The Heart in the Hand
Paper love tokens, Odd Fellows symbolism, and a handmade tradition you can make step by step
I was digging through my bin of saved paper scraps when I picked up a couple of envelopes from old bills. You know the kind with patterned interiors meant to hide the contents.
I laid them out on my work table, opened my laptop… and drifted into rabbit-hole mode for a few minutes.
Two things jumped out at me right away.
First: people collect these envelope patterns. Entire collections! (Which… wow. Of course they do.) Note to self: look into this more later!
Second: they reminded me of another envelope craft I fell in love with while researching Odd Fellows’ handmade objects a few months back.
The ever-charming, heart-in-hand paper love tokens!
Heart-in-Hand Love Tokens
These were especially popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch and the Amish communities, and later among the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. They were often made from two types of paper (often repurposed envelopes), using a simple but clever bit of paper weaving.
Seeing these paper tokens again sent me back to the same question I had then: why this motif?
Why This Motif?
As I dug deeper into Odd Fellows crafts and motifs, it became clear they had a visual lexicon of their own. One of the most striking symbols is the heart in hand, a symbol that feels so ubiquitous we almost don’t notice it.
Once I started looking, the heart-in-hand kept appearing. Each one is different. Each one is careful. Each one is oddly beautiful.
Not just on paper, but carved in wood. Sometimes polished smooth. Sometimes, a hand is depicted realistically, while in others it is stylized and simplified. In some cases, the hand holds a heart plainly; in others, the heart is covered by the thumb or bears additional symbols on the back of the hand. Many of the carved wood examples are covered in gold leaf.
Over the past 150 years, this symbol has become closely associated with the Odd Fellows, who used objects and icons to develop a detailed visual language. The heart-in-hand symbolizes friendship, truth, and mutual care. They used it on banners, staffs, plaques, axes, and other ceremonial accoutrements.
Lodges brought together people from diverse trades and backgrounds. Symbols conveyed meaning where text didn’t. During meetings and initiations, especially in the 19th century, lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows used ceremonial regalia. Fraternal orders were mutual-aid societies, early social safety nets focused on moral behavior. Symbols taught values without sermons, reinforced lessons, and strengthened identity. Each symbol served as shorthand.
Before that, the heart-in-hand image appears more loosely in Christian art and devotional imagery, where hands and hearts represented faith, charity, and moral offering. The trail isn’t perfectly tidy or easy to trace in brief, but the sentiment is what’s enticing. And of course, the evocative objects and the maker’s hands themselves.
What’s Consistent Is the Making
These weren’t always precious materials. Paper letters. Old envelopes. Scrap wood. Objects meant to be handled, exchanged, and kept close.
The paper versions (woven from two contrasting sheets) feel like quiet demonstrations of ingenuity rather than display. I can imagine the makers sitting with friends over tea, making these as an excuse to socialize, to keep their hands busy, and to catch up on the day's news, or in quiet contemplation. Passing the finished piece to a neighbor as a friendly token.
Each example I came across was crafted differently. Different hands. Different hearts. Same basic idea. If you’d like to see even more, I have been working on a Pinterest Board!
An Excuse to Make Valentines
I don’t carve wood (though these make me want to try). I do love working with paper. And while I didn’t set out this week thinking about making valentines, this felt like the perfect excuse.
Do you save paper scraps the way I do? If so, now is the perfect time to bring some out.
When I first taught myself how to make these, I used those privacy-lined bill envelopes and loved the effect. My early attempts were a little wonky, but I eventually got the hang of it.
Below, I’ll walk through exactly how I make these step by step, plus a few variations I’ve been loving.
How to Make a Heart-in-Hand Paper Love Token
What You’ll Need
Two varieties of paper (recycled or fancy, both work)
Sharp scissors
A pencil
Markers, pens, or colored pencils
Decorative edge scissors (like pinking shears), if you have them
Hole punches, optional
Tracing the Hand
Trace your hand onto your first sheet of paper. Position your hand so your fingers are mostly pointing upward and not too spread apart (this is not the turkey craft you remember). Once the hand is traced, draw a decorative edge or cuff near the wrist. I used a scalloped shape, but anything works. Try a few variations; I did, and I loved the differences. Cut out the hand.
Making the Heart
Cut your heart from the second sheet of paper. I recommend at least 3 inches wide, though larger works too. I like to cut a square or rectangle, fold it in half, and cut the side profile of the heart so it’s symmetrical. I know you’ve done this dozens of times.
Placement
Place the heart over the cut-out hand to decide on placement. Make small pencil marks at the top and bottom points of the heart to indicate its center on the hand. Fold the hand in half along those marks.
Fold and Cut
Now place the folded heart upside down against the folded hand, aligning the folds. Either trace or freehand, but what you’re doing next is cutting a series of short, evenly spaced slices through all layers — think roughly 45-degree cuts, about ⅛–¼ inch apart. I usually make between 4 and 8 cuts.
Weave
Carefully separate the heart and hand. Turn the heart right-side up and begin weaving the strips together. This part benefits from experimentation. I often start weaving each section loosely before sliding the heart fully into place. A small tool, like needle-nose tweezers or an awl, can help.
There’s No One Right Way
With each one I made, I stopped at a slightly different point in the weaving process… and they all look different and good.
The number of cuts, spacing, and paper thickness all matter. Play around. There isn’t a perfect method, just many satisfying variations.
I added different decorative punches or doodled names on each, having fun making them unique.
Finished Tokens & Variations
I made several in pink and brick-colored paper, and another in burgundy. I’m seeing friends later this week for a pre-Valentine’s dinner, and I can’t wait to pass these out.
Will you make some? What colors will you choose? Or will you go the recycled-envelope route?
Happy crafting! Thank you for being curious about paper and process with me.
xo,
Corrie
Your deep dive into this charming object made my morning, Corrie Beth. You reminded me that beautiful makes are all around us, unsung, but quietly doing the job of keeping us human to one another. Thank you for that. ❤️
Reading about an old custom/society woven around this concept only makes me think of Dirty Dancing and the Kellerman school anthem...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5mereCM83Y&t=32s
I would probably make these, hand them out and then never find out how many were tossed in the trash. I used to make stuff like this more often. I may do it, again, one day. But, for now, I have to be more selective who I hand "my he(art)." <3
It's a cool idea, though.