Pocket Hearts- Back To School Keepsake

If you've got a child heading off to preschool, kindergarten, or even elementary school, I've got the perfect project for you. These little Pocket Hearts, filled with love, are great for calming little nerves and sending your child some love to-go.

Fill a pocket heart with love as a back to school keepsake for your child. A nice tool for helping to deal with nerves or anxiety about going back to school. Quick and easy to sew!

Last year, my daughter Lena started going to a homeschool co-op for a few hours once a week. She's never done formal preschool so she's not really used to being away from me for long periods of time. As we talked about going to co-op, she wasn't thrilled with the idea and was worried that she would miss me.

So on her first day I gave her one of these little pocket hearts that I had made for her. I let her watch as I gave it lots hugs and kisses. Then I handed it over, and she happily tucked it in her pocket for the day. I told her that it was filled with love and that whenever she needed to, she could reach in her pocket and feel my love for her.

After her first day, I asked if she had used her pocket heart. "Oh, yes. It made me feel lots better," she said. Her pocket heart went with her every week, even as co-op got easier for her. On days when she didn't have pockets, she tucked it in a pocket of her back pack or even her little pencil box. You could even sneak one into a lunchbox as a surprise!

Here's the best part- these pocket hearts are SUPER easy to make! Even if you're sewing skills are rusty (or nonexistent), you can do this, and it will take you less than 10 minutes.

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Supplies For Pocket Heart Keepsake

Gather what you need:

felt
scissors
needle and thread
polyester fiberfill (You just need a TINY amount. If you don't already have some, consider asking a sewing friend for a few pinches. You could also use fabric scraps for your stuffing.)

Cut And Sew Your Hearts

Start by cutting 2 squares of felt that are about 2" x 2". Fold one square in half to help you cut an even heart shape. You can even sketch it first if you need to. Cut out the heart.

Match it up to the second square of felt and cut our your second heart. You can trace if if you need to, or just match the edges as you cut.

Time to sew! I like to use a double strand of thread. Start by putting the needle in between the two hearts, so that the knot at the end of your thread will be sandwiched between the layers.

Sew around the edge of the heart using a whip stitch. You're basically sealing the two pieces of felt together by making loops around and around the edge. Pull your needle up, wrap the thread around the back, and make another stitch about 1/8" away. You don't want your stitches to be too close to the edge, because felt can tear.

Stop when you're about 3/4" away from where you began.

Stuff it with fiberfill (or tiny fabric straps). It really only takes a few pinches. You're just filling it enough to make it a little puffy.

Continue sewing with a whip stitch until you've made it all the way around. Cut the thread, leaving a long tail. Using the two strands of thread, tie several knots as close to the heart as you can.

Rethread the needle and poke it back through the felt somewhere close to the knot.

Pull the needle through the heart and up into the middle. Pull tight, and then clip the thread close to the heart. The loose thread strands should now be hidden safely within the heart!