by Caroline Urdaneta
Salsa Pie

My grandfather grew up in Little Italy in a big Italian family, and if there’s one thing he taught us, it’s that food and love go hand in hand. And what better way to show someone you love them than to cook a great meal? He certainly did that for all of us. You know what I remember the most about the meals my Papa would prepare? This might sound funny, but it’s the red and white checkered fabric “bibs” that even the big, grown men in our family would proudly wear as they chowed down on some pasta.

This project: red and white checkered “That’s Amore!” heart napkins are inspired by those delicious memories of mine. These would be the perfect finishing touch for any romantic meal you maybe planning for your sweetheart and the best part? They take only moments to make!

To make these for your love, you’ll need 1/4 a yard of fabric per napkin (or 1/2 a yard for 2) and a sewing machine.

Ready to get started? Hooray! Here we go!

Materials:
1/2 yard of red and white checkered fabric (or 1/4 yard for each napkin if you want to make more)
Sewing Scissors
Sewing Thread (complimentary color or contrasting. I used black, on purpose, for a bold, edgier contrast)
Freezer Paper (to make your pattern)
An Iron
Sewing Machine

To make your pattern cut out a heart shape from your freezer paper by folding the paper in half. I used a size of approximately 6 inches from the fold to the end of the heart bump for my width and about 11 inches long.

Once you cut out your shape from freezer paper, open it out and lay it on your fabric. Using the dry setting iron the heart pattern on, wax side down.

Double your fabric if you wish and pin the ironed on freezer paper heart to both pieces. You’ll only need to pin the heart on if you are cutting through two pieces of fabric at a time. Otherwise, you simply cut around the paper.

After you cut out your heart shapes you should have two hearts, exactly the same size. Peel away your freezer paper paper and repeat until you’ve cut out all the napkins your wish to make.

Stack the hearts one on top of another, right sides together. Pin along edges if you prefer.

Sew along the edges of your heart beginning just above the base tip of your heart and working your way around until you almost return to the starting point. Leave a small opening so you can flip your heart right side outward.

Flip your heart right side out through the opening.

Iron your heart and turn the seam from the small opening to the inside, then sew along the edges of the entire heart to finish it off and close the opening. You can get really creative at this point, adding additional detail work, playing with thread colors, or keep it simple.

Once you sew your opening seam closed, you’re done! Your heart is now ready to find its way into the hands of your adorable partner. They can even flip the napkin and use it as a bib if they want to channel their inner Godfather!

Now, that’s what I call Amore!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Categories: Whimseybox Projects