Hey there, Fran’s Friends!

It’s Fran, and I’m so excited to be back with our monthly check-in for the 12-Month Christmas Advent Calendar project. You know me—I love crafting, and I especially love making sure nothing goes to waste! This month’s ornament, for September, has a little story behind it that I can’t wait to share!

The Tale of Two Hearts (and a Measuring Mishap!)

If you followed along back in June, you’ll remember the beautiful Scandinavian heart ornament I created. I used a pattern I found online and combined felt and quilted fabric to make it, then finished it off with a lovely metallic blanket stitch around the outside. It was a little larger than I expected, but the weaving came together perfectly in that iconic heart shape!

Well, when I set out to make another one, something went a little bit sideways—specifically, my measuring tape! The successful one was 4 inches by 4 inches, which gives you that perfect square for weaving. This little guy, however, somehow ended up being just 3 and 1/4 inches to 3 inches. When I wove it together, it simply didn’t have that signature, gorgeous heart shape at the top. It was definitely an “oopsie.”

Fran’s No-Waste Policy

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I put a certain amount of machine stitching and work into a piece, I just can’t bring myself to toss it. When I hear people say, “Oh, I just bin it,” it just breaks my heart! So, the question became: How can I use something that was errored and make it into something beautiful and usable?

September’s Ornament: The Rescue Mission!

I decided to transform my little “mistake” into a completely unique piece for September’s calendar slot. It’s a fantastic way to show that creativity can turn any setback into a success!

Here’s how I gave the little heart a second life:

1. A Pop of Red: I stitched on a lovely piece of red ribbon to give it some festive color and definition.
2. Heart of the Matter: I added a small, stitched heart right in the center to emphasize the theme, even if the shape was a little off.
3. Dollar Store Sparkle: My favorite part! I used some glossy little rosettes I picked up from the dollar store and added them right on top, complete with a tiny bead at the top of each. It instantly gave it a fun, new dimension!
4. The Finisher: Of course, I added the ribbon holder so it’s ready to hang on the tree.

And there you have it! A sweet, decorated heart that I was able to utilize instead of waste. I’m so pleased that I was able to transform that little error from June into September’s ornament!

We’re keeping Christmas alive, even though it’s September! We still have October, November, and December to go before this year’s project is complete, and I can’t wait to share the final ornaments with you.

If you’re inspired to try the original, perfectly shaped Scandinavian Heart, I have a full tutorial right here on my YouTube channel. You can also find many wonderful videos on Scandinavian or Norwegian hearts by searching YouTube!