6/18/2014

DIY "You are Loved" Garland




I'm excited about the project that I have to share with you today, a "You are Loved" Garland.  I think I could probably file this under the category of "something I would never have made if I didn't have two young girls."  It's a funny thing to think about one's style and how it evolves over time, isn't it?

As a little kid I loved pink and purple, and the frilly white curtains that hung in my room.  I loved to lay on my bed and watch them "dance" in the wind created by my ceiling fan, and I'd pretend that they were elegant dancers in a ball.  Now I have two little girls who love everything fancy, and I enjoy creating tapping into my more feminine side to make them things.  Like this house pillow, and this rag quilt.

I've always loved decorating with words and quotes, and I figured what better words to put in a little girls' room than "You are Loved?"


It's a pretty simple project.  Want to make your own?  Let's get started!

Here's what you'll need:

fabric 8.5x11 inches for the letters, backed with wonder under fusible interfacing
8.5x11 inches felt sheet for the letter backing (this is what you'll iron the fabric/wonder under to
thread, embroidery floss, and a small amount of felt for the flowers. 
4 ft 10 inches ¼ inch ribbon
hot glue gun for attaching letters to the ribbon

I used Impact font size 250 for my letters.  You can make your own, or print the following image out on 8.5 x 11 size of paper. 
Fuse fusible interfacing to your 8.5x11 sheet of fabric, leaving on the paper backing.  Cut out your letters (1).  Remove the paper backing and fuse to felt (2).  (Be careful here.  Depending on the type of felt you use, it can melt.  Make sure you check if your felt can handle ironing.  If it is sensitive to melting, I try to just iron on the fabric portion or put a towel down so that I don't iron on the felt directly.  

Cut out around each letter.  I try to leave about a 1/4 inch border around each letter.  Then I stitch with my sewing machine around each letter to further secure the fabric to the felt.


Alright, now let's talk about the flowers.  


To make the (purple) hydrangea:

Cut out 7 circles and 2 leaves.  Position as suggested in the diagram.  Attach to the letter with a needle and thread, adding a small bead in the center of each flower.  One simple “up and down” stitch (with the bead in the center of the flower) is enough to secure the flower to the letter.  I like to slightly vary the position of the leaves on each letter. 


All finished...Aren't they pretty?


 Alright...now for the blue flower.  I place the three pieces as shown, and then sew them all together.  This causes the petals to be a bit scrunched up.  Then I added 6 beads to the center, 2 at a time.


 Attached it to the letters:
 All finished!

Alright, now it's time to add the letters to the ribbon.  I added a little hot glue and then pressed down the letters (on top of a paper towel).  I tried to keep about 3.5 inches between words and ¾ inch between letters.

Before the glue is totally dry,  I lifted up my letters so that I could easily remove any paper towel that got stuck to the back.

All finished!   Don't forget to follow Snugglebug University so that you don't miss out on more products!  And if you make your own "You Are Loved" garland go ahead add it to my very neglected Flikr pool!


Like this project?  Don't forget to follow Snugglebug University so that you don't miss out on more great tutorials!

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