Valentine Heart Wreaths

 

Well-illustrated Tutorial
To Make Rag Heart Wreaths
as Valentines Gifts or Decoration

By guest writer Lilana

 

“Hello, Fine Art Craft Guild readers! I’m the “Lilly” in LOVD, Lilly Of the Valley Designs. I’m a hardly-at-home-stay-at-home wife and mom, retired rocket scientist,  jewelry-maker, project seeker, and optimist do-gooder, and daily blogger at FeelLOVDeveryday.

I can’t tell you how over-the-top thrilled I am to have been asked to share a craft project with you, let alone a Valentine’s Day craft project.

 

 

Here’s how your end result will look. Like it?

 

 

 

‘Craft’ Materials Needed

The best part about this project: it will cost next to nothing but will yield spectacular results. You probably already have all the items you’ll need just sitting in your closet:

 

– Dry cleaners wire hanger

– Old t-shirt, color of choice

– Scissors (not shown)

– Wire cutters

– Starch (optional)

 

 

Step-by-Step Instructions

♥  STEP 1: MAKING THE WREATH FRAME.

 

The hardest part of this project is bending of the wire hanger. Carefully unwind the wire hanger at the hook area and shape the hanger into a heart. You’ll have the hook portion at the heart’s center. Wrap the two wires into one. Take wire cutters and cut off the excess wire. You may need stronger wire cutters than those pictured. Be sure not to cut too closely to where the wires come together as you don’t want to break the connection. I actually cut the excess wire off after I tied each rag strip.

 

 

 

♥  STEP 2: CREATING THE HOOK.

 

Take the old t-shirt and cut the bottom right above the sew line. This strip will act as your hanging strip. The sewed seam will help this strip’s role from unraveling while it hangs your Rag Heart Wreath.

 

 

 

 

 

♥  STEP 3: CUTTING RAG STRIPS. 

 

Begin cutting strips starting at the bottom of the t-shirt. I made my strips between a half an inch to an inch in width and between four to five inches in length. It’s not an exact science and the variation adds character to the final result. This width and length worked so well when I tied the knot that I did not need to use the starch to force the rags to lay outwardly.

 

 

 

♥  STEP 4:  KNOTTING YOUR WREATH. 

 

Begin knotting each strip to the wire and follow along until the entire wire is covered. It is not a double knot, just a simple basic tie.

 

 

 

TIP:

 

When you get to the center of the heart where there are two wires coming together, take a rag strip and knot both wires together. Continue along until the entire wire is covered. Push each knotted strip together tightly.

 

 

   

This photo shows the heart’s center and knotting both wires together.

 

♥ STEP 5: FINISHING YOUR WREATH

Remember that rag strip you cut from the bottom of the t-shirt?

Go ahead and figure out what length you need based on where you’re going to hang your Rag Heart Wreath. Tie each end to the Rag Heart Wreath around the area where the heart begins to curve upwards.

Try to make that knot blend in with the rest of the knots already tied on to the wire by positioning it between the knotted rag strips already there.

 

 

 

HEART RAG WREATH

All done!

 

Go hang your swoonie Rag Heart Wreath and be proud; a Valentine’s Day craft that cost nothing, nada, zilch! Good for you and Happy Valentine’s Day, you savvy crafter, you!

I hope you enjoyed this simple craft. I’d love for you to visit me at my blog, Feel L.O.V.D.  Everyday, for uplifting conversation & beautiful inspiration.”

 

 

: ♥ :

And, if you enjoyed Lilly’s bubbly voice in this tutorial here, go visit her on her blog for more!  She is clearly a delightful spirit!

Thank you Lilly for this fun,

eco-friendly project!

Happy Valentines Everyone!

: ♥ :

 

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