Bookish Craft Hour: Valentine Puzzle Purses
Sat, Feb 07
|Our Mutual Friend Collective
Join us for a bookish craft hour where we’ll make Victorian puzzle purses—a historic folded paper Valentine used to hide poems, notes, and secret messages. Part origami, part puzzle, and full of old-world charm. No experience needed—just a love of paper and stories.
Time & Location
Feb 07, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Our Mutual Friend Collective, 1219 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125, USA
About the event
Long before envelopes, texts, or store-bought Valentines, people shared secrets, poems, and affection through folded paper creations called puzzle purses.
In this special Valentine’s craft hour, we’ll explore the Victorian puzzle purse—a folded paper package (sometimes called an origami puzzle purse) that dates back centuries and became especially popular during the Victorian era as a way to exchange notes, riddles, and love messages.
What we’ll do:
Learn the step-by-step folding process to create a classic puzzle purse
Discover the history behind this charming, literary paper craft
Write or decorate hidden messages, poems, riddles, or Valentines inside