A few easy Valentine project posts are heading your way this weekend. First up is a fairly practical Valentine—an easy bookmark made with scraps of felt and ribbon.

This would be a great project for teachers, friends, or even very young readers. Pair the bookmark with a good read for an even better gift!

You will need (for each bookmark):

• four felt scraps, approximately 1 ½” to 2” square
• ribbon pieces about 12” long
• hot glue or a sewing machine

Fold a felt square in half and cut a heart as you would a paper heart. Using that heart as a template, cut another from the next square. I chose two colors of felt and used one of each on the two ends of the bookmark. Make two sets of hearts (the sets need not match different shapes of hearts on the two ends make for a more interesting bookmark).

Cut your ribbon to about 11” for a bookmark that fits a standard trade paperback. Sandwich the ends of the ribbon between your felt hearts, making sure to let a good ½” of ribbon remain between the hearts; otherwise the ribbon can loosen easily.

I started this project thinking I would sew the heart ends together zigzagging a straight stitch across the felt hearts, however, my sewing machine was angry today. The tension is screwy, I became frustrated, gave up on that idea, and got out my hot glue gun to glue the layers together. (Yep, that happens to me, too, dear readers, and that’s okay). It worked like a charm.

Check back this weekend for a couple more easy Valentine crafts that can be finished in less than an hour!
 

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