Crochet Hearts

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Whether you want to show somebody how much you love them, have a child who is obsessed with hearts, or want to create some Valentine-inspired décor, learning to crochet hearts is definitely the way to go! There are a large number of ways to create hearts with yarn and a crochet hook, so let's go ahead and explore a few of them.

Table of Contents

Supplies

Yarn and a crochet hook size suitable for that particular yarn. If you want to make larger hearts, use thick yarn and a thick hook, if you want smaller hearts, fine yarn, and a small hook will work nicely.

Crochet Hearts - Abbreviations

When making crochet hearts, you will come across some of these abbreviations in your patterns.

ch- chain
st(s)- stitch(es)
yo- yarn over hook
sc- single crochet
dc- double crochet
hdc- half double crochet
tr- treble crochet
sl st- slip stitch
sp-space

All instructions are using US crochet terms.

Crochet Hearts - Gauge

Gauge is not important in this case, as no fitting is required.

Crochet Hearts - Flat In Rounds

Step 1 - Foundation Ring

To crochet a flat heart, worked in rounds, similar to a crochet circle, you need to start with a foundation ring. There are 3 methods to form the foundation ring.

Foundation Ring Methods

A.Working Stitches Into a Chain Ring

This is the simplest method, but it can leave you with a fairly large center hole.

Make a chain stitch of 6.
Insert hook into first ch that you made.
Yarn over.
Draw yarn through the chain stitch, and through the loop on the hook.
Your foundation ring is now complete.

B. Working Stitches into a Chain Stitch

This is a better method to use when you want a smaller central hole in your circle.

Ch1, plus the number of sts you need for a turning ch. So if you are working in sc, ch1, +ch1. If working in hdc, ch1+ch2. If working in dc, ch1+ch 3.
YO
Insert hook into first ch st that you made.
YO
Draw yarn through both loops on hook.
Continue to work sc into that ch st untilyou have the required number of stitches for the pattern, or until you can fit no more sts into that ch.
Sl st into first sc.
Your ch may loosen with all the sts you are squeezing into it. Pull it tighter if you can.

C. Magic Ring Method

This magic ring crochet method gives the neatest center to your circle.

Be sure to pull enough yarn out of your ball or skein to work with.
The yarn which is coming out of the ball is the ‘working yarn’, the loose end is the ‘tail.’
Take the tail of the yarn and make a loose letter ‘e’.
The working yarn must be over the top of the tail part.
Insert your hook into the upper part of the ‘e’.
When it is through the loop, YO.
Keep the yarn wrapped around your hook and pull the hook back up through the loop of the ‘e’. The loop is very loose. Keep it in place by holding the crossed part closed with your fingers.
Take the working yarn and YO again. Be careful that the original loop does not fall apart!
Pull the working yarn through and up. This has made the first sc into your magic ring.
Now stitch as many sc into the ring as your pattern requires.

For making hearts, I would highly recommend that you start with the ‘Magic Ring’ method. Nobody wants to have a hole in their heart!

Step 2 - First Round

Ch 2.
Into the foundation ring: crochet 3 tr, 4 dc,1 tr, 4 dc, 3 tr, ch2.
Sl st into the ring.
Pull tight to close the magic ring. (If you used the magic ring!)

This already has a heart shape. If you want tiny little hearts, you can stop here.

Step 3 - Second Round

Sc into 2 ch
sp. (2 hdc and dc) in next st, 3 dc into next st, 2 dc into next st, dc into next 4 sts, 1 tr, dc into next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st,3 dc in next st,(dc, 2 hdc) in next st sc into ch 2 sp,
sl st into sl st from the previous round. This will give you a medium-sized heart.

Step 4 - Third Round (To make a larger heart)

Sc into first 2 sts, (2scin next st, 1 sc in next st) 3 times,
Sc into next 6 sts ( sc, hdc, sc)into next st,
Sc in next 6 sts, (1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 3 times,
Sc in next2 sts,
Sl st into previous sl st.

Cut yarn and pull through loop on hook to end off. Weave in ends.

When reading through all these instructions it looks so intimidating all written out, but if you just do one step at a time, and don’t lose your place in the row, it really is quite simple!

What to Do With Crochet Hearts?

Use as an appliqué on bags, hats, sweaters or blankets.
Make heart coasters or pot holders.
Hang them up on string or a length of ch st to make a garland.

Hang them on the end of a ch st length to make curtain tie backs.

Stitch a pin onto the back and make a cute brooch.
Sew two hearts together and stuff them to make a small toy, keepsake, scented sachet or key chain.
A finely crocheted, pretty, dainty pair of hearts sewn together and stuffed would also make a lovely wedding ring pillow.

Crochet Hearts Using Back & Forth Crochet

For a completely different style of heart, and for those who dislike crocheting in rounds, here is a heart using rows of crochet, and turning after each row. This makes a larger heart, which could be made into a small cushion, by crocheting two, stitching them together, and stuffing the heart shape.

Bottom of Crochet Hearts

Foundation chain- ch2
Row 1: Sc in 2^nd ch from hook, ch1, turn

Row 2: 2 sc in sc from row. Ch1, turn.

Row 3: 2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in 2^nd sc, ch1, turn.
Rows 4-14: 2 sc in first sc, * 1sc in next sc, repeat from * to last sc, 2 sc into last sc, ch1, turn.

Row 15: 1 sc in each sc, ch1, turn.
Row 16: 2 sc in first sc, *1 sc in next sc, repeat from * to last sc, ch2 into last sc, ch1, turn.
Rows 17-41: Repeat these two rows until you have a row of 41 sts.
Rows 42-46: Work 5 more rows of 1 sc in each sc, ch1, turn. (ie. no further increases.)
Row 47: Decrease in the 6^th row by one st, so you have 40 sts.
Row 48: Sc in first 19 sts, sc 2 tog, sc in remaining sc, ch1, turn.

Top of Crochet Hearts

Now work the top halves of the heart separately.

Row 1:
Row 2:1 sc in each st, ch1, turn.
Row 3:Sc 2 tog,*1 sc in next st, repeat from * to last 2 sc, sc 2 tog, ch1, turn. (18 sts)
Rows 4-12: Work all even rows as row 2, and all odd rows as row 3.
Row 12 - At the end of row 12, cut yarn and fasten off.
Rejoin the yarn in the center of the heart.
Repeat these 12 rows to complete the other side of the heart.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.

If you want to make a heart cushion, make two hearts in this way and sew them together, leaving a small space for stuffing. Stuff firmly with polyfill. Make it really nice and fat and puffy! Then sew up the final gap. If this heart is too small for the cushion you would like to make, try using chunky yarn and a thick hook, or instead of working in sc, use hdc for all your sts, and 2 ch for turning chain.

A third way to use crochet hearts is to make an Afghan rug using squares that have hearts at their center. There are many patterns and ways to do this, but I think the simplest is to make a granny square heart.

Granny Square Crochet Hearts

You will need 2 colors. I have chosen red and white.

Foundation: Start with the foundation ring of your choice.
Round 1: (Red) Ch 2, (counts as first dc), dc 2, ch1, (dc3 ch1) 3 times. Join round with a sl st.

Round 2: Ch2, dc 2 into first ch sp. Ch1. Dc 3 in next ch sp, ch2, dc 3 in same space, ch1. Repeat from 3 times. Dc 3 ch2 in first ch space. Join with a sl st. You have now created your corners for the granny square.

Round 3: Ch 2, dc 2 in first ch space. Ch2 dc 3 in same space. Ch1. Dc 3 in next ch space.
- Change color. (white) Ch1, dc 3 ch2, dc 3
- Change color. (red)Ch1, dc 3 in next ch space.
- Change color. (white) Ch1, dc3, ch2, dc 3 into next space.
- Change color. (red) Ch1 dc 3 into next space, ch1, dc 3 into next space, ch2, dc 3.
- Change color. (white) Ch1, dc 3 in last ch space. Join with a sl st.

Now the heart shape is forming.

You will see that you are actually creating a conventional granny square, the stitches are exactly the same, but the color changes form the heart shape.

Round 4: (white) Ch2, dc 2 in first ch space, ch 1, dc 3 in next ch space, ch2, dc 3 in same space, ch1, dc 3 in next ch space. Repeat from * 3 times.

Dc in next space, ch2, dc 3 in same space, ch1, dc3 in next space, ch1, join to first dc with slst.

Your heart will have formed simply by changing colors!

Now you can continue going around your square, just like a normal granny square, to make your motifs as big or small as you wish.

Join lots of these squares together to make an Afghan-style blanket, or make two large ones to join together as a cushion.

Keep them small and join 2 into a ring to make a mug cozy.

Crochet Hearts - In Conclusion

I have suggested three ways to make hearts- this is actually pretty much an infinite topic! There are so many different ways to crochet hearts. Which one will you choose?

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