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How to Make a Woven Heart Teacher Gift

I put the box down on the ground with a heavy thud. The kids immediately came swarming from out of nowhere. There’s something so incredibly magical about unpacking Christmas decorations. Happiness and hygge are found reliving memories from past holiday seasons.

Holding an old ornament is an instant time travel back to the Christmas when it was first hung on the tree. Recalling how the light reflected in the glass, the glitter sparkled and the fragile Christmas tree bough bent from the weight of the heavy ornament.

The kids each have their own favorite stories they tell about the decorations. Their eyes twinkle with happiness as they recall their most cherished memories.

Jonah grabbed a faded and slightly torn old Danish woven heart ornament. He held the worn paper heart in his two hands, outstretched towards me. “Mama, this is an old heart. Tell me about it. What is its story?”

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE PENS WE LOVE! 

The History of the Woven Heart

He climbed up in my lap as I started to tell him about the tradition of the Christmas woven heart ornaments in Denmark. The art of weaving paper Christmas hearts is said to have started in Northern Europe around 1860. The fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen is one of the first to share the craft as a practical Christmas tree ornament. The woven hearts were filled with small cookies, nuts, and other treats and then hung on the Christmas tree. The children raided the tree of all its delicious treats late on Christmas eve.

Jonah’s eyes were as big as saucers as he listened to my story. He held his breath, looked at me with his big hazel eyes and said “Mama, we need to make one of these for Mrs. Davis. I like her, she needs a heart and I know JUST the thing to put in it.”

He stared me down, as I waited for him to continue. “Mama, I think Mrs. Davis needs some pretty pens. She writes with crayons and I think she needs the pens you like. Let’s make her a heart and fill it with lots and lots of pens!”

And just like that, we had our teacher gifts planned.

Woven heart instructions and template

You may have made these beautiful Christmas decorations as a child. If you grew up in Scandinavia, there’s no doubt in my mind that you knew how to weave a paper heart before you could spell your name or tie shoes. This craft is an obligatory part of a Scandinavian child’s upbringing.

Items needed to make a woven heart:

1. Our woven heart template
2. Letter-size paper (for your template)
3. Scrapbook paper in various colors
4. Scissors
5. Glue

Instructions how to make a woven Christmas heart:

(Refer to the pictures as needed. I didn’t glue a handle on these hearts because the pens were a bit too heavy to hang the heart as an ornament.)

1. Download this woven heart template on a letter-size piece of paper.
2. Fold two pieces of scrapbook paper (in coordinating colors) in half.
3. Line up the bottom of the template against the crease.
4. Trace the template and cut along the outside edge.
5. Cut along the lines, so each half-heart has four strips.
6. Start weaving the strips by sliding one strip through, pulling over, slide through and pulling over.
7. On the next row start by pulling over, then slide through, pulling over and sliding through.
8. Alternate pulling over and sliding through until you have weaved all four strips together.
9. Lastly, cut the handle and gently fold it in half.
10. Put a dab of glue on both ends of the handle and attach it to the inside of the heart.

Notecard sayings for giving teachers pens:

Use these says to accompany your pen-filled woven heart. These adorable pen-puns are sure to put a smile on your child’s teacher. 

1. You are “write” on.
2. You are al”write”.
3. Thanks for being de”pen”dable.
4. You hapPEN to be an INKredible teacher.
5. You are just the “write” teacher.
6. Take note, we think you are awesome.
7. You are the “write” teacher for me.

Jonah and I recently went to Walmart to stock up on the pens for his teacher and all the pens by Pilot Pen were exactly what we needed. As a writer, avid to-do-list maker and doodler I have over time turned into quite the pen-snob, if that’s a thing! The Pilot Pen line has been blessing writing enthusiasts for over the past 100 years.

In my opinion, pens need to evenly distribute ink without “coughing up ink chunks” on the paper, not leak through the paper and glide easily and seamlessly. These are tall orders to fill, I know. But I am very particular about the pens I use in my daily work and when writing in my journals.

And yes, I did buy myself a pile of pens by Pilot Pen to write our cute note card for Jonah’s teacher!

Below is a list of the pens we bought and WHY… so you can also head to Walmart and buy with confidence!

The best pens for teachers (and chronic to-do-list writers and journal-addicts):

• G2® Pens by Pilot Pen:
  • This awesome pen comes in 27 bright and vibrant colors. Perfect for a teacher who loves to grade homework or a bullet-journal creator.
  • The super-comfortable grip will keep you writing for a long time.
  • Four-point sizes, so there’s something for everyone.
  • This is the #1 selling gel ink pen in America, which is QUITE the achievement!
  • I love the smooth writing gel ink experience when this pen glides across the paper.
• FriXion® by Pilot Pen:
  • Write with confidence because this pen is erasable, so nothing is permanent.
  • The FriXion® pen’s smooth writing gel ink experience will keep you editing your to-do list for hours, simply for the fun of erasing and re-writing again and again.
  • Rollback items: FriXion® ColorSticks 10pk $9.88, G2 20pk Assorted $19.86 
• Precise® by Pilot Pen:
  • Precise® by Pilot Pen is the #1 selling Rolling Ball brand in America.
  • This pen’s smooth writing rolling ball pen is a great writing experience for those of us who write for long periods of time.
  • The smooth-writing ink is incredibly even and precise.

As we left Walmart, fully stocked with pens and scrapbook paper for this year’s teacher gift, Jonah looked at me with a peaceful look in his eyes. “Mama, I am pretty sure Mrs. Davis will love the pens we put in her Christmas heart this year, even if they aren’t small cookies and nuts like that Danish fairy tale guy did.”

And I must agree, I would also much rather have a colorful collection of pens by Pilot Pen in my woven Christmas heart, than a handful of stale cookies and nuts.

What is the one feature you enjoy most of your favorite pen?