Decorate with Jean Heart Bowl Fillers

Make heart bowl fillers for Valentine's Day decor or a romantic accessory for your home using old blue jeans. The blue color of jeans doesn't necessarily scream "valentine", but I discovered the wrong side of the fabric is lighter and makes a frugal canvas for painting. I used a blanket stitch for the center appliqued hearts and around the edges of each pillowed heart, and I am not ashamed to say I cheated by using my sewing machine. You could do it by hand, but I love quick projects and by using the sewing machine. I was done in no time.

One pair of adult jeans is enough to make several sets of hearts. I prefer to make three or five bowl fillers per decorative arrangement. I think odd numbers are more interesting. This inexpensive sewing craft cost me no money. I was able to use what I already had around. If you do need to purchase any supplies, they will be easy on the pocketbook.

Things You Will Need:

Blue jeans
Scissors
Wax paper
Red acrylic paint
Small bowl
Sponge brush
Pink acrylic paint
Heart cookie cutter set (optional)
Pencil
Lightweight cardboard
Sewing machine
White thread
Ruler
Stuffing

Step 1
Cut off the legs of the jeans just below the crotch. Cut the legs open at a side seam.

Step 2
Cover your painting surface with wax paper. Newspaper is not recommended. The paper will stick to the fabric when dry. Lay one jean leg on the wax paper with the wrong side facing up.

Step 3
Pour red acrylic paint into a small bowl. Add water and mix until the paint is slightly thicker than ink. Paint the entire surface of the leg using a sponge brush. Repeat the method with pink acrylic paint and the other jean leg. Allow the paint to dry. The drying time on fabric takes a while. I painted mine and left them to dry overnight. When dry, simply peel the painted denim off the wax paper.

Step 4
Make your heart patterns. I used a set of heart cookie cutters that came in several sizes. You can, of course, draw your own hearts. You will need a 6-inch, 4 1/2-inch and 2-inch heart shape. Trace them on lightweight cardboard and cut out.

Step 5
Trace two of the largest hearts and one of the smallest hearts on the unpainted backside of the red painted denim. Note: The painted side is now the front. Trace the medium size heart on the back of the pink painted denim. This will give you a heart bowl filler with the main color being red. Reverse the order of denim hearts for a heart that is mainly pink. Cut out the hearts.

Step 6
Thread your sewing machine with white thread. Set your machine to sew a blanket stitch. If your machine doesn't have a lot of decorative stitches, a zig zag stitch will also look nice.

Step 7
Center the smallest heart on the medium heart with the painted sides of both facing up. Stitch around the edges to applique. Place the appliqued medium heart on one of the largest hearts with the painted sides of both facing up. Stitch around the edges to applique.

Step 8
Lay the remaining large heart with the unpainted side facing up. Place the appliqued layers of the other hearts on top with the painted sides facing up. Align the edges. Trim if necessary. Stitch around the edge, connecting the two sides together. Leave a 2 1/2-inch opening on the edge. Do not remove the heart from the sewing machine.

Step 9
Position the needle down into the fabric. This will hold the hearts in place. Fill the heart with stuffing. Use a pencil or the point of your scissors to poke in the stuffing. Once filled, finish stitching the bowl filler closed.