A Tie-Dye Heart Pincushion For Valentine's Day!

These delightful tie-dyed heart pincushions made by Arlene Poltrack started with a basic tie-dye technique. To make heart shapes, you begin by tracing a heart shape, hand-stitching around the shape, gathering up the thread, tying a rubber band around it and then dying it. Hearts can be made any size your heart desires and used in all types of craft projects. Arlene is a quilter so she made pincushions, but these colorful cushions could also double as jewelry pillows for collectible pins and brooches.

Here's the full tutorial:

SUPPLIES FOR DYEING: (makes 2 pincushions)

• Rit Liquid Dye: Purple, Lemon Yellow, Teal, Fuchsia

• 1 Fat Quarter (18” x 22”) 100% White Cotton Broadcloth

• Measuring cup & spoons

• Large glass bowl

• Spoon for mixing dye

• Plastic template sheet to make heart pattern

• Fabric marking pen

• Hand sewing thread & needle

• Small rubber bands

• Rubber gloves

• Plastic wrap

• Paper towels

• Plastic table cover

SUPPLIES FOR SEWING:

• Polyester fiberfill

• Rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler

• Coordinating Thread

• Scissors

• Straight pins

• Hand needle

• Sewing machine

PREPARING FABRIC:

1. Launder and dry fabric to remove any finishes that may prevent absorption of the dyes.

2. Cover table with plastic.

3. Cut fabric into small pieces, cutting pieces larger than indicated for easier handling when dyeing.

FINISHED CUT DYED FABRIC NEEDED:

• Teal Borders: Cut 2 strips 1 ¼” x 4 ¼” & 2 strips 1 ¼” x 6”

• Lemon Yellow Borders: Cut 2 strips 1 ¼” x 4 ¼” and 2 strips 1 ¼” x 6”

• Purple Heart Squares: Trim 2 tie-dyed hearts to 4 ½” squares

• Fuchsia Backing: Cut 4 pieces 3” x 6”

4. Make a pattern for a 2 ½” heart on a plastic template sheet and cut it out. Plastic is durable so pattern can be reused many times.

5. Cut 2 pieces of fabric into 5” squares. Trace heart shape in center of fabric using a fabric marking pen.

6. Using a needle and thread, make a hand running stitch over the traced line, spacing stitches about ¼” apart. Don’t knot thread at the end.

7. Pull the end of the thread to gather the fabric on the stitched line, pushing your finger through the center to puff up the fabric. Tie ends of thread into a knot and wrap a small rubber band around the thread. Immerse in warm water.

DYEING FABRIC:

1. Wearing rubber gloves, measure and mix 1/2 teaspoon Purple liquid dye with 4 cups hot water in glass bowl; stir well. Test dye color with a scrap of fabric. Add more water to lighten the color or add more dye to darken the color.

2. Immerse wet tied heart in dye bath. Cover with plastic wrap. Line bottom of microwave with paper towels. Place dye in microwave and set on High for 2 minutes.

3. Carefully remove from microwave. Rinse tied fabric in cool water and remove rubber band and thread. Continue rinsing fabric until water runs clear. Wash in warm water with mild detergent. Rinse, dry flat and iron fabric.

4. Dye remaining small pieces of fabric in Teal, Lemon Yellow and Fuchsia dye, using this method.

SEWING PINCUSHIONS:

Note: Use ¼” seam allowances.

1. Using the rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler, trim dyed fabric to finished cut sizes, as indicated above. This will make 2 pincushions.

2. Pin Lemon Yellow 1 ¼” x 4 ¼” strips to opposite sides of one 5” heart square; stitch and press seams to one side.

3. Pin and stitch Lemon Yellow 1 ¼” x 6” strips to two remaining sides. Press seams to one side.

4. Pin and stitch two 3” x 6” Fuchsia pieces together along one long edge, leaving 2 – 3” opening in center for turning and stuffing. Press seam allowances to one side.

5. Pin and stitch Fuchsia square to Purple heart square with borders, right sides together. Trim corners and turn right sides out.

6. Machine quilt around borders through all layers. “Stitch-in-the-ditch” along seam lines.

7. Fill center back of pincushion with fiberfill. Hand stitch opening closed.

8. Repeat sewing steps for other pincushion.