A small handmade gift.

What to give to people that have all they need?

I'm always looking for things to make that can be given as small gifts. Now I will share with you some ideas I've found and that is not too complicated to make.
I assume that people all over the world know what to find behind a door with a heart on it.Today I'll show you some hearts that I've made for that purpose. Originally the idea came from a Norwegian craft magazine many years ago.


This is how it looks when done.



I started to draw my heart onto the felt which has glue on one side and then ironed it to the background fabric. I was planning to use velvet but couldn't find that in my piles. (uha)



Cut it out and turn the edges at the back and fasten them. Use an invisible thread. I used the red one just to show you how to.



Now it's time to mark the outlines of what's going to be ones embroidery. As you see I prefer to use a well used bar of soap. (anyone else that still uses bars?) The more they are used the thinner the edges and then they are easy to draw with. The reason I use soap instead of regulare tailor chalk is that the soap don't leave any marks while the chalk does.
I do BTW use to smoothen some of my threads before handsewing and then iron them before use. That prevent the thread from twisting. You can see the marks on my bar. Not the embroidery threads though.



And then the fun begins. Use what colours and stitches you want. On this I used two needles, one for the embroidery thread and one to fasten that thread.




This is how it looked at the back. I don't mind at all how it looks there because I'm going to cover it up.



Time for the shapeform again. Draw, cut and fasten to the heart. Last thing to do is to make the small loope. And then you have made yourself a small or bigger looheart.



The red heart is made slightly different. I didn't use the stiff felt in it. Just some acrylics and then I zig-zaged it together. I dont feel that it's finished, looks a bit dull to me but I'll see.



Well that's how we can make a handmade gift and be able to adjust the colours to the recievers taste. ENJOY!