the next time.  Once I got the sachets finished, those pieces of miscut fabric were sitting there staring at me...what should I do with them.  How about a sweet little bowl?  Might as well make my mistake into something useful.   

The Arts Co-op that I am a member of has a Valentine's Day show going up the end of January. My next project was to make something for this show.  How about a  heart shaped bowl?  I really love the jewel toned colors this Kaffe Fassett print has to offer (bottom left photo).  It says Valentines's day to me.  I just happened to have this dark fuchsia fabric that matched it perfectly so I made the base of the bowl from that fabric and then used the Kaffe Fassett print for the sides.  It is definitely a substantial size bowl and I think it will make a nice addition to the Valentine show.