Be My Valentine....

If you have been by the shoppe recently, you know we are all ready for the sweetest day on the calendar...Valentines Day!

I found a tutorial for these adorable Valentine Envelopes on Lucykate Crafts blog.  A fantastic and creative blog!  You can find her tutorial here.....http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/2009/02/love-letter-for-valentine-tutorial-and.html

Because I was making so many envelopes for the shoppe window, I tweaked the process a bit.

Here is how to make them as I did for the shoppe window.

To begin, I printed out Lucykate's pattern and enlarged it so instead of 11cm across - mine is 5.25 inches or 13 cm across.  You may adjust this to the size you would like.

You will need two pieces of fabric.  If you are using a directional fabric, cut your pieces 10 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches.  You will need a bit larger piece for a directional fabric because you will need to cut it on point {just as the template appears in the picture above}.

If you are not using a directional fabric you can turn the template so it is more of a square shape and that will save some space - so you only need a square that is 8 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches.  Of course, adjust your fabric squares for the template size you are using.  Just cut a square slightly larger than the template.

One piece of fabric is for the outside and one piece for the lining.  I specifically wanted to use this new Lecien fabric we have in the shoppe.  It has a wonderful swag trim that is just precious.

You will also need a slightly smaller piece of wonder under or steam a seam.

Iron the fusible web onto the wrong side of the outside fabric.  Use a hot, dry iron to fuse the webbing to the fabric.

Place the template on top of the wonder-under and trace around the template.

Cut out the design on the traced line and peel the paper from the back to expose the fusible web.

Now press the shape with the webbing to the lining fabric {again with a hot, dry iron} .  This will fuse the lining and the outside fabric together.

Again cut along the edge of the envelope design.  Fold the flaps in and press {steam may be useful now}.  You will see an envelope shape emerge.

For the shoppe window I didn't bother to fold and press the top flap because I wanted the cards tucked inside to be seen.  But you may want to press the top flap so that it can be used as an envelope on a package or to hold a special letter :)

Next I decorated the outside of the envelope with just some straight stitches and perle cotton.

I simply stitched about 1/4 inch from the edge of the envelope all the way around.

I chose to glue the flaps of my envelope down - just where they overlap and not the top flap.  You want to take care with this step that the envelope opening is not glued shut.  Just a bit of glue along the edges where the front flaps overlap.

I am using Martha Stewarts Gel Glue with the spongy applicator tip.  Any tacky glue or fabric glue will do.

To finish my Valentine envelope, I added a heart stamp to the address side.  I cut the heart free-hand then stitched and, again, glued it to the envelope.

   You may want to add a clever address label!

For a closure I stitched a vintage button and a loop for wrapping around the button to close.

For the shoppe window, I tucked stamped cards with sweet sayings inside the envelopes.  But you might want to create loving coupons for your special someone....maybe a coupon worth one 'neck massage' or 'your favorite dinner'. 

Have fun and Happy Valentines Day!!!

Mary