Oh Joy! D.I.Y. blogger Joy Cho shows you how to make mini heart pillows for your Valentine
You can certainly go the chocolates-and-flowers route this Valentine’s Day. But we asked popular Los Angeles craft blogger Joy Cho — you know her as Oh Joy!, author of the book “Oh Joy! 60 Ways to Create & Give Joy” — to suggest something else entirely with this kid-friendly crafting project that can be personalized in oh so many ways:
Mini Valentine’s pillows
Give your valentine a three-dimensional version of the classic heart with these mini heart pillows. Whether you’re gifting your mom, best friend, sister or co-worker, these sweet softies add a touch of love to her space even after Valentine’s Day has passed.
You’ll need:
sheets of paper
fabric (we used both solid and patterned, so that there are two options for how the pillow can be displayed)
scissors
no-stitch glue
stuffing
needle and thread
Here’s how:
Draw a heart to any shape or size you want onto a piece of paper. We made a few sizes ranging from 6 inches to 18 inches wide.
Cut out the heart from the paper with scissors, then trace the shape onto the backside of one piece of your chosen fabric. Here’s a trick for making sure the heart shapes mirror each other to make assembly easy: Stack your two pieces of fabric — the front and the back of your pillow — one on top of the other and cut them at the same time. Just remember to stack them so that the front sides of the fabric — the sides that will be visible — are facing each other.
Using the no-stitch glue, line the edge of one piece of fabric on the front side, leaving a gap of about 2 inches. (This is the opening you’ll use to stuff the pillow.)
Press the two front sides together. They should match up exactly and be glued together, minus the 2-inch gap you left open. Let dry at least 30 minutes (or per directions from the glue you use). If you’re making more than one pillow, this is a good time to cut and glue more so you can let them dry all at once.
Once dry, invert the pillowcase and fill with stuffing until it creates the shape and fullness you like.
Using a needle and thread, sew a few stitches to close the opening and finish off your pillow.
Give one or a few to your valentines, and they’re sure to love them!
— Joy Cho
MORE:
Valentine’s Day: Recipes, restaurants, treats and more!