Paper Stitched Heart

This updated version of string art uses bakers twine or embroidery thread stitched onto card, makes a wonderful Valentines card or frame-worthy piece of art!



As a kid, I remember a piece of string art hanging on the wall in our hallway. In string art, thread is wrapped between pins that have been stuck into a wooden or cork surface. Made by my uncle Charlie, it was a wonderful seventies number, all orange and brown sparkly threads. It always fascinated me, so I’m so glad I have found this type of paper embroidery is so similar, but much easier to display!

You will need:
-Template
-Card
-Pin
-Tapestry Needle
-Bakers twine (or Embroidery Floss)
-Washi/Masking/other low tack tape
-Piece of thin foam or felt
-Scissors



How to:
1.Print out this template. If you print out on A4 without altering the scale, it will be just the right size for a A6 card. Trim template down to approx 1cm smaller than the front of your card. Temporarily hold in place with some washi or low tack tape.



3.Place the card onto your foam or felt surface and use the pin to punch a hole through each dot.



3.Thread your needle with 1metre of twine.



4.Leaving the paper template in place (you can rip it off later after all the stitching is finished) stitch from the back of the card to the front at point 1, leaving a 10cm tail. Hold the tail in place on the back of the card with a bit more tape.



5.Insert your needle in at point 2 and come out at point 3.



4.Take the needle in at point 4 and out a point 5. Follow this pattern of counting six points along clockwise to take your needle in and bringing it out another point along, going back in six points and out the next. After a few stitches, the pattern will become easier to see.



5.From point 13  you will be going through holes that already have twine in them (these points are numbered on the outside of the heart), just keep the pattern going.



6.Keep going until your needle goes in point 34 at the bottom of the heart.



7. Turn the card over and weave in the tail. Re-thread the start of the twine and weave this in too. Trim off any excess. 



8.With another 1m of thread in your needle repeat the process on the other side of the heart, this time working anti-clockwise. So coming out of point one, counting six points along and taking the needle in, one along and stitching back 6, etc.



9.Weave the ends in as before and rip off the paper template.