An Easy Felt Heart Garland

The week before Valentine's Day, I spent a freezing cold Saturday with Darned Ideas at Foundry, one of the most awesome stores in Asheville. Yeah, yeah, this craft involves felt hearts. But who says we can only craft with hearts on Valentine's Day? Not this gal.

The unbelievably adorable heart garland was made using upcycled bed sheets and felt. Simple! It came together easily, too, with just a few colorful running stitches to seam them up. Pinking shears gave them a nice little border.

I didn't finish my garland at the crafternoon, but because I sewed the hearts together using a running stitch, it was the perfect craft to make while watching TV. (I'm currently addicted to Scandal. You?)

I turned this little heart into a magnet for my fridge by just hot gluing a magnet to the back.



 

I hope you believe in crafting hearts year round, too!

Turtle Power: Ninja Turtles Tee

Remember the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? I do. More accurately, I remember the dangerously violent moves they taught my brother to use on me.

The resurrection of the Turtles means a whole new generation of brothers can torment their siblings. Case in point: my nephew. I guess you can say I condone the violence, because I made him this Ninja Turtles tee shirt for his 5th birthday.

My nephew's favorite turtle changes every day, so the hardest part was guessing who he'd like during his birthday party. I went with Leonardo -- mostly because I had some extra blue jersey in my stash.

Want to make your own? It's so simple and takes less than a half-hour. I found the idea for the Turtle tee over on Sewing Mama RaeAnna. I just sewed some jersey fabric onto a store-bought tee shirt. I didn't finish any edges, and the eyes are made from an old sheet. Tie the jersey on the side, then trim the ends so they're not getting tangled up in your lil turtle's legs. Ta da! Instant turtle power.

Free Download: The Beginner's Guide to Crochet

Today is a good day for two reasons: 1) It's a snow day and 2) Craftsy released The Beginner's Guide to Crochet, featuring yours truly! It's perfect for anyone who wants to dive right into one of my absolute favorite crafts.

 

The digital guide features basics like crochet abbreviations, plus how to crochet basic stitches like single and double crochet. The guide is free, so download your copy of The Beginner's Guide to Crochet from Craftsy today!