I never wanted Valérie’s queen of hearts costume to get complicated and expensive so I didn’t want to make a dress. The first part was a tutu to be worn over a black bodysuit. This next part is a tabard. Actually, it’s not exactly a tabard but that word sounds better than “felt sandwich board”.
Looks better when she’s standing up…
Materials :
-12″ white felt on the bolt (sheets aren’t big enough).
-5″ red felt on the bolt or two 9″ x 12″ sheets of red felt.
-fabric glue
-15″ black 0.75″ wide elastic (exactly 15″ so you may want more)
-two small squares of velcro or whatever you want to use to attach straps (snaps could work well and were actually my first idea)
-black embroidery thread
-white crystals and rhinestone applicator (or any embellishment you would like)
Step 1: Print and cut out the pattern for the front and back as well as the hearts. You’ll need to tape the two pieces together. The blue part on the bottom pattern piece should be completely hidden under the black lines of the top pattern piece. They’re only there to help align the pieces together properly. I traced the pattern pieces on regular 8.5″ x 11″ paper.
Step 2: Cut out the front and back pattern out of white felt twice (once for front, once for back). Transfer dots to wrong side of pieces. Cut out two of each of the hearts out of red felt. You will have 6 hearts.
Step 3: Pin 3 hearts to each piece of white felt, smallest at the top, biggest on the bottom. Glue the hearts to the felt.
Step 4 : Cut the elastic into 2 3.5″ pieces and 2 4″ pieces.
Step 5: Glue the 3.5″ pieces of elastic at the sides (blue dots on pattern) on both the front and back. Glue the 4 ” pieces of elastic at the top (black dots on pattern) only on the front piece.
Step 6: Glue one side of the velcro squares to the free end of the 4″ elastics and the other side to the black dots on the black piece.
Detail of the velcro on the elastic.
Step 7: Using a running stitch, embroider along the edge of the front and back pieces, catching the elastic and velcro when you reach that part.
With the running stitch. It’s kind of hard to see but the elastic is there at the sides.
Step 8: Embellish the front hearts with the white crystals.
Finished!
Notes : Everything that is glued could be sewn by hand or machine. Something other than felt could also be used but then, you may want to interface the front and back pieces so they have more body. You don’t want this to be stiff like cardboard but it needs to have body. And have fun with the embellishments! Embroidery around the hearts could be very cute. I chose crystals because I wanted a little of the shimmer from the tutu on the tabard. You need shimmer to be a proper queen! This pattern could also work well to make a playing card costume. Make a plain rectangle instead of a scalloped front and back and use only one size for the hearts.
Creative mommy at home to two wonderful little girls, trying to juggle family, sewing, exercise, family, knitting, photography, and did I mention family?
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