Remember when you were in elementary school and giving out a box of candy conversation hearts was the easiest way to express your admiration for your classmates? While the way we express our love (and taste buds!) may have changed, we can’t help but get that feeling of nostalgia when they make an appearance every Valentine’s Day. With some help from Spoonflower designer caja_design, we’re showing this popular sweet treat a little DIY love with a beginner-friendly garland using one of our no-sew friendly fabrics, Fleece! (Note: Keep reading to see the full how-to including step-by-step instructions for a blanket stitch.

This DIY Candy Heart Garland is Galentine's Day Approved | Spoonflower Blog

This DIY Candy Heart Garland is Galentine's Day Approved | Spoonflower Blog

Materials for DIY candy heart garland | Spoonflower Blog

Materials

  • 1 yard of Conversation Heart Bunting on Fleece
  • 1 yard of coordinating fabric*
  • Embroidery thread
  • Embroidery needle
  • Fiberfill
  • String for hanging the hearts
  • Rotary blade or fabric shears

*Pro tip: Use the fabric in between each row of candy hearts to create the back layer—no coordinating fabric required!)

Cutting the candy heart bunting | Spoonflower Blog

Candy heart garland fabric pieces | Spoonflower Blog
Cut out your fabric.

Using the black outline as a guide, cut out your candy heart bunting with a rotary blade or fabric shears. Lay your candy heart on top of the coordinating fabric, trace and cut out. 1 yard of fleece will yield 20 single sided conversation hearts or 10 double sided hearts.

Stitch your candy heart layers together with a blanket stitch.

Place your two heart pieces together, wrong sides facing, and stitch. I used a blanket stitch but you could use your favorite decorative stitch.

Candy heart bunting - basket stitch knot | Spoonflower Blog

How to Sew a Blanket Stitch.

  • Start your stitch. Thread your needle with a 26″ long piece of embroidery floss and tie a knot at the end of the string. Poke the needle through the unprinted side of the top conversation heart and pull the knot through to the top of the heart. Be careful not to pull too tight or the fleece will bunch which could result in a broken heart!

Pro tip: Starting your needle through the unprinted side of your top layer will hide the knot.

Candy heart bunting - basket stitches | Spoonflower Blog

  • Next, poke your needle through the outside of the bottom layer and then through the inside of the existing hole on the top layer. You should now have one complete stitch through both layers of your fleece.

Candy heart bunting - basket stitch knot | Spoonflower Blog

  • Start the second stitch.

Next, slide your needle underneath the stitch you’ve just made by going from left to right and gently pull until all of the thread has made it through.

Note: This stitch will only be against the fabric, not through the fabric.

Candy heart bunting - basket stitch knot | Spoonflower Blog

  • Finish the second stitch.

To complete your second stitch, poke the needle through the top of your bunting, about ¼” to the right of your first stitch and pull the thread through both layers of fleece. Next put your needle through the loop of thread to create a stitch across the two layers.

Pro tip: Keep the distance between your stitches consistent.

Candy heart garland - leave an opening for stuffing with fiberfill | Spoonflower Blog

Continue to stitch around your heart until you are 3” away from your first stitch.

Stuff your fabric candy heart with fiberfill | Spoonflower Blog

Fill your heart with fiberfill.

Fill your heart with fiberfill until it’s nice and firm but the stuffing isn’t overflowing. We’re all about overflowing love for your partner but not so much when it comes to plushies!

Finish your basket stitch to close the hole in the fabric candy heart | Spoonflower Blog

Finish your heart.

Continue stitching the hole shut until you are one stitch away from your starting point. To tie off your stitch, slide the needle underneath your first stitch and pull your thread tight.

Snip off the remaining embroidery floss | Spoonflower Blog

DIY candy heart garland for Galentine's Day | Spoonflower Blog

Trim off any excess embroidery floss.

If you’ve crafted to your heart’s content, stop here and bask in your candy heart handiwork. If you’re hosting a Galentine’s Day celebration with your gal pals, classroom party or just want to spread the love, we suggest creating a garland using the hearts!

Create the candy heart garland | Spoonflower Blog

Create the garland.

To string your hearts together, thread an embroidery needle with festive thread, yarn or string and create a small stitch (about 2” wide) through the top portion of the back layer.

Pro tip: Placement is key! If you put your garland string too low, the hearts will lean forward and you’ll be left with a very sad looking heart. Before stringing together all of your hearts, double check the placement of your first heart by lifting up the string after it’s been attached.

string the candy hearts | Spoonflower Blog

Continue threading the remainder of your hearts onto the string.

We’ll space out the hearts in a later step so you can push the hearts down the garland as more get added.

Hand the fabric candy hearts | Spoonflower Blog

Adjust the fabric candy heart garland | Spoonflower Blog

Position your hearts.

The easiest way to evenly space out your hearts is to hang up the garland. Once the string has been hung, fun washi tape adds a festive touch, shift your hearts left and right to create an even display that’s appealing to the eye… and the heart!

This DIY Candy Heart Garland is Galentine's Day Approved | Spoonflower Blog

Feeling the DIY love? Find your favorite Valentine’s Day inspired design to create even more heart shaped garland!

DIY candy heart garlands for Galentine's Day | Spoonflower Blog