Sewn Paper Hearts from Book Pages: A Tutorial

On Pinterest, I saw a "Pin" that was very eye-catching. Someone had made hearts from the pages of an old book. They were written in a language other than English, in narrow columns. 

I don't have the same columned paper to use, so I used paperback paper. Click my picture of my version, below, to get a bigger picture. Don't click the "P" unless trying to "pin" it.

But there were no instructions on the post where the hearts were featured. I took a good look and tried to reproduce them.

They were slightly filled, and the edges were sewn with a blanket stitch after being darkened with ink or chalk. Then a little vintage cut-out was pasted to them, and what looks like "caviar" was placed around the cutouts in a heart shape. The caviar was deep blue on the heart nearest the camera.

What's caviar? It also goes by the name "micro beads" and "micro balls" and I found it by searching for "nail caviar." It very much looks like little fish eggs! Alas, my caviar is taking its time arriving, so I put some big glitter on my hearts and called it good. 

So, to make these hearts, find a suitable book - I'd suggest an old hardback with decent paper. I unfortunately used a very silly sci-fi paperback, and the paper was as porous and lousy as the plot. Hmph!

• Cut out heart shapes using a template (you can make your own, or use those below). Pull or tear out four pages, trace around the template with a pencil, cut through all four pages at once. Continue until you have enough hearts cut out. Each heart takes two pieces, m'dears.

• Now ink the edges with a nice brown ink or piece of chalk. A Prismacolor pencil will also do the job quite nicely if you have no ink or chalk!

• Sew a blanket stitch around the edges. When you have just a little bit still open, stuff a bit of cotton fluff or a bit of tissue paper in there, then finish stitching.

• Print out some likely images, or get some old Valentine reproductions and cut out shapes or heart shapes

• Glue to the middle of the hearts

• Take your glue (I do like that Aleene's Fast Grab very much) and apply a thin bead where you want the caviar or glitter, and shake or spoon it over the glue very quickly.

• Shake off excess.

I think they look fine in a canning jar, or in a nest, or really tucked anywhere you like. I think five is the minimum to make. Wish I had made more, and maybe I will, as soon as the caviar arrives.