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Crafting with kids is so rewarding. They learn something new every time I do a craft with them. This DIY felt heart keychain is a cute kids’ craft and an excellent first-hand-sewing kids’ felt project. It is a lovely handmade gift idea for your kids to make for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, as a teacher gift and other occasions. In this post, find a free felt heart template and step-by-step tutorial to create the felt heart keychain with your kids.

Happy felt crafting with kids!

This felt heart keychain is originally a Mother’s Day gift idea that a friend of my daughter (aged 11) made with me for her mom. She chose to make the DIY felt heart for her mom from several other ideas I offered. This kids’ craft project is suitable for kids aged 7 years up. The felt heart keychain craft might give them their first experience with threading a needle, making a knot, sewing a button, and embroider with running stitch and whip stitch.

Materials & Supplies for Felt Heart Keychain Craft for Kids

• Free Felt Heart Template

• Felt scraps

• Scissors (my favorite ones are KAI 5 1/2 inch embroidery scissors or KAI 6 1/3 inch patchwork scissor)

• Embroidery floss (DMC embroidery floss including hand needles)

• Embroidery needle (Clover Embroidery needle)

• Small piece of ribbon (1.5 inch or 4 cm)

• Button (mix of craft buttons with hearts, stars, and flowers)

• Glue (optional - for the ribbon attachment, I use Elmer’s Craft Bond Fabric and Paper Glue)

• Stuffing for crafts (optional)

Instructions on How to Make Felt Heart Keychain

1. Download and print the free Felt Heart template (from the Materials & Supplies section above). Cut the Felt heart shapes from felt (altogether 3 felt pieces).

   TIP: For younger children or if you are short of time, cut the felt heart shapes yourself.

   TIP: Older children may cut the Felt heart template themselves. The easiest way is to trace the shape on felt scrap with a marker and cut it out.

   TIP:  Learn 6 different ways of cutting felt in my How to cut felt post.

2. Sew the smaller heart onto the bigger felt heart using a whip stitch or straight stitches. I sewed the first two stitches to show how to embroider the heart.

   TIP: Need more knowledge on hand embroidery stitches? You can read a brief description of every stitch in 9 hand embroidery stitched for felt.

3. Sew the button in the middle of the small heart. We went five times around the heart button and felt to make sure the button is secured well in place. I showed how to do the final knot.

4. Glue the ribbon on the second piece of the bigger felt heart (just in the top middle part). Let your kid glue one end of the ribbon to the felt heart, fold the ribbon, and glue it on. You could skip this step, but it is easier for the kids if the ribbon is glued.

   TIP: Make sure that it is glued lower than where the sewing will go, as depending on the glue, it might be challenging to sew through the layers with the glue in them.

   TIP: Curios what glue works on felt, visit the best glue for felt to get all your answers.

5. Sew the two bigger felt hearts together with a running stitch, leaving an opening for the stuffing. It’s best if the opening is at the bottom of the felt heart and should be approximately 3/4 inches (2 cm) big. I showed the first two stitches so that my kid can learn the running stitch. Leave the needle threaded by pinning it onto the DIY felt heart; we will need it later.

   TIP: Need more knowledge on hand embroidery stitches? You can read a brief description of every stitch in 9 hand embroidery stitched for felt.

   TIP: If you don’t use filling, sew the complete running stitch around the felt hearts to join them and move to step 8.

6. Fill the felt heart with stuffing. Through the opening, add the stuffing into the felt heart. Your kid can help herself with a pencil to push it in. Once you think there is enough stuffing, move to the next step.

7. Close the opening. Take the needle with embroidery floss from step 5 and close the opening with a running stitch. I showed my kid how to do the final knot so that the knot stays inside the felt heart.

8. Add split ring onto the ribbon of your felt heart keychain craft. Hurray, your handmade felt heart keychain is ready for its happy owner!

Craft for Kids Felt Heart Keychain Summary

Let’s make lots of these Heart Keychains felt crafts with your kids! They are such a lovely handmade gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or as a teacher’s gift! Once your kid makes her first felt heart, the next one will be done in no time! Have a fruitful crafting time :)

Thank you for creating with me! New kids’ crafts are coming soon.

Be sure to visit more on this website for free embroidery and sewing tips & tricks to help you out as you stitch my patterns. For free felt patterns, visit my Freebies page.

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Let’s craft together!

XO, Anna