Fabric scraps are the sewing equivalent of last night’s leftover casserole (but far less easy to use up). I hate throwing these pesky little bits of material away, believing I might one day find some amazing use for them. You never know when you might need that tiny bit of lace, right? Well, folks, my fabric scraps’ day in the sun has come, at least for these pieces of rather lovely red-hued embossed scuba (currently using to make a top – blog post to follow soon) and leopard print chiffon. It doesn’t really make too much of a dent in my huge stash, but it’s a start.

You Will Need: two scraps of contrasting fabric; a cute button or any other decoration you fancy adding; matching thread; a brooch clasp.

As it’s Valentine’s Day soon-ish, I thought it would be apt to make a little super-simple fabric heart brooch. I started out by sketching two heart templates – one larger than the other – on tissue paper (to ensure both sides are even, fold the paper in half, draw half a heart, then cut around it) and using it to cut out two heart-shaped pieces of the scuba with pinking shears to form the front and back, and one of the leopard print for decoration.

I then hand-stitched the leopard print heart onto the centre of the front piece, followed by the heart button, before pinning the front and back pieces together (wrong sides together, of course) and sewing around the outside with my machine (although you could hand-stitch it if you wanted to). Stitch the brooch clasp onto the back, and you’re good to go! How do you put your fabric scraps to good use?