Last week I had a work-related training meeting in NYC. By the time I came home to Kansas I’d been in four planes, one train, and numerous cars and cabs, including a four-hour airport layover. Luckily, I’d brought along a project that hardly took up any space in my bag . . . hand-stitching little hearts made from the sleeve of an old red sweater. (If you predict a What Can You Make With A . . .? post coming up, you’re right!) I cut the shapes at home using a small cookie cutter for a template, then joined each pair together with a blanket stitch on my travels, leaving a small opening for stuffing and closing when I returned. What will I do with them? So far I’ve thought of:
- adding a pin to the back for a Valentine brooch,
- tying them onto baker’s twine for gift-wrapping,
- displaying them in a pink heart-shaped bowl,
- sewing or tying them onto a small wreath,
- sewing them onto a pillow, and
- stringing them together for garland.
Your ideas are welcome! ♥
PILLOWS A-LA-MODE 
You already have so many great ideas for how to use them… I like the garlands and wreath ideas best, but I know that what ever you do with them, it will be cute!
That’s sweet . . . thank you, Lauren! 🙂
I love making these! I first learned about the idea from Purl Bee, and have made them into brooches and garland. Love your theme of portable projects.
Ooohhh . . . do you have links to any of your heart projects? I’d love to see them! 🙂
Those are so cute. I love hearts. A garland would be great.
Thank you! And I do think I might go for garland! 🙂
Very nice give away for 02/14/13. Mtetar
What a fun idea!!! 🙂
they look so pretty, I am liking your idea ; baker’s twine for gift wrapping!
Thank you! I’m trying to set up a gift-wrapping center, so I think I should always keep a few of these in it! 🙂
I like the garland idea, they’re very cute. I love sewing on the train, despite some strange looks from fellow passengers.
I love that you’re sewing on the train. It was my first time ON a train! 🙂
Hope you will be doing it again
Garland maybe?? I love your tiny hearts 🙂
Definitely using some for garland! 🙂
So cute! Can’t wait to see what you do with them! All are good ideas… 🙂 ❤
Thank you! 🙂
Sew cute! I usually make fabric yo-yo’s when in dire need of hand occupation syndrome. What about putting one (or more) on a hairband in place of where you might put a fabric flower?
I LOVE that idea! And I also like the idea of yo-yos for a portable project . . . thank you!!! 🙂
Wow! What would you do if it were Eight planes, two trains, and numerous cars and cabs, including an eight-hour airport layover.? You are very, very crafty. I just love it:)
That made me laugh!!! 🙂 Thank you!!! 🙂
🙂
If you’re having coming around Valentine’s Day, they’d look cute at each place setting. If not, I sure like the wreath idea.
Good ideas!!! Thank you, Judy! 🙂
Bless your heart, your exciting travel brought back pure hell from my travel days for work, after 365,000+ miles in seven years I finally said enough. I cringeddddddddddd when I read this post, but I really liked your creation!
I hardly EVER travel for work, so it was a bit of adventure! But I’m really a homebody, so I’m very happy to be back. I’m glad you’re doing something you love now, too! 🙂
I like the idea of making them into a heart and attaching them to a board possibly within a box frame or on a pillow or… a little heart in a pocket of a doll or a bear for a child or a lucky dip of hearts for your hubby velcroed in a heart to a boad with a message of love/ love coupon under each or in a bowl with a number and a corresponding sheet of the same. or finally something I saw on pin interest, used as a love message all over the home in glasses case, in with sandwiches in a pocket of clothes he will wear and so on. but the main thing is they are hearts and I love hearts 🙂
Wow! You’re a regular idea machine . . . and I LOVE them all!!! Thank you, my dear! 🙂
🙂
I liked this idea of framing them. I was actually thinking of the box frame idea (my thought was something like a shadow box) using a similar layout to what you have posted.
What a great idea! I might even have a shadow box in the closet . . . 🙂
I loved you love is in the air, filed that one away 🙂 brilliant:)
Hang a few with fishing line, write “Love is in the air” on them. Put a drop of Essential oil as an air freshener.
Write “Pay it forward”, “Love…pass it on” or “Love is free” and secretly leave them at places you go. Shopping, dining…..
A magnet.
They are cute!
I SO love all these ideas!!! Thank you!!! (And I’m going to do the pay it forward idea the next time I go out!) 🙂
I think it would be fun. I sometimes do that with books. Just leave them where ever I might be with a sticker that says “Take me, I am free”
What a kind, lovely idea! I’m sure you’ve made many people smile . . . and restored their spirits as well.
I got the idea from someone I knew who does “Book Crossing.” I don’t Book Cross. But it’s the same idea. You can google it.
My first thought was stringing them together like garland. Too cute!
Thank you! (I’m pretty sure at least some of them will end up on garland!) 🙂
By the way…Happy Kansas Day:)
🙂 I’ve seen lots of beautiful sunflower photos on my friends’ FB posts today! 🙂
I like the idea of a garland perhaps strung thro some bare twigs either in a really large jug/ vase container or inside a window 🙂
Well done Crafty Kathryn 🙂 Love them .
How pretty that would be . . . either idea!!! Thank you! 🙂
garland here!…but, leaving them as secret gifts…LOVE THAT!
I’m thinking both!!! 🙂
LOL, if I every see someone in an airport with an entire craft project going, I’ll know it’s you. I like the garland idea.
I DID get some pretty funny looks!!! 🙂
Love these! If I was sitting near you on the train I probably would have asked if you sell them. So cute and I like the garland idea!
Awww . . . I would have just given you one! 🙂 Thank you! 🙂
They are so cute and perfect!
So cute! I was nervous to even bring a crochet hook on the plane with me 🙂 Can you tell I don’t fly often?
I don’t either! And the train ride was a first! 🙂
I think felt is the only thing I’ll hand sew. You can make pretend food for kids with it.
I’ve seen several examples of play food lately. I LOVE it and want to try it! 🙂
I really like the wrapping and baker’s twine idea! They are real cute!
Thank you! And I do think I’ll save a few for packages . . . or make more! 🙂
I have 2 suggestions.One is to have a few with ribbon dividing them as a festive (any festival) decoration and the other is to give to special people when they need a little extra love and or courage such as sitting an examination, going to hospital or as a good luck token at a happy occasion such as wedding or party. I make small knitted hearts and I find them a very popular item. i enjoyed your post and all the suggestions. 🙂
Thank you for all the lovely ideas! And I have one of your hearts hanging from the plant by my computer! I really love it and want to learn how to crochet one someday. 🙂
I am so happy to think of my heart living in America!
🙂
I think is a very good idea to stay busy when you traveling make the time go fast and you not feel so bad about all the delays in the airports.
I agree! It’s so relaxing to do hand-sewing . . . wherever I am! 🙂
I love the gift wrap idea…would look so cute with red/white bakers twine! 🙂
I do too, Danielle! And I just bought my first ever roll of red/white baker’s twine! 🙂
This reminds me a of a project I had to do in Home Ec in Jr High. A cloud mobile with hanging hearts. 🙂
What fun!!! I loved Home Ec, too! 🙂
garland would be so sweet!
I do think I’ll use some for garland! 🙂
These are so sweet, and my goodness, the possibilities are endless! And how funny that we both posted about Valentine crafts made with repurposed sweaters yesterday! Our creative karma aligned!
It DID! I just love the lovely sweater wreaths you made!!! 🙂
Three things… 1. These are ADORABLE! 2. I love all of your ideas for what to do with them — I think my favorite being the wreath idea! 3. And now I have a sudden urge to go watch Trains, Planes, and Automobiles! 🙂
Kenley
That made me laugh, Kenley! I haven’t seen that movie in YEARS, but the title kept definitely popping into my head while I was traveling! 🙂
Oh I bet it did! I actually just saw that it is on Netflix right now to stream instantly. We may have to watch it this week!! 🙂
These are very sweet, you did a great job and you have lots of fantastic ideas of what you could create with them. I was thinking hair clips/hair accessories or even simply attaching it to a card with a lovely quote underneath….look forward to seeing what you make 🙂
I LOVE those ideas! I have lots of little girls in the family who would love a heart hair accessory to wear to their Valentine parties at school! And I’m collecting ideas for handmade cards, too, so thank you! 🙂
I love this I have been wanting to make some little hearts out of my valentines day fabric. You have inspired me now these are so cute, love it! 🙂
Thank you! They’re REALLY soft, too! 🙂
Adorable and so creative – I would probably have slept!
I guess I was too excited to sleep since I don’t often go off on adventures! 🙂 And, truthfully, I spent a lot of time sight-seeing out the windows thinking, “I’m not in Kansas anymore!” 🙂
love it! hearts are my favorite symbol in the whole wide world – well with the name Amour, hearts are very applicable to be my symbol 🙂
Definitely! And they make people smile . . . that’s the best part! 🙂
So cute! So many great ideas posted!! Please post a pic when you decide what to do with them!
I will! 🙂 And I agree about all the great ideas everyone shared! I love that! 🙂
as a wife of a child youth worker who spend most of his day thinking of creative eduction tech….i would put numbers on each….and use them for a valentines math class… they are soft so if they get thrown….wont hurt which happens in speicalized schools more often then not lol
Another good idea!!! If I were still teaching first grade I could find tons of instructional things to do with these! 🙂
You could string them together to make a scarf perhaps, very striking with a cream, grey or black outfit!
Wow . . . LOVE that!!! Thank you! 🙂
I am thinking a garland attached to a Valentine themed wreath. ~Thea
I can just picture that . . . lovely! 🙂
I love your way to keep busy on a loonnnngggg commute! Perhaps you could put some lavender in the hearts along with the stuffing for sachets? (I don’t sew at all, so I don’t know if this is possible). Love your blog.
I LOVE that idea, Liesa! And I think it’s VERY doable! Thank you! 🙂
You are so clever, I am always dragging a project with me, I love what you have made. Next time you are in NY, look me up 🙂
I WILL! Are you anywhere near Pelham??? Oh, and a short part of my trip was visiting my sweet kids in Philly. As a hostess gift, I gave them the rag rug coasters I bought from your boutique . . . they LOVE!!! them! 🙂
No, I am about 3 1/2 hours away, I am in the middle of the state. I am glad my coaster made a great gift 🙂 I am trying to make heart ones now, but without any luck (so far)
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That’s a fantastic idea for a mobile travel project. I’m always really annoyed with air travel that I can’t knit. But stitching presents all sorts of new ideas for whiling away the hours on planes and trains. 🙂
I have a long car trip next week so I’m trying to decide what to take for that now! 🙂
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Wow! No motion sickness?
No! Lucky me, I can read, sew, embroider, or do almost anything else on the road! 🙂