To work on the hand sewn hearts, I began by ensuring I had read the directions completely so that I would not begin working and forget something (a step, material, etc.) while in the middle of another process. I do that frequently when I cook, even though I remember to set out the ingredients and measure most of them beforehand. Typically one of my parents then has to run over and add an ingredient while I’m stirring or mix my concoction while I add an ingredient so that I don’t burn whatever is cooking on the stove. I have vowed to change my ways with the help of this class. So, after thoroughly reading the instructions, I cut out two hearts, as shown below.
After cutting the paper hearts, I chose my fabric based upon my own personal preference and how much was left of that scrap. I tried to be conservative, pinning the paper cutouts on the folded fabric such that I would waste as little material as possible.
I then carefully cut out two identical hearts from each fabric with the Fiskar shears.
Immediately afterwards I pinned together the hearts to keep the fabric aligned perfectly such that I would be able to sew with the fabric held in place, guiding my stitches.
I began to sew, quickly discovering it was more difficult than I anticipated. I focused on maintaining the stitch consistency — keeping the space between each puncture in the fabric the same, as well as ensuring the stitches were flowing smoothly parallel to the pillow’s edge the entire time. Once I had about two inches of sewing left, I grabbed extra fabric scraps from the bin and stuffed my heart.
I resumed sewing. The edges started fraying due to the amount of stuffing I added, so I had to move my stitches slightly inwards to avoid ruining the fabric further. When I had finished sewing the heart pillow, I tied off the floss and cut the ends off.
I repeated the entire sewing process for the black heart pillow. Learning from the first pillow, I held the seam a little further from the edge of the fabric to prevent fraying. However, I found the edges did not fray compared to the first pillow, as the fabric was more felt-like. It was more difficult to remain consistent with the stitching, as the black floss on black fabric caused challenges differentiating between each material. After having to rethread my needle a few times while in the midst of sewing due to some knotting issues with the floss, I completed the black heart pillow. Then, I cleaned my workspace so that those after me could use it comfortably.
Upon reflection, I noticed I thought to myself a few times that it would be more convenient if I had been using a sewing machine rather than my own hands. However, while I may not envision myself sewing by hand in my future engineering profession, I recognize the importance of sewing as a skill. Last semester, my beloved cargo pants had an unfortunate hole. I could not find the same pair online to repurchase as they had been discontinued. However, my roommate can sew, and kindly offered to patch them up for me. Now, I will be able to make simple repairs like that on my own. I see this being a useful tool when having children as they fall and scrape themselves frequently and likely will tear their clothes.
Furthermore, to consider cost, I must first consider the materials I used. My raw materials were the fabric and embroidery floss. Tools I utilized were a sewing needle, three pins, Fiskars scissors, a piece of paper, a pen, normal scissors, and a seam ripper.
In terms of raw materials, I would opt to order fabric online from Fabric Depot. While Amazon may appear to be the simpler option considering I have Amazon Prime (shorter delivery and free shipping once subscription paid), Fabric Depot allows for more flexibility. Amazon mainly sells multipacks of smaller fabric squares, whereas the size of the fabric is more customizable on Fabric Depot. As I’m a beginner, it would be ideal to order slightly more fabric than I require in case of mistakes. That allows for scraps for stuffing and more flexibility if necessary to start over. Plus, Fabric Depot has more options for types of fabric and patterns, which is a fun bonus. Based on how much fabric I used for the hearts and the stuffing of the pillows, I would likely need a half a yard of each type of fabric. A half a yard of black felt is $4.88, and a half a yard of patterned fabric is $4. Shipping to Hanszen is $9.95. Moreover, a 2-Pack of All-Purpose Thread is $6.95 from Amazon.
In terms of tools, what appears to be the exact sewing needle I used looks like one that comes in a pack of 30 needles on Amazon for $3.99. A 200 piece set of Multicolor Sewing Pins costs $4.19 on Amazon. Fiskars Easy Action Titanium Scissors are $24.72 on Amazon. I used my own piece of paper and pen to cut out the two guides for the hearts. Also, I own two pairs of scissors. So, I will not include the piece of paper, pen, or scissors in my calculations, as those I could outsource for free. Finally, a 2-PCS Seam Ripper set is $4.99 from Amazon.
In terms of labor, I would charge $7.5 an hour simply for my time and unwavering focus on the task, not because of the quality or appearance of the pillows. Also, the minimum wage in Texas is $7.25, so I would aim to charge at that threshold or slightly above. I spent 2.5 hours working on the pillows from start to finish, so labor would cost $18.75.
In total, raw materials would cost $25.78, tools would cost $37.89, and labor would cost $18.75. The two heart pillows would cost in total $82.42.
