Easy Craft--Felt Heart Pin

Today’s craft is a quick and easy project you can use as a gift or inexpensive swag:

 

a felt heart pin.

 

A square of felt, a few scraps of contrasting or coordinating material, some decorative buttons, and a flat-backed crafting pin are all you need to get started.

 

1.     Using a cardboard template, cut two hearts approximately 2-inches long from the tallest curve of the heart to the point, and 2-inches wide from the center of the widest section of the heart. Trim hearts, if necessary so they match perfectly.

 

2.     From the contrasting/coordinating scrap of material, cut a ½-inch to ¾-inch wide by 8-inch long strip. I used the selvage edge of my material so the ruffle created from the strip would be smooth. If you like a more rustic look you could cut both edges of the strip.

 

3.     Using a running basting stitch, and a fairly long piece of thread, baste along the cut side of the strip. Do not cut your thread yet.

 

4.     Using the thread, gather the material until the strip forms a tight ruffle. Stitch the loose ends together, right sides facing each other, to create a ruffled circle.  Spread the gathers around the circle evenly.

 

5.     Stitch the ruffle to the center of the felt heart, stitching the fabric at the center of the ruffle circle.

 

6.     Using the same piece of thread you started with, stitch a decorative button in the opening of the ruffle covering the raw edges of the circle’s center. Tie your thread off on the back side of the felt heart and cut it.

 

 

7.     Match the felt hearts up, and using a contrasting piece of heavy thread or embroidery floss, stitch the hearts together along the edges with a blanket stitch.

 

8.     Glue or stitch the clasp pin to the back of the second felt heart, and your gift is ready to be boxed and presented.

 

If you don’t like the ruffled look, here’s an alternative idea: cut a small star from the contrasting fabric, blanket stitch around the edges and sew a small decorative or contrasting color button in the center of the star.

 

If you want to use the pin as book swag, print up a postcard with your book cover, purchase info, and website address on one half of the card. Attach the pin to the opposite side.

This easy craft is a great jumping off point for similar felt pins. I’m already designing more as I write this post. So, watch for new versions on upcoming Woven Wednesdays posts!

 

 

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Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. Besides writing, Catherine loves traveling with her husband, singing, and attending theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

 

Her debut inspiration romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing was an ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2014 EPIC finalist, and the winner of the 2014 Beverly Hills Book Award and the 2014 RONE Award. Her newest book, a romantic comedy with a touch of drama, entitled A Groom For Mama, is due out September 2017, from Soul Mate Publishing. You can follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, Facebook or through her blog Romance for the Ages.