Hearts for community

Ongoing through April 30, 2020

For a couple years we hand-crafted hearts and put them up in our community on Valentine's Day, but this year we will again distribute them (and other items) as our contingent marches in the Northampton Pride Parade on May 1, 2020.

2019: These hundreds of hearts, with The Hartsbrook School paper tags attached, were warmly received by parade audience. Thank you all who helped make them and the rainbow finger-knitted garlands!

2018 hearts still on tree outside sanctuary church in Amherst 

Because making the hearts is heartwarming in the middle of winter, and heart-shaped things appear in January everywhere we look commercially, we are making them now and will continue to make them until May. Hearts made of wax, wood, jute, wire, beads, etc. as well as yarn, felt and fabric... anything that is relatively sturdy for storage and handing out would be wonderful.

If you can donate fabric, felt, yarn, wool roving for felting, or other natural materials for making hearts, please leave in the box in the Hartsbrook Hall foyer. If you need materials to make hearts, please help yourself from this box! There are some paper patterns for shapes.

Feel free to make hearts at home and place in the basket by the main office anytime on or before May 1, 2020.

For reference: Hartsbrook heartburst

Hartsbrook Heartburst

As an expression of love for our world, the Hartsbrook community will be making hearts to place in an outdoor, public place on Valentine's Day, for anyone to take one to keep or give to someone else. Please join us in making a heart (or 10). Heartsmade of stones, clay, shells, wax, wood, jute, wire, beads, etc. as well as yarn, felt and fabric... anything that can hold up to a little weather (not paper) would be wonderful.

If you can donate fabric, felt, yarn, wool roving for felting, or other natural materials for making hearts, please leave in the box in the Hartsbrook Hall foyer. If you need materials to make hearts, please help yourself from this box! There are some paper patterns for shapes.

Feel free to make hearts at home and place in the box by the main office anytime on or before 2/13.

We will be making hearts for this project at these sessions, if you would like to stitch love in good company:

• Thursday crafting sessions 8:30-10:45am in the Handwork room
• Friday mornings 8-10am in the Hartsbrook Hall foyer
• TBA: Evening or weekend gatherings (sign up on sheet by main office if you want to join this)
• Possible: Monday morning 2/12 9am-12pm in an early childhood classroom -- RSVP

Inspired by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAdFAc7CzYM 

Hartsbrook hearts in Northampton 2017

Valentines with young children

Valentines for classmates in early childhood can be very basic, and are not too difficult to have the children make themselves. Making enough for all the children and the teachers in the class may feel like a lot, and it's not required. It's definitely not something to lose sleep over! But it can be fun if you have a little time and just a few materials. If you don't have materials, ask your Class Parent for suggestions.

A few ideas:

Painted hearts 

Have your child paint a few paintings, or use some you already have, and cut into heart shapes (adult or child). For the child to cut, the paper can't be too thick or it's too difficult. 

Potato stamp (see photos)

Potato cut in half, cut out a shape with a cookie cutter and stamp with paint on paper, either large paper to cut into hearts or squares or already-cut valentine size.  

Sew paper

You or your child can hole-punch around the edge of a colored paper shape and then sew with yarn -- with big holes and big yarn no needle required. 

Special pens, crayons, or glitter on paper or cloth

Collage

Glue small pieces or paper onto a larger heart shape, etc. 

Valentines are preferably homemade and simple. Please do not address them to individual children as it is so much easier for each child to give everyone a card without needing to figure out which one is meant for whom. Children can of course write their own name on their cards if they wish.

Heart pouches

February 2017: The Hartsbrook School Store is selling heart pouch kits for $2-3 to make two felt heart pouches on necklaces. Order your kits now, pick up at the office!

Email hartsbrookschoolstore@hartsbrook.org

Valentines heart pouch

Materials for 2:
2 6" squares of felt in contrasting colors
~ 60" embroidery thread, 36" of it split into two 3-strand pieces
Needle
Yarn for braided or finger knitted length for making it a necklace (more photos soon)

Instructions:
Cut hearts on folded square of felt
Cut accent hearts from the remaining corners
Alternate contrasting colors and stitch the small hearts on the large ones (all around or as a pocket)
Braid or finger knit a strap to hold the pocket around the neck, and sew in place at the beginning and end of sewing up the pouch.
Stitch the large hearts together leaving the top open - use blanket stitch to get nice edge