DIY heart tote (aka ‘Valentine’s stockings’) -

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Ok, I should say at the outset- even though these are technically heart totes, and even though I think there are some cute ways you could use these as a tote (Pi would love to get one as a gift!), in our family, these little gems of heart-shaped toteness actually function as heart shaped stockings. Like Christmas stockings, but for Valentines Day.

I love (LOVE) collecting piles of small gifts for people (I could’ve been the originator of the ‘themed basket’ FOR SURE). So Christmas stockings are pretty much my favorite. Also Easter baskets. I love those. These ‘heart totes’ are my Valentine’s Day equivalents- used solely to corral a pile of little presents for each of my loves.

We had some felt ones once upon a time, but they were lost in a move. Then I made these for our family a few years back. This year, Bohden insisted that I make some for “the girls” (aka his cousins). Twist my arm.

To make this heart tote/Valentine’s stocking, cut out two hearts from exterior fabric (I used these darling prints that Bohden chose for his cousins) and two matching hearts from lining fabric (for me, plain white cotton). I hate to say ‘eyeball it’ for the size, but that’s totally what I did. I held the fabric up to our dining room chairs to gauge width (since they hang on chairs instead of a mantel come Valentine’s Day). Mine ended up being about 15″ wide and 20″ tall, but the size is up to you. It was easiest for me to cut out one set of exterior hearts and then use those as the template for all the others.

To assemble- place the exterior fabric right sides facing each other and sew up the ‘bottom triangle’ of the heart. This leaves the top ‘bumps’ of the heart unsewn and open.

To figure out how far to extend my sewing, I found the widest part of the heart and marked it with a fabric pen. Then I stopped my sewing there. Repeat with the lining fabric- though, on the lining, leave a 4″ gap on one side of the triangle (for turning everything right side in later).

Next, tuck the lining heart into the exterior heart, right fabric sides facing each other. Sandwich two loops of twill tape or ribbon between the exterior and lining pieces. These will become your handles- be careful that they aren’t twisted when you pin them in place between the lining and exterior pieces.

Sew the top ‘bumps’ together. Reinforce the stitching on the ribbon ‘handles’ by stitching back and forth on this section several times to secure the handles in place.

Turn the tote right side in by pulling through the gap in the lining fabric. Stitch the opening closed. Press the whole thing, setting your stitches and the heart shape.