We have been making Valentine crafts around here, and learning some fine-motor skills with paper-weaving, as well as a little history about inventions, and values around showing kindness and love with small gifts. In the process, we've also been teaching friends how to make these little paper ornament valentines. I thought I'd try to share our process and a little tutorial for you, in case you'd like to try it at home. If mine don't help you, there are other tutorials available online with a search of "heart paper weaving."
First, a history lesson: we learned that Hans Christian Andersen invented these "Yule Hearts" as Christmastime decorations in 1867. He may be better known as a children's author, but this just shows the variety in his talent! If you do a web search, you'll find that there are beautiful and intricate Danish paper hearts woven with shapes, scenes, and all sorts of amazing materials. The ones we did are a simple paper variety, but in keeping with the original invention and a beautiful way to teach little fingers and minds some fine skills.
Hopefully this all makes sense. I don't do crafty-instructions much, so feel free to comment with questions & I'll try to clarify.
To do the project, you'll need:
- TWO pieces of paper
- We like using two different colors, for contrast. We've tried card stock, homemade paper, printer paper, and construction paper. Regular construction paper (9x12"?) is both cheap and easy to use, and you can make about 4 hearts from 2 sheets of paper.
- Scissors
- Ruler (or trusty eyeballs)
- Pencil
Instructions:
(I forgot to photograph this, so it's shown in blue here). --------->
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Starting at the folded edge, measure (and draw, or just cut) slits about 3 1/2 inches long, spaced about 3/4 inches apart. 
<------ Make sure to cut through both pieces together. You'll end up with little "loops" if you pinch the top (unfolded) edge together.
Draw a half-circle along the top (unfolded) edge, and cut it out.
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<------------ You'll now have two "half hearts," with open, rounded tops and "loops" to use for weaving. Now, you're ready to do the weaving! (note: if you're used to weaving "under-over-under-over," you may need to rethink things and start saying, "inside-outside-inside-outside" in this project.)
Here's a photo of the finished product, with the loops numbered 1-4. For my instructions, color A is pink, color B is purple.
1. Take the 1st two loops of paper, and slip color A INSIDE the loop of color B. -------------->2. Now, with the same 1st loop from color A, slip color B INSIDE the loop of color A.
(color A is now the OUTSIDE of this row) -------------->
4. Then, once again, slip color B INSIDE the loop of color A.
If you cut 4 slits, you've finished the 1st row, and you can see the pattern - like a checker-board. Slide this first row to the top of the slits, to give you ample room for the next rows.
5. Slip color B INSIDE the loop of color A.
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| (remember, color A goes around the OUTSIDE of color B) |
6. Continue on this row, taking color A INSIDE color B, then taking color A OUTSIDE (around color B), then finishing INSIDE color B. --------->
7. Follow the pattern, continuing with your 3rd loop of color A (first INSIDE, then OUTSIDE, then INSIDE, then finishing OUTSIDE color B), and then you're final (4th) loop of color A.
You may need to carefully "comb" or slide the loops closer to the top, in order to have enough space to weave your last row.
As you go, make sure you're actually looping the colors around one another, not just lifting them up or down. You can double-check to see if you're making a basket that will open.<-----------
8. The finished basket will have four rows of alternating color, or 16 different squares. It will form a heart-shaped "basket" to fill with sweet messages, treats, or presents for your Valentine.
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Enjoy!
If you like doing this project, try variations with fancier papers, more loops, or cutting the slits into varied width.
Happy Valentine's Day!
