The carving sequence can look a little intimidating your first time. Keep this image of the carving sequence in mind as you go along to avoid any confusion.

Start off with a measurement drawing like this one. If this is your first time attempting this woodcarving project, adjust the plan so that there is more space around the wooden hearts.

Transfer the measurement drawing onto your shaped carving blank. This will be your guide for sawing and carving.

Drill at least one clearance hole through each wooden heart. This allows you to insert a fretsaw blade to cut away the inside.

Saw around your guidelines. A fretsaw is the best and fastest way to rough out the shapes of the wooden hearts.

Once your carving looks like two intersecting boxes, you can make two copies of your drawing. Cut out the wooden hearts with an opening to fit around the intersecting box, and glue them in place.

Smooth out the surface. Get the grooves and ridges at the angles positioned just right for a professional touch.

If you're planning on making multiple copies of these wooden hearts, use this tablesaw jig to quickly cut lengths of the rough cross-shaped bar.

This woodcarving how-to is excerpted with permission from Woodcarving Magic: How to Transform a Single Block of Wood into Impossible Shapes by Bjarne Jesperson (Fox Chapel Publishing).