Seventh make for Christmas - Heart Strings AND a Giveaway

Goodness, time flies when you are having fun! I have just realised that this is my 200th post, so with that in mind, there will be a little giveaway at the end...

But  back to today's make. It is inspired by a number of things I have seen in blogland, and in reality of the last few weeks and months that have combined into a little make that I love love love.

Firstly there was my little foray into embroidery back in April. Then there was the AMAZING crewel work on the Great Tapestry for Scotland, then there was the gorgeous work of Lynn over at Textile Treasury with felt and embroidery threads. Between them they inspired me to have a go at these...

Heart Strings

Difficulty: Pretty easy and a good way to dabble with a few embroidery stitches.

You will need: paper, pencil, paper scissors, pins, felt, fabric scissors, embroidery threads, needle, stuffing, ribbon, crochet hook or bent paperclip.

Cut out three heart templates in decreasing sizes. The easiest way to do this is with the paper folded in half. Get the big one right then copy it and draw the next one inside and so on.

Pin each template to the felt and cut two of each size.

Play with the embroidery thread colours and stitches to your heart's content. You can probably get a book of stitches from the library or google it. I just did, and it came up with dozens of perfectly excellent guides. If you plan to hang the heart string against the wall then you only need to do one of each size but you could do both. Up to you!

Use blanket stitch to join the two hearts of each size together, not forgetting to pop in a bit of stuffing before you close it up. You could use toy stuffing, the inside out of an old pillow or cushion, or even cotton wool. You don't need much.

Now, this is the important bit that you mustn't forget: once you have your three pretty little hearts, you must stand back and admire them.

If you have lovely people around you, you must show them and share how lovely and squidgy and beautiful they are.

You must rearrange them, just because you can.

If you have Clara visiting, you must, of course, show them to her.

Then you must find some pretty ribbon and tie a loop in one end.

Then, impale your largest heart on a crochet hook and use it to pull the ribbon right down through it.

String the other hearts the same way then fiddle with the spacing.

Closer?

Not so close?

When you have found the perfect spacing, put a couple of tiny stitches through the top of each heart to secure them.

Then look for the perfect place to hang them.

And that brings me nicely to my 200th post giveaway. I will be giving away my little red heart string. I am afraid it will arrive with the winner in the New Year, but you know what they say: a heart string is not just for Christmas...

To enter the draw, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and become a follower if you wish, and for another chance to win, pop a link to here on your own blog and come and tell me when you have. Entries in by Wed 18th please.

xx