These little pins work up really fast and inexpensively using craft felt, size 0 safety pins and a simple seed bead technique. That makes them ideal to give as gifts for Valentine's Day.

You will need:

• beading thread


• size 11 seed beads- NOT Delicas or cylinder beads


• Felt- craft felt is fine for this project


• beading needle


• sharp scissors


• small amount of stuffing


• heart pattern


• pen to mark the felt

The reason I specified sharp scissors is because of the way felt is made. It's fibers in all different directions that are locked together. Using scissors that aren't very sharp leads to the felt tearing a bit instead of cutting, which leaves messy edges. For the cleanest edges cutting felt, you want to use very sharp scissors.

Start by cutting 2 hearts that are about 1.25 inch or 32mm across at the widest point. You can make a paper pattern by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out one side of a heart on the fold or by using this pattern.


Thread your needle with a comfortable amount of thread to work with, and tie a bead securely on the end of the thread. The reason that I suggest doing that instead of tying a knot is because beading threads are very fine and a knot can pull through some felts. Because it's lightly stuffed, the bead won't show when you're done making the heart. Pull the need and thread through one heart so the bead will be on the back of heart. Stitch pin firmly into place. You want the pin in the upper 1/3 of the heart.


Now it's time to start the beaded edging. With your needle on the back of the heart, you'll bring it up to the edge, and pass the needle and thread to the other side just a bit away from the edge. Get the other heart and hold the hearts together. Put 3 beads on the thread, then just a bit away from the first bead, pass the needle and thread through the edge of both hearts, then back up through the 3rd bead added.


Add two beads, and go through both layers of felt, then back up through the second bead added.


After you've worked 2/3 around the heart, stuff lightly. It only takes a tiny amount of stuffing. Finish going around the heart.

That first bead isn't locked into place. You'll do that when you get all the way around the heart. The first bead is shown in purple on this diagram. Go in through the first bead, through both layers of fabric, then back up through the bead.


Tie a half hitch knot between two beads, then bring the needle and thread back through the beads then into the heart itself. At this point, for a very secure finish, I brought the needle and thread back to the pin, and tied another knot in one of the treads that stitch the pin in place. Put the needle and thread back through the heart, and come out somewhere on the back of the heart. Pull the thread so the heart squishes a bit, cut the thread. Release the heart and the end will go into the heart.

If you like working with felt to make cute little things, you might enjoy Felties: How to Make 18 Cute and Fuzzy Friends from Felt.(affiliate link)

Affiliate links don't affect your cost, and provide extra income to me personally, which helps support my book addiction.