Sweet Heart Stuffies Make a Tender (and Easy) Gift

Pretty much every issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine requires me to add to my list of “must-do” art projects. There’s always some new and shiny technique or tool I have to play with.

puffy heart stuffies by belinda spiwak
Turn fabric scraps, trims, and found papers
into sweet stuffies.

But, even after nearly 10 years’ worth of projects, I still have some old favorites. One is Belinda Spiwak’s “Puffy Hearts” tutorial.

You can make this little stuffies with scrap fabrics, bits of trim, and even used Tyvek envelopes. Embellish your heart softie with found objects and papers.

Make tiny ones and attach them to a cuff, or pillow-sized ones and add arms and legs for a “he-Art doll.” String them on a ribbon or hang them individually.

Whenever I need a quick thinking-of-you gift, Puffy Hearts are my go-to project. Here is the softie tutorial:

Puffy Hearts by Belinda Spiwak

Materials

  • Material for the base, such as recycled fabric or Tyvek® (I have used a variety of old items as the base for my hearts.)
  • Ribbon
  • Fibers, fabric scraps, trims
  • Sewing machine
  • Needle and thread
  • Pins
  • Charms and beads
  • Papers, some with text
  • Fiberfill
  • A heart-shaped template (or make your own)

Directions:

1. Using your heart template, cut out 2 hearts, a front and a back, from your base material.

2. Embellish the front and back separately, as desired, using the fabrics, papers, and trims. Add decorative stitching, by machine or hand.

heart stuffie by belinda spiwak
Fabric, tiny buttons, paper packaging, and metal
embellishments make this Puffy Heart softie one-of-a-kind
.

3. Cut 2 short pieces of ribbon: 1 for the hanging loop at the top of the heart and 1 for hanging embellishments from the bottom. Add beads and charms to the ribbon for the bottom. Fold both ribbons in half to form loops. Pin the folded ribbons to the top and bottom of the wrong side of the heart so that the looped ends extend out from the edge.

4. With the wrong sides together, sew the 2 heart pieces together), leaving a small opening to stuff the heart. (Belinda used a machine zigzag and/or straight stitch; feel free to hand stitch if you prefer.) Be sure to catch the ribbon ends in the seam.

5. Add fiberfill until the heart has the desired plumpness and then stitch the opening closed.

 

I could make these all day!

Do you have a favorite go-to project? Tell me about it in the comments section below.

And if, like me, you have a stash full of fabrics, yarns, beads, etc., in search of the perfect project, be sure to check out the possibilities from our sister publications.

Categories

3D Art and Assemblage, Blog, Mixed-Media Techniques

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