Create a Heart Shaped Gift Card Holder


Gift cards are a popular way to show you care but the little envelopes they come in are not very exciting. Turn on your Brother machine and get ready to stitch this fancy little heart shaped gift card holder. It’s the perfect way to present a gift card to someone you love. This project features heart shaped frame patterns built-in to your Brother embroidery machine, along with a sweet embroidery design. Simply embroider two hearts and connect them together to create a pocket that stands on its own as a gift card holder or looks nice attached to a greeting card. All you need is your Brother machine, a 4-inch X 4-inch hoop and a few basic supplies. Are you ready? Let’s go sew!

Materials and Supplies

[caption id="attachment_23115" align="aligncenter" width="597"] Figure #1[/caption]

Fabric and notions

  • Fabric #1 for small heart; Two pieces of 8-inch X 8-inch light colored cotton. I used white quilting cotton with a tone on tone design. Add medium weight fusible interfacing to wrong side of each piece.
  • Fabric #2 for larger embroidered heart; Two pieces of 8-inch X 8-inch cotton print. Add medium weight fusible interfacing to wrong side of one 8-inch piece. The second piece does not need interfacing.
  • One piece of ribbon measuring ¼-inch wide X 9-inches long.
  • Small strips of fusible webbing for closing small slits on hearts.

Instructions for Creating Gift Card Holder

1. Gather prepared fabric pieces. See Figure #2. [caption id="attachment_23116" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #2[/caption] 2. Hoop one piece of Fabric#1, layering fabric with tear away stabilizer on wrong side. See Figure #3. [caption id="attachment_23117" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #3[/caption] 3. Transfer heart design to machine and create a combination design as follows: Program one or two lines of small lettering above the heart. Next, add a heart shaped frame from the built-in frame patterns, using the straight stitch option. See Figure #4a. [caption id="attachment_23118" align="aligncenter" width="654"] Figure #4a[/caption]
  • Re-size to create a heart shape with a final size of approximately 3.33-inches high and 3.33-inches wide. See completed combination in Figure #4b.
[caption id="attachment_23119" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #4b[/caption]
Tips: Your design combination should fit within the final heart shaped frame. Adjust the position of the lettering and the heart so it closely resembles the combination featured here.
4. Stitch the design, stopping before you stitch the final heart shaped frame. See Figure #5. [caption id="attachment_23120" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #5[/caption] 5. Layer the second piece of fabric on top, placing right sides together and pinning the outer four corners to keep fabric from shifting. This piece will serve as the lining. See Figure #6a and Figure 6b. [caption id="attachment_23121" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #6a[/caption] [caption id="attachment_23122" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #6b[/caption] 6. Stitch the final heart shaped frame. See Figure #7. [caption id="attachment_23123" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #7[/caption] Remove from hoop and set aside temporarily. 7. Return to the built-in frame patterns on your machine and once again select a heart shaped frame using the straight stitch option. Re-size the heart to the maximum height and width for the 4-inch hoop. In this example the heart measures 3.79-inches high X 3.87-inches wide. See Figure #8. [caption id="attachment_23124" align="aligncenter" width="662"] Figure #8[/caption] 8. With right sides together, layer the two pieces of printed fabric, having the piece with fusible interfacing on the bottom and the second fabric serving as the lining fabric on top. Embroider the heart shaped frame. See Figure #9a, #9b, and #9c. [caption id="attachment_23125" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #9a[/caption] [caption id="attachment_23126" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #9b[/caption] [caption id="attachment_23127" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #9c[/caption] 9. Select both finished hearts and trim excess fabric outside of the heart shape, leaving a 1/8-inch seam allowance and carefully clipping the top point. On each of the lining sides, mark a line for cutting a small slit near the bottom end. See Figure #10. [caption id="attachment_23128" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #10[/caption] 10. Carefully cut slits to create an opening for turning the pieces right sides out. See Figure #11. [caption id="attachment_23129" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #11[/caption] 11. Turn hearts right side out, place fusible webbing underneath the slits and press to fuse the openings closed. See Figure #12. [caption id="attachment_23130" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #12[/caption] 12. Set up machine for sewing, selecting the stem stitch set for width 2.0, length 3.5. See stitch example in Figure #13. [caption id="attachment_23131" align="aligncenter" width="652"] Figure #13[/caption]
  • With slits facing one another, place small heart on top of the larger one, leaving a small amount of space near the bottom to allow for stitching the two pieces together. Place pins just below the lettering to indicate the beginning and end for stitching the pocket. Stitch hearts together, making sure the left-hand swing of the stitch catches the smaller heart. See Figure #14.
[caption id="attachment_23132" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #14[/caption] 13. Form a loop with the ribbon and use a straight stitch to anchor it to the top of the larger heart. See Figure #15. [caption id="attachment_23133" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Figure #15[/caption] See top and bottom side of finished card holder below. You are finished! Enjoy!