HOLIDAY DIY: Valentine's Day Hearts Garland with OlyFun
Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, so I'm finally getting around to changing out my Christmas decor. For this project, I used OlyFun in both regular and metallic colors, and fabric paint. I sewed this project, but you could totally use hot glue. I made intricate arrow patterns, but something abstract would be cool too. As you see, this garland or banner (interchangeable words apparently) is outside. We have a covered porch, but OlyFun is weather resistant. I added an extra nail in the center, after I photographed it, thanks to the wind blowing hard today. This garland would look fabulous along a mantle, above a doorway, along a chalkboard, or draped along a wall. I had made this garland long, for intentions of decorating my mantle, but thought it would look prettier on my porch. OlyFun comes in 18 regular colors and 4 metallic colors. Fabric paint can be mixed to your desired color. The combinations are endless. I chose a classic Valentine's Day palette of pink, red, white, silver, and rose gold. Bright like conversations hearts would look fabulous too.
SUPPLIES:
These are Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase something using these links, Amazon will pay me a small commision. This money goes to pay for projects and time. I'm a Master Maker for Fairfield World. They provided me with the OlyFun for this project. OlyFun doesn't fray, is durable, and cuts like paper, making it perfect for this project.
1) There are many ways to create a heart pattern. For this project, we need a small and large heart that fit together symmetrically. I hand draw patterns when possible. I'll leave the size up to you, based on your mantle size...or wherever you're hanging this garland. With a pencil on paper, draw half a heart. Cut out that side, along the drawing, leaving the middle connected to the remaining paper. Fold the heart over onto the remaining paper. Trace the 1st half to create the 2nd half. Cut out the 2nd half.
2) To make the large heart, place the small heart on top of sheet of paper, about 1" from a corner edges. You can use a ruler to help with making an even large heart. I eyeballed it, but did check some measurements after drawing. You'll want the large heart to be about 1" larger than the small heart. For ease in making the large heart pattern, trace the small heart onto the paper. Now, following the small heart shape, draw a larger heart. If you're using a clear drafting ruler, you can mark dots 1" away from the small heart edge. Then, connect the dots together. I drew half of the large heart.
3) Then, repeated the duplication technique I did for an even small heart.
4) Trace your patterns onto the OlyFun. You need 2 large and 2 small for each color. Trace the patterns on the back of the metallic OlyFun and one side of the regular OlyFun. You can use straight pens to hold the patterns to the regular OlyFun. You can't do this for the metallic OlyFun, as the foil front isn't forgiving. I just held them down with my hand and carefully traced the hearts onto the fabrics. This makes the patterns more durable and doesn't pierce your fabric. I used a pen to trace, but a disappearing ink marker would be better. Cut out all the traced hearts and stack them by size.
SUPPLIES:
These are Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase something using these links, Amazon will pay me a small commision. This money goes to pay for projects and time. I'm a Master Maker for Fairfield World. They provided me with the OlyFun for this project. OlyFun doesn't fray, is durable, and cuts like paper, making it perfect for this project.
- Bubblegum OlyFun
- Cherry Pop OlyFun
- Snow White OlyFun
- Metallic Red OlyFun
- Metallic Silver OlyFun
- Metallic Rose Gold OlyFun
- Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in Matte Black
- Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in Matte Crimson Red
- Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in Matte Glacier White
- Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in Metallic Silver
- Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in Metallic Gold
- Bright Rose Thread
- Atom Red Thread
- Praline Thread
- NuGrey Thread
- White Thread
- Construction paper
- Pencil
- Paper scissors
- Disappearing ink marker
- Fabric scissors
- Liner paint brush
- Wax paper
- Cup of water
- Paper towels
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Hand sewing needle
1) There are many ways to create a heart pattern. For this project, we need a small and large heart that fit together symmetrically. I hand draw patterns when possible. I'll leave the size up to you, based on your mantle size...or wherever you're hanging this garland. With a pencil on paper, draw half a heart. Cut out that side, along the drawing, leaving the middle connected to the remaining paper. Fold the heart over onto the remaining paper. Trace the 1st half to create the 2nd half. Cut out the 2nd half.
This makes the small heart.
2) To make the large heart, place the small heart on top of sheet of paper, about 1" from a corner edges. You can use a ruler to help with making an even large heart. I eyeballed it, but did check some measurements after drawing. You'll want the large heart to be about 1" larger than the small heart. For ease in making the large heart pattern, trace the small heart onto the paper. Now, following the small heart shape, draw a larger heart. If you're using a clear drafting ruler, you can mark dots 1" away from the small heart edge. Then, connect the dots together. I drew half of the large heart.
3) Then, repeated the duplication technique I did for an even small heart.
4) Trace your patterns onto the OlyFun. You need 2 large and 2 small for each color. Trace the patterns on the back of the metallic OlyFun and one side of the regular OlyFun. You can use straight pens to hold the patterns to the regular OlyFun. You can't do this for the metallic OlyFun, as the foil front isn't forgiving. I just held them down with my hand and carefully traced the hearts onto the fabrics. This makes the patterns more durable and doesn't pierce your fabric. I used a pen to trace, but a disappearing ink marker would be better. Cut out all the traced hearts and stack them by size.
5) Lay a sheet of wax paper on your work surface. For the small regular OlyFun hearts, I painted arrow patterns on them. For the large regular OlyFun hearts, I painted an arrow border. You can paint the arrows all going the same direction, or change the directions, like I did. Use the liner paint brush, to keep the pattern clear and intricate. These photos show them dried, laying with metallic hearts.
6) Pair up the painted hearts with the metallic hearts. I matched them in sets, pink and silver, red and gold, white and red. Pin the small heart to the large hearts. With the metallic small hearts, keep the pins minimal and close to the edge. Use thread that matches the small heart. Switch the thread for when the heart color changes. Straight stitch around the heart edge, removing pins as you go.
7) To hang these hearts, I recommend creating Bubblegum OlyFun yarn, but you could use twine too.
8) There are two methods of stringing you can use.
One, you can cut two small slits at the heart tops along the small hearts. Then, thread the OlyFun yarn through the holes. The hearts will still slip back and forth.
Two, you can hand sew the hearts onto the OlyFun yarn, with thread that matches the heart stitching color. This will keep the hearts in place and keep the OlyFun yarn behind the hearts.
9) When you are finished adding the hearts to the OlyFun yarn, hang the garland up somewhere. I used a hammer and white upholstery nails.
Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day or not, I hope you have an awesome February 14th. My husband doesn't like the holiday, for some bizarre reason I've yet to understand...being his WIFE and all. Instead of doing something special with him, I get our daughter some little treats. When I was her age, I used to get bummed that no one got me a Valentine. Remembering that one sad Valentine's Day where my little brother bought me a rose, I make sure she knows how much we love her on that day that is about love. We do special things year round, for each other, but it's nice to get a special treat occasionally. I should mention that if hearts aren't your thing, you can do this project with other shapes too. The techniques are the same, regardless of the shape...so get your brainstorming on. Happy Makery!
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