Maker Monday: yarn-covered hearts perfect for spreading joy

With Valentine’s Day happening this week, today’s Maker Monday project offers an easy craft for kids to make and share with those they love. We originally published this project in 2019 and we’re glad to be sharing it again this week.

The idea originally came from crafters around the city who wanted to spread smiles and love in the wake of the Tree of Life shooting. These homemade hearts were left in public spots where people who found them are instructed to keep them or share them with others.

Kids can create beautiful hearts themselves and leave them in spots around their neighborhood or offer them to kids and adults they love. While crafting the hearts, you can brainstorm about ideas of who to give them to or where you might leave them to surprise someone. Perhaps a neighbor’s front porch or a nearby bus stop?

As with all Maker Monday projects, the supplies you’ll need are things you may already have around the house or you can buy inexpensively at a dollar store or craft store. A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on this Maker Monday project and always be very careful when using tools of any kind.

Maker Monday materials you’ll need:

• a piece of corrugated cardboard
• yarn
• scissors
• markers
• small pieces of paper for writing a note (index cards or card stock work well, but any paper will do)

STEP 1: Draw heart shapes on the cardboard. We traced a cookie cutter to make ours, but you can do it freehand if you wish or trace something else that is heart-shaped.

STEP 2: Cut out the hearts you’ve drawn. To make a heart that is open in the middle (see below), cut out a heart, then fold it in half and trim out the center.

STEP 3: Tie the end of a long piece of yarn around a cardboard heart (see above). Don’t worry about the loose yarn. It will be covered up once you wind enough yarn onto the heart.

STEP 4: Wind the yarn around the cardboard, pulling slightly to keep it securely in place. Go around and around many times at different angles, covering the heart with yarn.

STEP 5: Keep wrapping the yarn around the heart, filling in empty spots as you go, until you have a thick and puffy heart. Then cut the end and use your scissors to tuck the end down inside the yarn, so it’s secure. (It’s best for younger kids to let a grownup do this step.)

STEP 6: Write up messages to go with your hearts. If you’ll be leaving the heart for someone in your neighborhood to find, you might write “Love > Hate” or “Find it. Keep it. Or share it!” or simply “I hope this heart makes you smile!”

The notes can be tied on to your hearts or tucked into the yarn.

The final step is the most fun of all: Go out and share your hearts!

Want more at-home fun creating cool stuff and making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday projects right here.

Do you have an idea for a Maker Monday craft project? If so, please share it with Kidsburgh! Send your maker activities to info@kidsburgh.org.