You’ll need:

-  2 pieces of valentine type fabrics for flags    6″ x 22″ each
-  coordinating fabric for backing and hanging strip   6″ x 40″
-  coordinating fabric for hanging strip (can be same as backing fabric) 2 strips 2.5″ X WOF
-  Tri Tool ruler

1. Lay out one strip of valentine fabric. Lay Tri Tool on top of it lining up the top of the triangle with the top edge of the fabric and the bottom of the triangle parallel to the bottom edge of the fabric. Trim the right side.

2. Turn fabric around (this way you can continue to hold the tool with your left hand and cut with your right), flip the Tri Tool and line the edge up with the cut edge, the tip of the triangle with the bottom of the fabric strip, and the bottom of the triangle (which is now on top) parallel to the top of the fabric strip and cut the right side. You’ll now have one triangle. Continue flipping the Tri Tool and cutting until you have 5 triangles.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the second valentine fabric.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the backing fabric until you have 10 triangles of the backing fabric.

3. Pair a valentine fabric triangle with a backing fabric triangle and, with right sides together, stitch along one side to the blunted point, turn and stitch along the opposite side using a 1/4″ seam. Leave the top open. Do this with all the triangles.

4. Turn all triangles right side out and push out the points gently with a stiletto, purple thang, closed pen, or any long skinny, not too pointy tool.

5. Press all trianlges.  Trim off those points of extra fabric that are sticking out of the tops.  This will make it easier to fit the triangles into your hanging fabric. 

6. Take your 2 strips of 2.5″ x WOF and lay one face up.  Lay the other piece face down at right angles… just like you do for binding.  Pin together and draw a line from the upper left point where they meet to the lower right meeting point.  Sew along this line.

7. Trim the excess and trim those little points.

8. Press this long strip in half lengthwise.  Again, just like you do for binding.

9. Press one edge to the middle, being careful not to press over that center press line.  You don’t have to go all the way to the middle – just pretty close to it.

10. Press the other side to the middle.  Then fold in half and press again.

11. Find the middle of your hanging strip.  (Easy! It’s the seam where you sewed the two strips together.)  On each side of the middle start inserting and pinning triangles.  Alternate fabrics and leave about 1″ between each triangle.

12. Sew nice and close to the bottom edge of the hanging strip, making sure the triangles are tucked into the fold of the strip as much as they can be.

13.  Just to neaten it up, sew nice and close to the top edge of the hanging strip.

14.  At each end, fold over 3″ to 3 1/2″ and zig zag stitch down for a hanging loop.   Hang and enjoy!

What a coinkydink!  A valentine tutorial in 14 steps!

Hmm.  Does that mean the winner is announced? Or does it mean that A Bouquet For My Love quilt pattern is a winner?  I think it means both!

A random number generator selected a winner from all the comments left on our QuiltersWarehouse Facebook page and on our blog since we announced the pattern giveaway.  And the winner is Jean!  Congrats and have fun with the pattern!

This month’s Facebook First Friday special is 10% off the already discounted price of Jigsaw Puzzles.  We have four new puzzles….

Patchwork Match Jigsaw Puzzle

Winter Blanket Jigsaw Puzzle

Stone Mill Crossing In Autumn

Grandmother's Flower Garden Jigsaw Puzzle

And dozens of other puzzles. Here’s two of them…..

Spools Jigsaw Puzzle

Samuel & Lottie Jigsaw Puzzle

Browse the rest of the Quilt Jigsaw Puzzles then go grab the discount code on the QuiltersWarehouse Facebook Page.  “Like” us on Facebook and you won’t miss any of the Facebook First Friday offers…. a new one every month on, you guessed it, the First Friday of the month.  As always, this offer is good now through the end of the day Sunday.

I’ve been sewing the Ramblin’ Rose quilt pattern this week.  

Of course, some of the week was spent staring in awe at the blizzard and then staring in awe and dismay at the snow drifts.  Then came the shoveling… the porch, the walk, and a path in the yard for the dogs.  And we had lots of brief power outages.  Just for a minute or two, but enough that you didn’t dare leave a computer on or a computerized sewing machine!  So sewing went a little slow.   I’m sure many of you experienced an unusual week with this storm that effected so much our the U.S.   Hopefully all is well and you’ve dug out and are ready to move on!

Back to the pattern…  The directions for Ramblin’ Rose are so easy to follow.   Claudia tells me all her patterns are like this and are the result of their pattern format and reviews with the Black Cat Creation crew.   The cutting directions include layout diagrams for all the pieces that are required.  This is a big help… I’m never sure which piece to cut first and how to lay it out so that I have enough material to cut the remaining pieces.  The diagrams eliminate that problem.  The sewing directions again included a diagram.   After constructing the background it was easy enough to layout the applique pieces using the pattern cover as a guide.  The directions say that you can place the applique so it’s pleasing to you, but I needed help and the picture was just right.

A few things I did different… the fabric requirements call for Jumbo ric rac, so that’s what I bought.  I think Jumbo in one store is just Jumbo, and in others it is super giant oversized Jumbo.  That’s what I bought – the ric rac on steroids.  But I like it.  When it came to the flowers I imagined purple but when I laid it all out the pink looked better.  It went well with the green and it lent a softness to the whole quilt.  My pink fabric showed some of the background through it so I cut extra flowers and used two pieces for each flower – one just a little smaller than the other.  This blocked the background and as an added bonus, added more dimension to the project.  The applique still needs to be sewn down, the top needs to be sandwiched and quilted, then bound.  But, hey, we’re on the way!   

Now, don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win “A Bouquet For My Love“…. it’s a gorgeous quilt!