Twenty Pretty Hearts

Day #242
Hearts #313-333

I made twenty more hearts yesterday, and most of them will go out in the mail later today.  At this rate, I will reach my challenge goal of 365 sewn hearts by the weekend!  Now the question is, how high will the number go by the end of the year??

Each of the Hope Hearts starter kits that I send out today will include a trio of hearts similar to this set, below:

This is a labor of love for me; I enjoy every minute of it!

Five of Hearts

Day #237
Hearts #259-263

Yesterday I posted an announcement about my Hope Hearts kits on my other blog, Leslie's Art and Sew, and it also appeared on Craft Gossip (my thanks to Anne, the sewing editor there).  I got a great response and ran out of hearts, so I had to whip up some more!

These are made with template #2 in the Hope Hearts kit.  I LOVE making them--I just put a colorful little pile of scrap fabric and ribbon in the center, then hold it all in place by sewing on beads, a button and a charm.  The edges of the fabrics are left raw, so it's quick and easy!

To read more about the Hope Hearts project, or to request a starter kit, click HERE.  This will be an on-going project for me, so no matter when you are reading this, feel free to request a kit.

Four of a Kind

Day #230
Hearts #248-251

Here are four very similar hearts I made yesterday for my Hope Hearts kits.  I'm very excited that three of them will go out in the mail today, in three different kits!  I would love to send you a kit too, if you have someone in your life who is seriously ill, and you would like to show your love and support by crafting handmade hearts for him or her.  The kit includes three finished hearts, templates, and an idea/instruction sheet.  E-mail your mailing address to me at leslieandersen4@gmail.com, and I will have the kit in the mail to you quickly!

Ten More Hope Hearts

Day #227
Hearts #229-238

I'm working on a stockpile of hearts for the Hope Hearts kits I plan to distribute.  Each kit will have three different heart templates, with one finished heart made from each template.  These 10 hearts are made with the small template.  I will post a more complete story about the kits when they are finished; but in the meantime, if you know someone who is ill, who could use the encouragement of hand-made hearts, and you would like to organize a jar of hearts for him or her, please request a kit from me (leslieandersen4@gmail.com) and I will send it to you free of charge.

Hope Hearts

Day #223
Heart #227-228

I'm sending these hearts to a reader who requested one of my brand-new Hope Hearts starter kits.  The kits provide directions, templates, ideas, and actual sewn hearts, so friends and family of a person undergoing medical treatment can express their care and support by making stuffed hearts.  A jar full of hearts made by loving hands can give a huge emotional boost to a sick person.  If you would like a kit, just send your mailing address to me at leslieandersen4@cox.net , and I will put a kit in the mail to you free of charge.

The large heart on the left has already been included in my countdown to 365 hearts.  It started out as a pincushion, so I opened it up and took out the plastic insert to make it a Hope Heart. 

This heart (below) is my favorite new design--a pieced heart with a small fabric-and-object collage in the center.  All of a sudden, I just can't get enough fabric collage!

I will be working on (and posting) more Hope Hearts in the next week or two.  I want to have plenty on hand so I can immediately fill any requests for Hope Hearts kits.