V and Co. how to: gathered heart pillow

last week was butt freezing cold here. like in the negatives. so i needed something to keep me busy and happy in the house. and well valentines being around the corner...well when you are a crafter and trying to create things for the holiday... it's right around the corner.
this little pillow is fast and easy and well, a happy maker in freezing temps.
lets get started:

materials needed:
a strip of pink or red fabric approx size of 6" by 12"
two squares of muslin (i used sandcastle fabric i had on hand in my stash) cut to around 10" by 10".

okay now lets get started with the sewing:

first you are going to put your machine on the running stitch. mine is a #5.
sew a 1/4" seam along both of the long sides of your pink fabric.
**while you are sewing your running stitch, hold slightly your thread up above, by the spool of thread. this will create your gather as you go.

do the same thing to the other side.
here is what your gather should look like.
next you are going to take your muslin square
and you are going to place right side facing away from you, the gathered piece of fabric on the wrong side of your fabric.
pin in place and then sew around your square.
next with a washable pen either free hand a heart (which is what i did), or make a template by folding in half a piece of paper and cutting a heart half on it (you know like you used to do in elementary!), open up and trace your heart onto the right side of the muslin.
next sew on your heart line.
now to make sure you don't cut any part of your gather, gently separate your muslin from the gathered fabric behind it.
with scissors, cut an opening, and then continue (making sure you don't cut any of your gathered fabric!) to cut close to your sewn edge of the heart.

cut down your muslin if you want a smaller pillow, and cut the backing square to the same size, place right sides together, sew all around all four sides leaving an opening at least 4 inches wide in one side for stuffing.

turn right side out, stuff with poly fill, and hand stitch closed.
all done!
and there you have a super cute little festive valentine pillow.

**warning, your daughter may find it too cute for it to be wasted out in the living room, and she may confiscate it and put it in her room. i'm just sayin.
it's okay, she can have it. it looks cute under her dolly's head anyways.
maybe i should make her a matching dolly quilt...hmmmm.
have a good one we'll talk soon.
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