Molly's Sketchbook: Sewn Paper Valentines

Sewing paper with a sewing machine is a really satisfying way to make cards. The result is something that feels both handmade and modern at the same time, a nice balance I think. These pretty valentine cards are also a perfect way to use up the last little pieces from beloved stash fabrics and even any brightly colored leftover thread you might have.

Materials

• Small Pieces of at least eight differnt fabrics. I used (clockwise from top left): Nancy Gere Pink Chocolate in Pink Star Flower, Yuwa Polka Dots in Orange, Nancy Gere Pink Chocolate, Nancy Gere Pink Chocolate in Brown Open Vine, Kona Cotton in Flamingo, Cake Rock Beach in Fire Honeycomb, Meadow in Yellow Stems, and Kona Cotton in Paprika.
• Twenty 3 1/2-inch by 5 1/2-inch pieces of high quality card stock. (If you plan on making more cards just make sure to get two pieces of card stock per card.) Kates Paperie is where we got the lovely handmade stock used here. 
• Several spools of 100% cotton thread in pretty complimenting colors.
• One spool of 100% cotton thread in white. Wind a bobbin with the white thread only.

Download, print and cut out our Heart Template here.

Making the Cards

Cut a roughly 2 1/2-inch piece of fabric and press it. Using a pencil trace the heart template onto the wrong side of the fabric. Cut out the heart shape.

Wind a bobbin of white thread and put it in your machine. You will be using white bobbin thread for every card, regardless of the top thread color.

Choose a top thread that contrasts nicely with the fabric heart you cut out.

Sew 3/8-inch from the edge along the sides and bottom of a card as shown above. Do not sew across the top.

Place your heart 1-inch from the top and 3/4-inch from either side of the card. Make sure it's laying flat.

Using a small zig zag stitch sew the heart to the card. Backstitch at each end. When you reach a curve or angle leave the needle down in the paper and pick up the foot. You can then pivot the card without interrupting the seam.

Sewing on the heart is a bit tricky, though not as hard as it might seem. I recommend practicing on some construcion paper before you try it on the good card stock. Once you do it a few times you'll get the hang of it!

Place another piece of card stock behind the sewn card. Line them up on top of each other neatly.

To finish sew the two cards together along the top, using a 3/8-inch seam allowance. Back stitch at each end.

Repeat for the rest of the cards!