Scandinavian Woven Christmas Hearts

Hello Friends -

This week at Bah Humbug Manor the challenge was to use weaving in a Christmas project.  I thought about weaving on a card but couldn't come up with anything that I thought I would use.  So, I started looking at 3D projects.

I don't remember where I first saw these Scandinavia  Christmas hearts but they seemed like the perfect project.  I looked at a ton of websites with many different ideas on how to make them and information about their origin.  The Daughters of Norway have a website which describes the hearts.  Generally speaking, they are decorations at Christmas time.  They are oftentimes put on the tree with small gifts or treats inside them.  There seems to be some relationship between Hans Christian Andersen and these hearts but it was difficult to figure out what it was (although it might be that he is the first to mention them in the 1860's).  Any way you look at it, they are fun little decorations.

This is the inside of one of the hearts.  It would hold quite a bit of "loot" if you weren't worried about it breaking the branches of your tree.

I used paper for my hearts, as opposed to cardstock.  I wouldn't use anything too firm because it will be tough to weave the pieces back and forth.  I also used this template from Diane at Capadia Designs.  You can cut these like most of the websites say but I found this a little neater and easier.  If you have a Cricut she has a cut file for both Design Studio and a Gypsy.  She used them at Valentines Day but the Scandinavian tradition was for St. Lucia's.

I love incorporating different traditions into our holiday celebrations.  Last year I enjoyed learning about the 3 Kings traditions in Hispanic households.

One final look at my Christmas decorations.