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How to use handmade bias tape to embellish a Valentine’s Day wall hanging

by Jackie White

Yesterday on QUILTsocial I showed you how to turn fabrics into game pieces with HEATNBOND Lite, so let’s keep the fun happening! This adorable heart tree is so easy to make, you probably can’t stop at just one! While you could just use it for Valentine’s Day, it can also be hung up all year long as it symbolizes love, happiness and all things sweet!

Quilted tree made with bias tape for branches and hearts for leaves.

Quilted heart tree made with bias tape using Northcott’s Urban Elementz collection.

Let’s get started.  I chose Northcott’s Urban Elementz fabric line because really, what else symbolizes happiness like polka dots!

materials

Multi colored polka dot fabric and items needed to make the quilted tree.

Northcott Urban Elementz fabric line and supplies needed to make the quilted tree wall hanging

instructions

This tree uses your imagination and creativity. Don’t say you only like patterns, because after you read these instructions, you’ll be creating your own like a pro!

We’re going to use Clover’s Bias Tape Makers in two different sizes (¼” and ½”) to make our tree trunk and branches.

For the trunk and branches, I chose the large colored dots on black fabric. Following the manufacturer’s directions make 4 bias tape lengths using the ½” size and 6 pieces of bias tape using the ¼” size. I find that if I give the fabric a bit of a spray with DYLON spray starch, just before ironing, it holds a sharper and better press when I manipulate it on the quilt.

Set these aside.

Black bias tape, Clover bias tape maker, Oliso Iron and Dylan spray starch

Making bias tape with all the necessary tools

Cut a 20” x 30” rectangle from the grey fabric. This is going to be your background. Iron on the HEATNBOND Non-Woven Light Weight Fusible Interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. The interfacing helps when sewing the bias tape down.

Now comes the crazy creative and fun part! Take your larger sized bias tape and lay it down like you were outlining a tree trunk. Pin in place.

Bias tape pinned down onto grey background in a shape of a tree.

Using the bias tape, make the outline of a tree and pin in place.

Add a couple more for the bigger branches, pinning in place. Then take your smaller pieces of bias tape and lay them down to simulate branches.

As you keep going, you’re going to need to cut some pieces of bias tape shorter, depending on the length of the branch. When branches meet up with other branches or the trunk, tuck the raw end underneath and pin. The far end of the branches doesn’t need to be tucked under as we’ll be placing hearts on all of them.

Bias tape laid out on background in the shape of a tree with branches and pinned down.

Pin down the bias tape to make branches in the tree, tucking the raw ends of the branches under the other pieces of bias tape.

You’re going to topstitch along each side of the bias tape, one side at a time. Since the fabric was cut on the bias, you’ll find the tape has lots of stretch for making the curves and bends of the branches. Continue to stitch down all the branches.

Once you have made sure that all of the trunk and branch bias tapes are stitched down on each edge, press.

All of the bias tape pieces making the tree shape have been topstitched along both sides.

All of the bias tape pieces making the tree shape have been topstitched along both sides.

Join me tomorrow and I’ll show you how to finish our beautiful quilted heart tree! I LOVE how ideal these polka dot fabrics from Northcott’s Urban Elementz are for this cheery quilted project!

This is part 3 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 2: How to turn fabrics into game pieces with HEATNBOND Lite

Go to part 4: Fusible applique hearts complete a quick and easy wall hanging

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3 comments

Connie Wayman January 14, 2024 - 1:06 pm

I was looking for the USA Pattern but couldn’t find it on here. Could you forward it to me please? [email protected]. Thank you sew much!!

Reply
Carla A. Canonico January 26, 2024 - 10:03 am

Connie, this Valentine’s Day pattern is offered in a series of 5 consecutive posts. This post is the second. To get to the first one click on the first link in the first paragraph and to get to the subsequent posts, click on the link at the end of each post. Thank you for asking.

Reply
Dawn F. February 21, 2017 - 9:35 am

This is so cute! I love all the different colored tiny hearts!

Reply

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