Heartstrings: a
Valentine's Craft
You know about heartstrings: that's
the expressive term for your deepest feelings and strongest affections. You can
play on your Valentine's heartstrings by making a very special piece of string
art.
All you need is a piece of cardstock
or other heavy paper in a pretty Valentine's Day color; some embroidery floss
(entwined strands of thread), perhaps in red or silver, and a large needle,
such as an embroidery needle or a tapestry needle. You should be able to purchase
such a needle at a craft or sewing store for less than a dollar or so.
Two more supplies: a washcloth,
Scotch tape, and scissors.
Trace a heart on the cardstock and
cut it out. It should lay flat, with no folds. The smaller the heart, the less
embroidery floss you will need, but since it's inexpensive, that shouldn't
matter.
Fold the washcloth into fourths and
lay on the counter. With the needle, poke holes around the outside edge of the
heart. Start at the top, right underneath where the two top curves meet, and
poke the first hole. Then poke the next hole at the bottom, just above the
point. Now poke more holes up the right side at even intervals, and repeat on
the left side. Depending on the size of the heart, you might have six holes per
side, 12, or more.
(Note: if your student is younger
than 10 years old or so, you might prefer punching holes around the edge of the
heart with a paper punch. Then it would be easy to push the needle through the
much larger holes the paper punch would make. It can get tricky pushing the
needle through the tiny holes in this project, and older children and teenagers
should take their time so that they don't rip the paper. You might also make a
thimble available for those who are squeamish about the feel of the needle's
end on their forefinger as they push.)
Now thread your large needle and
snip off the floss at about 18 inches.
Pull the needle through the hole at
the bottom until the floss is almost all the way through. Scotch-tape the last
half-inch or so of it on the back so that it stays snug.
Turn the heart back over, pick up
the needle again, and this time, pull the needle down into the hole at the top
center of the heart, out of sight underneath the heart. Pull the floss through.
Now, coming up from underneath the
heart, this time pull the needle up through the hole immediately to the right
of the first hole on the bottom of the heart. Pull the floss all the way
through. Pull the needle down through the hole immediately to the LEFT of the
first hole at the top of the heart.
Work your way all around the heart.
If you run out of embroidery floss, tape a half-inch or so of the end on the
back, and re-thread another 18-inch length of floss on your needle, pull it
through the next hole, be careful to tape off the end, and continue.
When you're done, snip off any
remaining floss and tape the last end.
Turn it back over, and you'll
probably hear Cupid singing that old, old Valentine's song:
"Zing! went the strings of my
heart."
By Susan Darst Williams • www.GoBigEd.com • After School Treats 047 • © 2007
