Lavender Heart Sachet Tutorial + Free Pattern

I have been making a lavender-filled heart sachets as a gift for family, friends, teachers, etc. for Valentine's Day. I get so many complements on them, I thought you might get some too! I have perfected the heart shape and size over the years and finally came up with a pattern that I like the best. Not too big, not too small.

Use your creativity with fabrics and embellishments! I have a few ideas at the end.

Love to see what you come up with, let me know if you have any questions!

 

Download the free heart pattern HERE. Using the pattern, cut out two hearts, one from each fabric. I've used quilter's cotton, but I've also used minky or chenille on the back and decorator fabric.

Take ribbon and loop it wrong sides together. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch the ends together so they don't move while you are sewing the heart.

 Place the stitched ribbon in the center of one of the hearts as shown.

 

Place the hearts right sides together and pin. Make sure you have one pin on the ribbon.

Using 1/4" seam allowance, stitch the heart. Start about an inch from the bottom on one side and sew until you get to the point shown. Instead of following the curve in the middle of the heart, you just need to sew straight across. (The ribbon can't handle the curves and gets too "bunchy"). Continue when you are 1/4" from the next side.

Leave a 2" opening, back tacking at the end.

Here is what the heart should look like when you are done stitching.

Now you need to clip the corners of the center of the heart.

You can also trim the ribbon. It should look like this. Now turn your heart inside out. It's fillin' time!

I fill my hearts with a lavender/buckwheat hull mix. It's cheaper than lavender and has the same weight to it so it stretches the amount of lavender you need and you get more bang for your buck! Aaahhh, it smells divine!

Fill your heart using a funnel or spoon until just puffy enough.

Stitch the opening closed with a ladder stitch or slip stitch.

Here is the finished heart so far. Now the fun begins!
I like to embellish my hearts with various fabric flowers. The one I'm using on this one is super simple raw edged flower.

Take a strip of fabric 3/4" wide and 10" long. Use a long running stitch along the edge of one side. Pull the thread gently as it gathers into a "flower". Secure the end.

Sew a bright button on the top and then attach it to your heart. I just used a hot glue gun. You could sew it on, but you'd probably need a curved needle to do it.

Voila! The perfect Valentine's gift! Or Mother's Day, birthdays, teacher gift, you name it! It can be thrown in a lingerie drawer, hung on a hanger in the closet, or hung anyway you need a pretty, nice smelling accent.

  This "flower" is made with a simple yo-yo and then I added a button bling and embroidered felt leaves.

This one I used Sandi Henderson's fabric rolled rose tutorial and added embroidered felt leaves.

Mouse Pad Love

I have been looking for-EVER for a cute or at least feminine mouse pad. I mean I've got a pink laptop, how can I use an old blue rubber thingy! So I transformed that rubber thing with fabric! I'm loving how they turned out! It was so simple and they hold up too! I just used Steam-A-Seam 2 and ironed the fabric right on!

Bed Head

My little Charlotte has stick straight hair. Every time she wakes up she has a cool new hairdo. Most of the time she looks like she time warped from the Eighties with mohawks and such. It's very "Flock of Seagulls". I love seeing which way it will go next!

Peppermint Pudding Quilt Top Complete!

I finished up the quilt top. To be honest this is the fun part. Now I have to figure out how I want to actually quilt the top. In the ditch? Stipple? Should I have it long armed? I can't wait so I can attach my favorite part, the little peppermint swirls. Any opinions???

Back in Business

In my former life I was an Ebay Power Seller. I had my own fabric shop called EllieBella Decorator Fabrics. I sold mostly children's decorator fabric. It was quite successful and kept me very busy. So busy that I really didn't have time to make or design much and I really missed that part of  my life.

Well...my husband got a job overseas, I got pregnant and the rest is history. Literally. I had to close up shop so that we could move and have a baby. The move ended up not happening, I had my baby (she is a year old now) and I miss having my little business!

So instead of having a fabric store (which I miss very much by the way. It's like having a huge fabric stash!) I am just going to take my time and list some items I create in my Etsy store. Keep it simple and have fun creating!

So here are my first few items. I'm thinking about bibs, burps, clothing, blankets, etc. Like in my other former baby business (that's a whole other story).  My Etsy shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/elliebella . Away we go!

Lizards for Sophie

My daughter Sophie loves nature. Her favorite color is green, she is not afraid of bugs, and loves to catch any creature she can. We live in the desert so catching lizards is one of her favorite things to do. She's really good at it! She can spot a lizard no one else would have even noticed.

Her obsession crossed over into her real life and she now loves to find lizards on clothing, notebooks, fabric, etc. She draws lizards and makes them out of beads.

For her birthday I made her this stuffed animal lizard. I got the pattern from YouCanMakeThis.com (love that place!). I used Heather Bailey Bijoux fabric and added some bling to girl it up.

Recently she's been asking me for a lizard shirt. I found a lizard picture online, printed it out and made a pattern out of it. I used Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market fabric and Steam-a-Seam-ed it on a plain white shirt. Then I stitched around the edge and added a couple of buttton eyes. I had one happy girl.

(btw, no matter how I loaded this picture Blogger turned it sideways!)

While most girls are into princess and girly things, Sophie has always marched to her own beat and I'm glad she knows who she is and is not afraid to be herself. I just secretly hope she doesn't turn into the weird lizard lady. :)

Peppermint Pudding Quilt

Nothing like a little procrastination! I had purchased this Figgy Pudding by Basic Grey fabric a while ago and was looking for the perfect quilt pattern to use it with. I finally found Thimble Blossoms Peppermint Posies pattern and thought it would be just right.

 I finally found Thimble Blossoms Peppermint Posies pattern and thought it would be just right. I love the little peppermints scattered about. 

I began cutting during the Christmas season but then all the busi-ness of the season overtook my sewing time. But I'm still determined to finish it and I actually love the way it's turning out. This is the final layout and now it's sewing time! I'll keep you posted...