Valentine Patchwork Keepsake

written by Rachel Webb 
© 2001, All Rights Reserved For The Creators

The patchwork look is a fun way to create affordable country crafts and can be accomplished with ordinary crafting odds and ends. You can make a beautiful valentine keepsake box using a heart shaped, inexpensive, paper crafting box, left over fabric, lace and antique buttons! Here is a list of what you will need.

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Make your own Patchwork Valentine 
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Instructions:

First gather all of your left over scraps on material and group them together according to color. You will want to use several patterns of fabric that compliment one another with the same color tones and hues. I chose 5 fabrics with a Blue, Mauve, Rose and Antique White floral combination but you can use any combination as long as you choose fabrics with a very small pattern. Stay away from stretchy or sheer fabrics as well. Cotton or broadcloth is a good choice. Cut your fabric into 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch or 1/2 inch squares. Use a roll cutter and mat to speed up this process. I used fabric that was both 1 1/2 inch wide squares as well as some 1/2 inch squares for my patchwork box.

Starting on the bottom of your box use a small sponge brush and decoupage glue to attach your fabric squares to a paper craft box. Decoupage will take the place of your glue and is available in craft stores in 2 sizes of bottles and in white or off-white. Off-White decoupage will go on slightly yellow and give you an antique finish to your box.

Add your squares randomly overlapping squares in a haphazard pattern that covers all of the paper craft box. You will not need to apply the decoupage carefully, it is very forgiving and your box can be covered quickly by dabbing decoupage on top of each fabric square and applying it to your box. Finish the inside of your box all in the same color and trim the edge carefully. If you have creases in your fabric smooth them out to lie flat. This is especially important around the rim of your box. The lid will not fit securely if the fabric is not smooth.

After your decoupage box has dried completely. Use hot glue to add 1 inch wide ribboned lace around the edge of the lid. You can embellish the top of the box however you wish but I choose to make lace medallions using scraps of flat lace and sewing a gathering stitch around the outer edge. Pull one end of the thread to gather the stitches and create a medallion. I made two different sized medallions and hot glued 2 inch strands of crafting pearls under the lace medallion prior to hot gluing it in the center of the heart box. the largest medallion on the top of the heart lid first. Hot glue the smaller medallion on top of the large one for a double stacked effect. Sew or Hot glue thin loops of ribbon on top of the small lace medallion. Add antique buttons or pewter charms to the top of the ribbon as the final finishing touch to a fancy Victorian keep sake box.

Your box would be a fun way to organize your jewelry and can be lined with satin or velvet fabric instead of decoupage squares. You could also make miniature boxes using the same method, for fabulous Christmas tree ornaments!  

Rachel Webb lives in Utah.

Crafts do make wonderful gifts. Now I don't pretend that ANY crafty gift is precious. A star made from popsicle sticks glued together might bring yards of happiness when given from a four-year old, but look rather tacky if you are forty. The gifts you choose to make for others should spring from a craft you do exceedingly well. A good craft gift might be defined as anything you do with your hands that makes your heart sing while you are making it. When the one receiving the gift hears that singing and joins in then you will have given a gift which is priceless. Not all of us knows what a rabbet is, but all of us will have talents which give us an affinity to at least one of the crafty ideas inside this package. I invite you to check out the book marks and dig in. Don't be afraid to try any of these ideas. Each one was chosen for the author's skill in explaining the steps to take. You will probably be pleasantly surprised and how easily you acquire the skills needed for any craft idea that you like. There is a link in each craft article so that you can easily reach the author for similar material.
freebo///craftygifts.pdf is the download site.
This book will make a swell gift for all your craft loving friends. Pass it on, then take a look at what all else we have in store for you..

Make all your gifts Too Pretty to Open.    
a guide for buying toys    
20 toys you don't have to buy  
What did you Give for Christmas?  
How To Give Money Away CREATIVeLY  
Grow Plants in a Balloon  
How to make your own Handmade Greeting Cards  
Make Make Your Own Molds... Clear directions.  
How to make this beautiful straw-hatted scarecrow
How to draw caricatures 
Make a String of Hearts 
How To Make Your Own Christmas Cards  		Embroidery Patterns  
  Modeling with Salt Dough  
Special Gifts that make Time Stand Still  
Ice Cream made in a baggie  
Make your own Patchwork Valentine  
Make your own Specialty Papers   
15 Creative Ways to Use Motifs   
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from Noble Oklahoma 73068