3D Swedish Heart Template

Swedish Heart Basket Quilt Designed by Kari using EQ8

On February 3, 2024, I shared how to draft a block and quilt that featured a Swedish Heart Basket.  

The traditional Swedish Heart Basket is a three dimensional design made from two pieces of construction paper.  You may have made these during your early school days.  
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The tutorial had me wanting to make a few of these baskets for Valentines Day cards. 

The "basket" could be filled with a favorite chocolate candy. The perfect Valentine surprise.

However the design as created in EQ was not created for three dimensional use.

So I decided to go back to the drawing board and create a template. 

​This template would allow us to cut two pieces that could be woven together for a single basket.

Note that you could vary the spacing between the center lines for different woven baskets.
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3D Swedish Heart Template

In the video, I  share three different template options from Electric Quilt 8:

1. Print the template and manually cut out the fabric.
2. Print the template to a PDF writer installed on your computer.  Use Inkscape** to make minor modifications (delete the extra patches and the header and footer information).  Save as an svg.  
3. Export the image from EQ.  Then use the trace features in your electronic cutting system.  In the video I share how to do this with Cricut Design Space (which in my personal cutting system).  How to do this will vary based on your cutting system.  This is the most complicated of the three options.

Whenever you use a cutting system, make sure the sizes are correct before cutting.  Cutting systems have their own "logic", which may not import the correct sizes.

**What is Inkscape?

The extra piece of software I used for creating the SVGs is Inkscape.  Inkscape is a professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It's free and open source. 

Inkscape can seem overwhelming to use when you open it for the first time. However you only need to use a couple of tools within Inkscape -- so this really is a piece of cake. You can download Inkscape here.

Inkscape will allow you to create an SVG file which may be used in any electronic cutting system (Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, or Brother Canvas Workspace).

So what is an SVG file?  An SVG file is a graphics file that uses a two-dimensional vector graphic format.  Unlike raster formats such as JPG, GIF, and PNG, an SVG image remains crisp and clear at any resolution or size.  My Translation -- Much cleaner of an image than any trace in a cutting system.

In the video, I shared that I changed the size of the template to 2" x 6".  This size made a perfect basket that I used to make some Valentine's Day cards.  More on that below.

Whether or not you choose to make the Swedish Heart basket, I suspect you will find the information on using Electric Quilt 8 with a cutting system incredibly valuable.

​If you would like to share your results, I have set up a Facebook post in the Learning EQ Facebook Group.

Learning EQ Facebook Group for 3D Swedish Basket Hearts

Constructing the 3D Swedish Hearts Basket 

I made one basket with cardstock and a couple with fabric.  The cardstock weaving was a bit harder as I was trying not to bend the paper and I hadn't put any wiggle room in the cuts.  (Learning from my mistake, I did add the wiggle room in the cut in the video.)

For the fabric, I created a 3" x 7" sandwich of fabric, fusible, fabric.  I used the same fabric for the front and back -- but that is not required. 

Just make sure that the wrong sides of the fabric are ironed to the fusible. 

​For fusible I used Lite Steam a Seam 2 -- but I suspect any fusible will work.

Cut the 2" x 6" pieces - either manually or using an electronic cutting system.

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3" x 7" layered pieces of fabric, fusible, fabric ready to be cut.

Fold the pieces in half.

To weave, alternate between putting the loop for fabric 1 (red) outside and then inside the loop for fabric 2 (pink).  

Start with Loop 1.  Go outside Loop A, inside Loop B, outside Loop C and inside Loop D.  (If the last loop slips out, that can be fixed later.)

Loop 2  - do the opposite.  Go inside Loop A, outside Loop B, inside Loop C and outside Loop D.

Loop  3.  Go outside Loop A, inside Loop B, outside Loop C and inside Loop D.  (If the last loop slips out, that can be fixed later.)

Loop 4.  Go inside Loop A, outside Loop B, inside Loop C and outside Loop D.

After each loop, you will want to snug up the placement so it is against the previous edge.  Otherwise there won't be enough room for the last loop.

Swedish Heart Weaving Diagram

Here are my cards with the Swedish Baskets.  I was able to fit a piece of candy in each of the baskets.

Swedish Heart Basket card with two fabrics

Swedish Heart Basket card with two pieces of designer series paper (printed on both sides)

Swedish Heart Basket card with two fabrics

Card Construction Information:

Card Base:  5-1/2 x 8-1/2 Basic White cardstock.  Scored and folded at 4-1/2".

Scalloped Card Front:   Stampin Up Scalloped Contours Dies (155560).  Paper was Sale-A-Bration. Most Adored paper.  Free with a $50 order placed before the end of February 2024.

Swedish Heart Baskets:  Cut out on Cricut Maker using the templates from this video.  The middle card was cut from the Most Adored Sale-A-Bration paper.  The other cut from fabric in my stash.

Other Smaller Decorative Hearts:  Stampin Up Adoring Heart dies (currently unavailable).  I layered three of the cut pieces together and for two of the cards added a plain heart in back.

If you would like to order Stampin Up Supplies through me, you will be able to do so here. 

​When checking out enter the host code J3NW7MWC.    (If you order by the end of February and your order totals $50, make sure to select your Sale-A-Bration gift.) 

I will be sending a small gift to those who order using my host code.  :)

Other Valentine Cards (for my nieces and nephews)

Most of these were made from the Sending Love Cling Stamp Set (162873) and Sending Love Dies (162879).  The Bundle with both is #162880. 

I loved the 3D mailbox and envelope.  I was able to fold up a piece of currency to fit in the envelope and put the envelope in the mailbox.

I wonder how long it will take the nieces and nephews to figure it out?

Sending Love Stamps and Dies from Stampin Up

If you use a braid, the flag can even be moved up and down.

​How cute it that.

Sending Love Card #1

Inside of Card #1

Sending Love Card #2

Sending Love Card #3. This is a fun fold that opens in the center.

Fold Out of Card #3

Sending Love Card #4 Fun Fold

Behind the flap of Card #4.

Send Love Card #5 - Stand-Up Fun Fold

Happy quilting.

​Kari

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