This week, I managed to sew all the blocks and setting triangles together to make the quilt center for the 'found' purple pinwheel blocks I've been talking about for the last couple weeks.
With deadline-oriented project on the sewing table, this one needs to take a back seat for a week or two.


Therefore. . .
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought you might enjoy a recap of a little (really little) project from 2015 (!?).
These little heart pins were inspired by an idea from Mary, a Hummingbird Highway customer.
The itty-bitty nine-patches start with nine 1" scrap squares and one section of the Mini-Scrap Grid interfacing.


A detailed tutorial to make nine mini nine-patches at once with interfacing can be found HERE.
Of course, you don't need the grid interfacing to make the nine-patches, but if sewing small bits of fabric intimidates, the interfacing helps to stabilize the pieces for sewing.
Sewn nine-patch blocks measure a mere 2" square.



If you add a 1.5"-wide border strip to two sides, the nine-patch suddenly has heart-shaped potential.
Sandwich the bordered nine patch with batting and backing. I used foam batting that is fusible on both sides. Any batting scrap will do, but the fusible adds a bit of body to the pins.


Then draw two curved shaped bumps on the border fabrics and add a bit of quilting to secure the layers.
Trim around the nine-patch and curves with pinking shears to make the hearts. One heart is made with the 'plain' nine-patch. The second heart was made with a nine-patch that includes half-square triangles, upping the itty-bitty-sewing game a tad.

Secure a pin back to the wrong side of the heart, and there you have it! Ready for your favorite Valentine!
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