DIY Upcycled Heart Pin Brooch

Valentine's week at Pearls & Scissors in in full swing! Today I have a very valentinesy DIY project to share. This cute heart shaped brooch is an easy upcycling project to make and wear on Valentine's Day to add a little romantic spirit to your outfit. It's also makes a cute handmade gift for a friend.

I used an old red t-shirt for this project and it really does come together quickly. Here's how to make your own:

1. Make a heart shaped template the in the size you want. I always fold the paper in half, draw half a heart and then cut on fold to make a symmetrical template. Using this template cut out 5 hearts from a t-shirt, and 1 heart from felt. Also cut a small circle from felt to later cover the pin on the back of the brooch.

2. Stack all the hearts on top of each other so that the felt heart is on the bottom of the pile. Now use a chip of soap to  draw 3 hearts inside each other onto the fabric. Try to leave even spaces between the hearts. Use embroidery thread to stitch along the the drawn hearts.

3. This step can be made either now or at the very end. Attach the pin to the back of the brooch with a glue gun or other adhesive. Now cover the pin with a small felt circle. To make the pin usable, cut two little holes into the felt circle to bring out the needle of the pin and clasp where the pin closes. Glue the felt patch into place.

4. Take a pair of small scissors (nail cutting scissors work well) and cut the first 3 layers of hearts between the embroidered hearts.

5. Use ironing starch to curl the edges of the cut layers and make the brooch a little bit sturdier. Spray the fabric with starch and mull the edges with your fingers to curl them.

I'm really enjoying small little projects like this brooch lately. It's perfect for calming that creative urge when you don't have a lot of time for crafting. Happy crafting!