Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Valentine Craft - woven felt hearts

Greetings and Dear Cynthia,

This is not an original idea, though I don't recall ever running across it actually in print, so I thought I'd share this fun craft with you.

These are little heart pockets made out of felt:
The tops open up and can hold a treat inside!

They may be made any size. The pattern piece I use is four inches wide and six inches tall. The key is to start with a square (I started with a four inch square), and add a half circle to one side of it. Then draw two lines evenly spaced which are the length of one side of the square (as shown in the photo):
This pattern piece is placed on the fold of a piece of felt. I use two pieces of different colored felt. (I get the pre-cut felt which is 9x12 inches; I am able to make two hearts with these two pieces of felt.)

Cut around the pattern piece and also cut along the lines. For a heart having larger woven squares, cut on only the two lines; for a heart having smaller woven squares, bisect each of the "legs" with an additional cut. Here is what the felt pieces look like after cutting them out and opening up the fold; these pieces will make a green and gold heart having the smaller woven squares:
Weaving the first row can be tricky, until you "see" how things are supposed to be working. It's difficult to explain with words, though hopefully you will be able to figure it out from the pictures. For big woven squares:
For little woven squares:
First row completed:
Moving on to the second row:
...and the third row:
Heart with big woven squares with weaving completed:
Weaving in the final (sixth) row of the heart with small woven squares:
A look at the inside after weaving is complete:
Add a little hanger (I just took a piece of long/narrow rectangular felt and used a hot glue gun to attach it to the top of the heart, one end on each side so that it still opens up to be able to hold a little treat inside):
Of course, you may not fancy a green and gold heart (not a Packers fan?), so enjoy creating your own color combinations!

Warm regards,
Laura (YarnThrower)

6 comments:

Sus said...

Oh, memories! We used to make these from construction paper to use as May baskets! We didn't curve the tops, though, so they didn't look like hearts. I like this variation and how cute in felt!!!!

marit said...

Cute! We make these in glossy paper and hang on our christmastree- most kids learn to make them in school.

Cindy G said...

Oh, I've always loved those, too! But it's been so many years since I made one that it's nice to have a refresher. And a nice touch to demonstrate in Packer colors.....

Gramma Phyllis said...

I learned how to make those a zillion years ago as a very young girl in a Scandinavian neighborhood. They were filled with Christmas sweets and hung on the tree to be shared with those who visited during the holiday season. Nice use of Packer colors.

price per head online said...

Thanks so much for this post. A combination of advice that I've heard before but always bears repeating; plus new tips that I really ought to consider

jerseys cheap said...

Lovely! We let the glossy paper and hang in our Christmas tree - most children learn to let them in the school.