{DIY Valentine Puppy Hair Clip with Free Silhouette Cut File}

Hey, y'all!  There's been enough time to get over Christmas and the new year, right?  I'm asking because I have a Valentine's Day post to share with you today.  I want to share Valentine posts with y'all early enough so that you can use these ideas BEFORE the holiday arrives.  I have zero concept of time, so I am normally crafting for holidays when the holiday is almost here.  I'm trying to do better with that, so I'm actually proud of myself for posting a Valentine project today, and I hope y'all won't be too upset with me.  I want to show you how to make this adorable Valentine Puppy Hair Clip, AND I have a free Silhouette cut file for you too! (Yay!)

You'll need a few supplies to make this cute hair clip.

Supplies:

• Felt
• Valentine Pup Pattern
• Card stock
• Embroidery Thread
• Alligator Hair Clip
• Needle
• Straight Pins
• Hot Glue Gun
• Hot Glue Sticks

First you'll need to download the Silhouette cut file that I created {HERE}.  (The file is for personal use only.)  Open the file in your Silhouette program.  

Ungroup the Valentine Pup shape, separate the shapes, and use your machine to cut them from card stock.  In the photo above, I have ungrouped the shapes but haven't separated them yet.   (I apologize for the screen shot looking so dark and grainy.  It didn't look like that when I saved it a billion times, but every time I opened it, it was weird like that, so I gave up.)  Note: You don't need to cut the eyes or nose if you're stitching them like I did.  Then pin the shapes to your felt and cut them out.  

Note:  According to Cutesy Crafts, you can use your Silhouette to cut felt.  I haven't tried it before, but here's the tutorial in case you want to.

Next, attach the pieces together with a straight stitch.  (You can use a dot of fabric glue or hot glue to hold the small pieces in place while stitching; just don't put the glue where you'll have to stitch.)  Then it's time to stitch the puppy's facial features.

The eyes are created using French knots.  The nose is created with a satin stitch, and the mouth uses a backstitch.

Cut out a piece of felt the size and shape of the completed puppy.  Cut a slit in it so that you can slide an alligator clip in the felt as seen in the photo above.  Carefully close the alligator clip, making sure the felt doesn't wrinkle.  Use hot glue to attach the completed puppy to the felt.  (You will be gluing the puppy to the felt and sandwiching the top of the alligator clip between the two.)  Then your clip is complete!

Isn't he just the cutest?!  I wanted Daisy Doodle to wear him for a picture, but she detests wearing anything in her hair.  Maybe she'll grow out of that, but I'm not holding my breath.

Just think of all the things you can make with the Valentine Puppy cut file.  Wouldn't a Valentine onesie be adorable?  Or a cute Valentine card?  I'd love to see what you create with it!