How-To Tuesdays - Felted Valentine Hearts

I love Valentine's Day, and getting the chance to decorate this testosterone-heavy house with pink and purple hearts makes me so happy!  I have been on quite the heart-making kick, that I'd thought I'd share a bit on how to make them with you!  (You can purchase a kit here if you're so inclined to join me.)  Even you've never needle-felted before, this is an easy project that a beginner can do.  

Okay...first off....

Measure out 10 inches of natural roving.

Roll roving into a circular coil.

Secure the end to form a circle by tacking it down to the with your felting needle.

Felt using a up-and-down motion all over the circle.  Flip the circle and felt again.  Keep flipping and felting until the circle reaches your desired stiffness.

Make an indentation at the the top of the heart using your felting needle.  Felt several times .

Pinch the opposite side of the "heart" to form a triangular shape.

Turn heart on its side and felt the side straight.  Use a single need or needle tool.

Shape with your fingers if you need to.  Continue felting....

until your heart reaches your desired shape.

Place your dyed wool on top of your heart, and felt into place. 

Keep covering your heart with dyed roving until....

the whole heart is covered.

Now that your heart is done, you can decide how you want to embellish it!

To make a white outline, take your white wool yarn and place on the outer 1/4 inch edge of the heart.

Starting with the edge, and keeping your fingers out of the way, felt the yarn into place.

Continue around the entire edge, felting as you go.

The finished outline.

Now, let's add a flower!

Make a circle the size of a silver dollar with the color you want for the petals.  Use your felting needle to felt the circle on both sides, flipping until you reach a tightly felted circle.

Hold the circle in one hand as you carefully stick the needle into the edge of the flower.  This will form the indentation between two petals.

Continue around the circle by pinching a "petal" and making an indentation next to it.    Five indentations, arranged equidistantly around the circle will make 5 petals.

Place your finished flower in the center of the heart.  Felt into place.

Roll up a small bit of white wool and place in the center of the flower.

Felt the white into place.

Take a piece of twine, ribbon, or yarn and thread on a sharp needle.  

Pull the twine through... 

tie an overhand knot in the ends of the twine...

step back, and admire your heart.

These hearts can be hung up on a tree, strung on a mantle, or tucked carefully into the hands of your little loves for a sweet Valentine's Day gift.  You can also purchase hearts in our shop.  Happy crafting!!

(((Amy)))