Valentine's Heart: Part 3

For the 'Love' I used a disappearing ink pen and wrote love on the fabric. I find it best to practice writing it out on a piece of paper first and then writing on the fabric. Also if you just don't like your handwriting you can use your computer! Just open up a program that you can type in and type the word you want and then play around with changing the font and size of the word. You can then print it and transfer it with your preferred method.

I stitched in the 'Love' in the medium colored pink DMC floss in 1 strand using the stem and outline stitches. I switch depending on which way the curve is going. I also find it easier for me to do the stem stitch without a hoop even with loose tension in a hoop. For me I need to move the fabric to get the best looking stem stitch and I just can't do that if it's in a hoop.

Next I pinned my leaf design in place and embroidered that in the same way I did on the larger rose motif. With the darker shade floss for the stems and the lighter shade floss for the rest of the leaf and veins.

Then I removed the tracing paper. This time I just used the blunt end of a needle to help get the little bits out instead of the tweezers.





I basted the heart shape with the pink floss so that it will be easily visible for finishing and can be pulled out without scarring the fabric after sewing over it.




After rinsing out the water erasable ink with cold water I let it dry and cut it down to a nice size to work with. I'm keeping it square and giving it enough room around it because it is easier to finish the heart that way.

All finished! Now I love it so much I don't know if I want to swap it! So much hard work and detail! I could applique it to some clothes because it is washable...humm. It's totally "Me" so it's really hard to decide if I should just keep it or swap it. Wouldn't it look totally cute on the bottom leg of some jeans?