Learn how to turn sentimental fabric into a keepsake ornament with this tutorial that shows you how to make a memory heart ornament.
When a loved one passes away, it is comforting to see visual reminders of them to help ease our grief and to keep their memory close.
That's why I love memory ornaments so much, like this embroidery hoop memory ornament we made using fabric from throw pillows that belonged to my beloved aunt who passed away.
We are going to use that same fabric to make another type of memory ornament today - a memory heart ornament.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Craft
- Keepsake ornaments are a great way to remember a loved one who has passed away or preserve a memory like your child's favorite jammies when they were a baby.
- You only need beginner sewing skills to make this ornament. And if you don't have a sewing machine, you could hand-sew this whole ornament if you needed to!
- Any type of fabric can work for this type of memory heart ornament. This fabric came from a pillow cover, but clothing works great, as do blankets, scarves, and any other fabric.
Craft Supplies Needed
- Special Fabric - This can be clothing, a scarf, a blanket, or even a pillow cover or some other type of fabric.
- Disappearing Ink Fabric Marker - You could also use a pencil.
- Sewing Machine - Or hand-sew this ornament if you don't have a sewing machine!
- Scissors - To cut the heart shapes out of the fabric.
- Polyfil - You'll use this to stuff the heart ornament to make it 3D.
- Needle and Thread - To close up the turn hole.
- Embroidery Floss - Used as a hanging string.
- Embroidery Needle - With an eye big enough to thread the embroidery floss through.
How to Make a Memory Heart Ornament
Step 1. Fold the fabric so the right sides are together.
Draw a heart shape on the fabric using a disappearing ink fabric marker.
Make the heart slightly larger than you want your finished ornament to be, to allow for the loss of size when you flip it right side out later on.
Step 2. Sew along the heart outline, leaving a 1 ½"-2" gap as a turn hole.
I made several memory heart ornaments, so that's why there are three heart shapes in the photo below.
Step 3. Cut out the hearts with ¼" excess fabric beyond the seam around the outside.
Step 4. Turn the hearts right side out, through the turn holes.
Stuff the hearts using polyfill or another stuffing material so they become 3D.
Step 5. Use a needle and thread to sew the turning hole closed using an invisible ladder stitch.
Step 6. Use embroidery thread and an embroidery needle to add a hanging string to the top of each memory heart.
Step 7. Tie a knot in the hanging string and trim off any excess.
Your keepsake heart ornaments are finished!
Common Questions
You can use any type of fabric to make these memory ornaments. Clothing, blankets, scarves, and other fabric items like pillow coverings work great.
Polyfil works best for filling the ornament because that's what it is designed for, but if you don't have any, you could use scraps of fabric or even shredded paper as stuffing for the ornament. You just need something to make it 3D.
We have several other types of ornaments that use special fabric to create keepsake ornaments. You can use special fabric like your child's favorite jammies or clothing from a lost loved one to make these special ornaments. Check out our embroidery hoop fabric ornament and the keepsake Christmas ball ornament.
This project is a beautiful way to keep a loved one's memory alive after they have passed away.
The memory heart ornaments can be used during the holidays or displayed throughout the entire year so they are always with you.
These memory ornaments can also be made as sentimental keepsakes with outgrown children's clothing like this keepsake fabric hoop ornament and fabric-wrapped ball ornament.
More Fabric Crafts You'll Love
---
⭐️🧶 Did you enjoy this craft and want to see more like it? ✂️ Join our FREE email community and get inspiring craft ideas sent right to your inbox! 🧵 ⭐️
---
How to Make a Memory Heart Ornament
Materials
- Special Fabric
- Disappearing Ink Fabric Marker
- Sewing Machine
- Scissors
- Polyfil
- Needle and Thread
- Embroidery Floss
- Embroidery Needle
Instructions
- Fold the fabric so the right sides are together.Draw a heart shape on the fabric using a disappearing ink fabric marker.Make the heart slightly larger than you want your finished ornament to be, to allow for the loss of size when you flip it right side out later on.
- Sew along the heart outline, leaving a 1 ½"-2" gap as a turn hole.I made several memory heart ornaments, so that's why there are three heart shapes in the photo below.
- Cut out the hearts with ¼" excess fabric beyond the seam around the outside.
- Turn the hearts right side out, through the turn holes.Stuff the hearts using polyfill or another stuffing material so they become 3D.
- Use a needle and thread to sew the turning hole closed using an invisible ladder stitch.
- Use embroidery thread and an embroidery needle to add a hanging string to the top of each memory heart.
- Step 7. Tie a knot in the hanging string and trim off any excess.Your keepsake heart ornaments are finished!
Notes
- Use fabric from special clothing, scarves, blankets, or pillow covers to make these keepsake ornaments.
- If you don't have Polyfil to stuff the ornament with, you can also use fabric scraps or even bits of shredded paper to make it 3D.
- These ornaments are perfect to remember loved ones who you've lost, and they work equally well to make keepsake ornaments using favorite, meaningful clothing from your child's baby years, for example.
Leave a Reply