Molly's Sketchbook: Valentine Pins

These little valentine pins are as fun to wear as they are to make. They would be a perfect project to make with kids for their class valentine swap. Each one takes minutes to make so you can whip up a bunch in no time!

Materials

• One Wool Felt Bundle in Spice (I also used individual pieces of fuchsia and a bright pink which I had left over from our all of our Christmas projects.)
• Valdani Embroidery Thread in various shades of pink, red and orange.
• Bamboo Stuffing
• Small safety pins
• Pinking Shears

Download, print and cut out our Heart Template here. I traced mine onto a piece of cardboard so it would be sturdy and reusable.

Cutting

Cut two 2 1/2-inch squares from one of the felt pieces.

Stack the two squares neatly on top of one another and trace the heart template on the top square using a pencil.

Using pinking shears, cut through both pieces of felt around the marked heart. You will have two heart shapes. If there are any pencil marks visible just flip the pieces over so their tops are mark-free. Line up the two hearts wrong sides together.

Sewing and Stuffing

Cut an 18-inch length of embroidery thread in a color that contrasts pleasantly with the felt. Sew the two shapes together all around the edge, 1/8th of an inch from the edge using a small neat running stitch. In order to hide the knot start your first stitch in-between the two pieces of felt. Stop before you get all the way around so that you leave a small gap as pictured above.

Using a pencil or a knitting needle stuff the heart tightly, using one small bit of stuffing at a time.

Once the heart is stuffed tight sew around to close the gap.

Tie a knot on the back side of the stitching and then stick your needle through the back of the heart. (Do not poke through to the front!) Pull the thread through and clip it very close to the felt, this will hide the end and make the back look nice and neat.

Attaching the Pin

Place a small safety pin on the center of the back of the heart. Make sure it's oriented so that you will easily be able to open the pin once it's sewn onto the heart.

Tie a small knot at the end of your embroidery thread and begin sewing the pin onto the heart through the back ring of the safety pin as shown above. This will help to anchor the safety pin.

Sew the safety pin on securely as shown above. When you're done you can hide the thread end in the same way as you did in the "Sewing and Stuffing" section and you'll be all done! Repeat as many times as you want to make a beautiful array of pins!

Comments

[Stephanie]

These are adorable! I love how simple they are.

[Michelle]

Thanks for showing us how to use a simple, ordinary safety pin for the back, no need to buy those special pin backs anymore! Fabulous.

[Metropolitan Housewife]

Awww, these are absolutely ADORABLE! I think I'll make one of these for each of my DD's preschool classmates- how simple and precious!

[Kelli]

These are the cutest little hearts ever!

[Fig]

I have been thinking about V-day and crafty hearts for the last several days and here are some!

I love those little hearts. I am planning on making them a bit bigger, and embroidering very brief expressions of LUV on them--as on the Sweet Tarts!

Thanks for the inspiration.

[cidell]

A-dorable!

[billiejeanne]

I love it! What fun colors.

[Linda]

Aren't these the cutest little hearts! I guess I have another project to do. LOVE YOUR BLOG. Thank you so much for posting. Linda

http://twosucculentsisters.blogspot.com

[Kate]

I agree with all the above comments. This project is adorable however I considered the copyright infringement regarding the actual heart shape a bit too much given that the heart seems nearly a universal symbol! Many thanks, Kate

[jessica dougherty]

adorable! i will have to give this a shot!

[Stephanie]

These are adorable!

[Carolyn]

These are ADORABLE. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this nifty idea!

[Holly]

Love these! I hope you don`t mind that I wrote about them on my blog and posted one of your pics! Thanks!!!

[cata]

Wonderful idea!
Thanks for sharing.
Cata

[Nikki]

Awesome! Thanks, can't wait to do this with my kids.

[dana]

Adorable! I absolutely love them.

[Nina]

This is adorable!!! Thank you so much for the tutorial, I can't wait to make some myself!! Greetings from Germany - Nina

[Azul]

this hearts are so beautiful!!! i love ti, it look so easy to do, i´ll try it! thank you so much!!

[Jasmine]

THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS

i always tend to think that holiday-esque stuff are tacky

but NOT THIS
haha LOVE.

check out my blog :)!

[kellybee]

I love these! I want to make them into magnets too...any tips?

[lucy]

soo lovely-the colors are candy fantastic!! i'm stuffing mine with lavender for sachets. gorgeous post and amazing inspiration yet again. thanks!!

[Chriss]

Thanks so much for the tut! I am off to make hearts. I am taking a friend to the hospital for chemo today and I think this is the perfect activity for us. You are a peach!

[ST.]

It's simple, lovely and fabulous idea. I would like to mention about your cute little hearts on my blog. Hope you don't mind.

[Rachel V.]

Just too stinkin' cute!!! I'm probably out of time for this year, but definitely saving this link for next year's ideas. :)

[Craftershock]

We loved your project so much, we featured it on Craftershock!

http://www.craftershock.com/blog