Valentine's Day Gifts

You all know I love to participate in swaps and Bonnie from Pink Stitches hosted a Love Day swap, so of course I was in!

My partner was Julie from Ohio, and I had a great time putting together this package for her.

The first thing I did was embroider a little heart. I wasn't sure what I would do with it, but I did it anyway - I've been really enjoying embroidery lately. I decided a few days later to use it in this quilted zipper pouch.

I used a red gingham to frame the heart, then Pezzy fabric by American Jane for the rest of the pouch.

Next up was probably one of my favourite projects - it was hard to part with this one! Following the Love Day theme I chose pink fabrics and coordinating grey, and I made this quilted mat. I recently made a much louder, brighter one in lime green, orange and yellow, and I use it as a mat for my sewing machine.

I thought Julie could use it for her sewing machine, or as a place mat, mug rug, or whatever she likes! Some of the fabrics I used are Eyelet in Pink and Grey from Flea Market Fancy , Riley Blake Chevrons in pink and grey from my lovely sponsor Wrapped In Fabric, pink daisies from Sweetwater's Lucy's Crab Shack, and the Dandelion print is a home dec fabric from Premier Prints. The little elephants I picked up from my local Spotlight.

I used 12 x 5" squares and quilted it really simply by stitching 1cm away from every seam.

I backed it with the Lucy's Crab Shack pink daisies and bound it with a plain white binding.

I had lots of fun shopping for heart shaped things at the Japanese dollar store and I found some really fun things for Julie including a heart shaped washing up sponge, a set of heart shaped cookie cutters and some pretty note cards.

My favourite chocolate bar Cherry Ripe had special packaging for Valentine's Day so I thought Julie might like to try them - I know you can't buy them in the US.

I hope you are all feeling the love (even if I am a day late but I think it's still the 14th in other parts of the world!)  I don't really do the whole Valentine's Day thing with my husband (OK except the surprise Snickers bar wrapped in heart washi tape that you might have seen on Facebook) because we figure you should be loving and kind all year around! But if you do celebrate it, I hope it was a special day for you!