Yarn Hearts Valentine's Day Craft: use recycled styrofoam meat trays and yarn and to create these fuzzy 3D hearts for Valentine's Day.
These pretty yarn hearts are so easy to make and the perfect cozy feel for Valentine's Day. These look so beautiful as Valentine's Day decor. Hang them from branches, display them in a bowl, or string them as a garland.
The materials and method are so easy, they'd be a great Valentine's Day craft to do with kids or adults
I used my hearts as ornaments on a few sticks, but they'd also be great as bowl filler, or strung on some twine as a pretty garland.
I love these yarn hearts as a Valentine's Day craft, but they'd be really pretty anytime of year in a baby nursery, or as part of a winter wedding or wedding shower too. You could make them neutral like mine, or use any colour of yarn to fit your home or party decor. I love how versatile these DIY yarn hearts are.
Heart Base Material
I used recycled styrofoam meat trays as the base for my hearts. This worked really well. The white color was perfect for making them with white yarn, just in case any of the background color peeked through. The foam was also a great thickness to make the hearts a little thicker. It was also nice and stiff to give a good solid base for wrapping. The foam is also very easy to cut with regular scissors.
If you don't have a styrofoam meat tray to upcycle, you can use any stiff material like a piece of cardboard as your base.
Yarn
I wanted my hearts to look really cozy and fluffy and to be made with lots of different kinds of yarn. I have had great luck finding inexpensive yarn at the thrift store. Look for it in the craft material section. This is the perfect way to get lots of variation in your yarns. The yarn is often sold bundled together. If you end up with a ball of yarn you don't like in your bundle or one that doesn't work color wise, you can just donate it right back. I've found this is usually still cheaper than purchasing it all new at the craft store, and the small quantities you usually find at the thrift store are perfect for this craft. It's also a great way to use up little bits of leftover yarn in your craft stash, especially if you're a knitter. I think mixing the type of yarn adds interest.
Colors
I love making these yarn hearts in neutral colors, but you can make them in any color scheme. Make them to match your home decor in a favourite color. These would also be beautiful in rainbow colors. We made ours for Valentine's Day so we mixed in the tiniest bit of pink with our neutrals. You could also do these all in pink or red, or a combination of pink and red.
Hangable Hearts
To make the yarn heart into a hangable ornament, use a needle to put a thread through at the top of the heart and tie it off. I prefer to use a thread to hang it because it isn't noticeable and kind of disappears, rather than a long piece of twine or yarn.
These little adorable yarn-wrapped hearts are so sweet, and I love their wooly, cozy texture especially this time of year. They feel so cozy during these winter months.
I love using these easy yarn hearts in my home decor. These yarn crafts look great nestled in a tiered tray, or mini dough bowl.
These would also make the perfect little thoughtful gift this Valentine's Day. They're also a really perfect craft to do with kids and easy enough for even small children to have great success making this simple craft.
Equipment
- scissors
- Needle
Materials
- styrofoam tray
- yarn
- thread
Instructions
- Start my cutting out a heart shape from your styrofoam tray. I used styrofoam trays that I saved and washed from purchasing meat. You can mark out your heart first to find a shape and size you're happy with. If you want all your hearts to be the same size, create a pattern or use a heart template for all of them. I kind of like that all my free hand hearts are slightly different shapes and sizes.
- Once you have your heart cut out, start winding the yarn around it, holding end of the yarn to start, and securing it as you wind around it tightly with more yarn. You can also use a small piece of tape on the end of the piece of yarn to hold it in place, if you prefer. Keep wrapping in all different directions until all the foam is covered. The cute yarn hearts will naturally be thicker in the center of the heart, making it kind of 3D. When you're done, tie the yarn tail off at the back of the heart. A few knots should hold the end pieces securely in place.
With our Yarn Hearts Valentine's Day Craft, life really is a party!
More Inspiration
You might also like our Nail Polish Marble Hearts here.
Also check out our 3D Origami Hearts here.
You might also like our Valentine's Day Wreath Ideas here.
Barbara at Mantel and Table says
These are just darling Dannyelle! I can't wait to make some of these with my leftover fuzzy yarn. Thanks for the great idea and tutorial!