February is an excellent month for dreaming of May (especially if you live in Minnesota)!
And it's always time for a clever crafting project! Here's one to help you whittle away the hours while you wait oh-so-impatiently for the latest issue of Flea Market Style!
Paper czarina Sara Smith designed these "Heartstrings" garlands using her sewing machine and pages from Reader's Digest condensed books found at a flea market. They're great for Valentine's Day decor or for gifting to a treasured someone.
Materials:
* Several hearts cut from book pages, sheet music or other paper
* Heart-shaped puncher or scissors
* Threaded sewing machine
Step 1
Determine how many sets of hearts you want on your string; the one pictured has eight, but not all are visible. (Some are also hanging upside down, but that's because the string was looped over the window hardware to hang so at least some of the hearts could be photographed!) Each 3-D heart is made from three hearts. Cut or punch them out.
Step 2
With your sewing machine, pull a lead thread (as long as you want for hanging the chain) beyond the sewing machine bed.
Step 3
Position a stack three hearts, perfectly aligned, so it is centered under the needle of your sewing machine and stitch past the bottom tip of the hearts. This is the first heart in your chain. Keep sewing past the hearts; this will give you the thread between the set of hearts you just sewed and the next one you will add. You can space them any way you like; Sara starts stitching another stack of hearts as soon as the first stack has cleared off the base of the sewing machine.
Step 4
Repeat until your chain is at the desired length. Leave extra thread at the bottom for attaching a weight, if you like. (Sara added a "skeleton-key-to-your-heart" on this one)!
Step 5
Fold each set of hearts in the middle along the thread line and then separate each to form the 3D heart.
Then it's all over but deciding where to hang it!
Smith operates the Seasons In Carver monthly occasional sale in Carver, Minn., and never met a paper recycling project she didn't like. See more of her work on her blog!
Do these heartstrings tug at yours? What fun craft are you working on for Valentine's Day?
There is still time to register for give away #5 below
13 comments:
What a great and nice idea for Valentines! Thanks for the tips and techniques on how to do it!
Well how cleaver is that!!!! Stay warm...Amy (Mom to the Four Sisters who also chose to live in Blizzard-palooza Iowa)
I did a very similar project today. You can see it here
http://daniellesserendipity.blogspot.com/2011/02/hearts-flutter-lampshade.html
Danielle
very pretty!!
Great idea, I love that is made with news/old book paper.
Greetings from Europe♥
Visiting here always make my brain think.. these are so cute and clever...
pattie
Cute idea! thanks for sharing :-)
What a great idea! I think I'm going to try this today, considering I'm snowed in, and have nowhere to go: :)
Thanks for sharing the craft and her blog! I loved them both, and I have to say, as a born and raised, wouldn't want to live anywhere else other than MN girl, you are so lucky you moved when you did. These frigid temps are getting old, even for me!
Kate
Love those bottle toppers- Can't wait for the new Flea Mkt Style- twice a year is not enough- but will have to do for now.
I am working on home made altered art valentines cards I added an old skelton key to one
janice
Darling idea and just in time for Valentines Day!
Great Valentine idea. I'm looking forward to the spring issue and seeing more. imsewuneek@yahoo.com
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