3 Easy Valentine Kid's Crafts

Let your young children share in the joy of making handcrafted gifts this Valentine's Day with one of these three easy textile crafts.

3 Easy Valentine Kid's Crafts

1. Knotted fleece blanket: Pick pretty fleece with colorful hearts for one layer and your giftee's favorite solid color fleece for the other layer. These knotted blankets are super easy to make, and you don't have to sew them at all of you don't want to, because fleece fabric does not fray. I have, however found, that stitching the two fabric layers together (about four inches in from the outer edge) before cutting the strips to tie, makes it much MUCH easier to keep the layers aligned and get a smooth finished blanket. 
2. Applique pillow case: You can either make the pillow case or start with a plain pillow case from the store, and then just get some cute "love-themed" appliques. Iron the appliques onto the desired spots on the pillow case. Let the appliques cool. Then, either hand sew or machine stitch around the outer edge of the applique to secure the cute decorations. .
3. Jammie pants 'butt' drawstring tote bag: This one is for kids of all ages who get a kick out of 'butt humor' - and it's super easy to make, too. Start with a worn out or outgrown pair of jammie pants. If you don't have any, a thrift shop or garage sale is a great place to pick some up without spending much. Turn the pants inside out. Cut the legs off off the pajama pants right across the hip area, leaving the crotch seam intact. Sew across the entire bottom with a tight zigzag stitch or a serger. Cut a small hole in the waistband to pull the elastic through. Turn the 'butt bag' inside out. Make the big loopy know in the elastic drawstring so it won't pop back inside the jammie pants bag. 

Adult supervision is recommended for young children putting any of these crafts together, as they involve scissor use, sewing needles, and a hot iron.