DIY Tutorial // Knotted Lace Valentine Garland

We have moved four times in four years and we are about to make our fifth move, and then there will be at least two more moves after that...so we live in rentals for the time being. Which means I can't change the fact that my walls are the color of mud. It is what it is, folks.

On to the tutorial! I have no Valentine's decor. Nothing. How? Why? I have no answers. I needed to whip something up that was quick, easy and expressed some love in my home in honor of the fast approaching holiday.

Here is what I came up with.

I literally used things I had already, but I will provide a list of materials so you can mimic the garland exactly (almost...although there are so many different avenues you can take this craft!!). And I added the  non-traditional color of mustard just so it would blend better with what I already had going on. 

 MATERIALS //

• equivalent to 1 sheet of felt (all same color, different colors...I used half a sheet of mustard and half a sheet of red)
• scraps of fabric of choice
• embellishments (small silk flowers, heart felt cut-outs, lace trim, rhinestones, etc)
• sewing machine OR needle and embroidery thread (I used the machine, but hand stitching would be darling!)
• three different styles of lace (54 inches in length for each style)
• hot glue gun
• tacs (for hanging)  

ONE // Take your decorative scrap fabric and cut out three hearts. Use your elementary school skills here. I didn't use a template because I like the slight imperfections of handmade work, but you certainly could use one. I did make one of the hearts bigger than the rest, which would be your center heart.


TWO // Cut out a piece of felt that is bigger than your heart. Make sure you leave enough room for the color to show from behind. Sew the heart to the felt using your stitch of choice. Trim the felt to your liking. Mine is intentionally off center a bit. That's just how I like things sometimes. Repeat for your other two hearts.

THREE // Embellish those babies! This is my favorite part. Be creative. If this part intimidates you, just work in groupings of threes and keep the same color scheme throughout the hearts so they balance. Although you can change it up for the middle heart if you want. I added a crushed paper lace doily (just center it in the palm of your hand and then close your hand and smush your fingers around. It's fun.) and a velvet leaf to my center heart.

Where did I find velvet leaves? Aren't those pricey? So glad you asked. Remember all those holly bunches you see at the dollar store around Christmas time? Well, those holly leaves are more times than not velvet. Stock up during the holidays and then when needed, just trim the holly leaf into a normal leaf shape. See:

 FOUR // Take your lace and cut them into 18 inch increments. Then using a double-knot, take one increment from each lace and tie them together. Repeat until you have used all the lace. Now you have a long strand of lace with cute little knots! Find the middle and hot glue it to the center back of your big middle heart. Let it cool. Then measure the lace 25 inches out from the middle heart. Hot glue that part to the center back of another heart. Repeat in the opposite direction.

FIVE // Hang it up!