I Found a Quilted Heart

July 1, 2023 | pwsbuilder | Activities

In 2014, a group of friends founded an organization to spread a little kindness. They made fabric hearts and attached small tags that said, “I need a home.” These hand-crafted gifts were left in public places for folks to find. I hope you’ll consider joining this movement and make a few hearts. Whether simple or elaborate, the recipients are sure to appreciate the gift.

For Young Children – An adult sews the heart and adds the ribbon hanger. Gather buttons, sequins, beads, bows, etc. for the kids to embellish the heart. Children select objects to decorate their heart, then arrange them on the heart. The adult glues the items in place. Take the children with you to place the hearts in your community following the guidelines below.

For Older Children – The older kids can hand-stitch or use a sewing machine to make the heart, then embellish it.

*Read the directions before making a heart. Suggestions are given to make the projects easier. If needed, press felt using a pressing cloth or cotton fabric on top of felt. A hot iron will melt the felt.

*Print tags on card stock using the link on www.ifoundaquiltedheart.com. Or use a permanent marker to hand write: I need a home! I Found A Quilted Heart www.IFAQH.com, #IFAQH

*Scroll down for guidelines on where to place the hearts.

Heart with Blue and White Plaid Bow

Heart pattern
Felt square
¼ yard 1 ½” ribbon for bow
¼ yard 1/4” ribbon for hanger
6 small, assorted buttons
Embroidery floss
Tacky glue
Sewing notions: needle, thread, scissors, pins
Card stock to print tag
Safety pin or thread for tag

Pin heart pattern on felt and cut 2 hearts. Pin hearts together.
Cut 30” of embroidery floss, thread needle with 3 strands, and knot one end.
Sew hearts together, ¼” from edge, using a running stitch. To make running stitches, pass needle in and out of fabric with short stitches. Knot floss on back at end. Stitches don’t need to be evenly paced or perfect. (Or machine sew, or glue hearts together.)
To make hanger, clip ends of ¼” ribbon on the diagonal. Glue ribbon ends together and tack at top of heart.
Tie a bow with 1 ½” ribbon and cut a “v” in both ends. Glue bow at top of heart.
Thread buttons with embroidery floss and knot on back. Glue buttons on heart and bow.
Print a tag or hand write the message given above. Attach tag with safety pin or thread. To sew tag on heart, thread needle, pass needle through tag and heart, then knot thread.

Patchwork Heart with Red Button

Heart pattern
Felt square
6” x 6” fabric
1/2 yard 1/4” ribbon for hanger and bow
Four small buttons
1 heart button or other large button
Tacky glue
Sewing notions: needle, thread, scissors, pins
Card stock to print tag
Safety pin or thread for tag

Pin heart pattern on felt and cut one heart. Cut one fabric heart.
Place fabric heart on felt heart and pin.
Machine sew or hand stitch hearts together 1/4” from edge.
For the hanger, cut 9” piece of ribbon and clip ends on the diagonal. Glue ribbon ends together and tack at top of heart.
Tie a bow with remaining ribbon and glue at top of heart.
Thread buttons and knot on back. Glue buttons on heart and bow.
Attach tag with safety pin or thread. To sew tag on heart, thread needle, pass needle through tag and heart, and knot thread.

Felt Heart with Pink Flowers

Heart pattern
Felt squares, 4 colors
¼ yard 5/8” ribbon for bow
¼ yard ¼” ribbon for hanger
Nine 3mm beads for flowers (Or use baby buttons, or embroider French knots)
Small button
Embroidery floss
Tacky glue
Card stock to print tag
Sewing notions: needle, thread, scissors, pins
(Silk flowers can be used to decorate heart instead of felt flowers.)

Pin heart pattern on felt and cut two hearts. Pin hearts together.
Cut 30” of embroidery floss, thread needle with 3 strands and knot at one end.
Sew hearts together using a blanket stitch. To make blanket stitches, bring needle up through back of hearts ¼” from the edge. Then bring needle from back to front again through the same hole and before pulling thread tight, pass needle through the stitched loop. Tighten the stitch. Continue around edge of heart, making stitches ¼” apart, ending on back and knot thread. Put more simply, “take a stitch and catch the loop.”
(Or use a running stitch, machine sew, or glue hearts together.)
To make hanger, clip ends of ¼” ribbon on the diagonal. Glue ribbon ends together and tack at top of heart.
Tie a bow with 5/8” ribbon and glue at top of heart.
To make felt flowers, cut a wavy circle from 2” felt square. Cut a smaller wavy circle from felt using a contrasting color. Thread needle and knot both ends together. Place small felt circle on larger circle. Beginning on back of flower, take 3 small stitches passing needle through both layers, ending on back. Pull thread tight and knot thread.
Cut 4 leaves from green felt.
Position leaves and flowers on front of heart. Remove flowers and glue leaves. Glue flowers on heart. Put a drop of glue in center of flowers and place three beads on each flower. (Or glue silk flowers on heart.)
Thread button, knot thread, and glue button on bow.
Pin or sew tag on heart. To sew tag on heart, thread needle, pass needle through tag and heart, and knot thread.

Guidelines for Placing Hearts

Hearts need to be “found.” Do not hand or gift them to people.
Public places to leave a heart: trees, bushes or fences; a park, nature trail, highway rest stop, town square, community bulletin board, outdoor shopping center, tourist attraction, or foyer of a public place.
Hearts should not be left in retail shops or on store displays.
Do not place hearts on work desks, in hotel rooms, or restrooms.
Do not put a heart on private property such as a porch, front door, vehicle, bicycle, mailbox, gate, or little library.
Do not leave hearts in airports, national parks, or on monuments, etc.

*For more information refer to www.ifoundaquiltedheart.com.

*Heart pattern on next page.

Michelle Hains