How to Crochet a Heart for Beginners

Learn to crochet hearts! 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's day 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.

Crochet Hearts Tutorial for Beginners

This beginner-friendly tutorial will show you 3 styles of crocheting hearts:

1. Flat Crochet Hearts
2. Across Crochet Hearts
3. Granny Square Crochet Hearts

Supplies to Make Crochet Hearts

• Yarn
• Crochet Hook
• Yarn Needle
• Scissors
• Optional - Stitch Marker

Yarn in your favorite colors 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.

For my samples, I used a worsted weight yarn with a 4.5mm hook.

Abbreviations Used for Crochet Hearts

When making crochet hearts, you will come across some of these crochet abbreviations in the patterns. These are all basic stitches.

All instructions in this tutorial are using US terms.

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

Gauge for Crocheting Hearts

Gauge is not important in this case, as no fitting is required. This means you are ready to go crocheting hearts quickly and can use any yarn you like.

Style 1 - How to Crochet a Flat Heart (Simple Crochet Heart Pattern)

These easy crochet hearts are crocheted in the round. Here is how to crochet a single heart:

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. Here are 2 methods to form the foundation ring.

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

A. Chain Ring Method (How to Crochet a Heart without a Magic Circle)

This is the simplest method to crochet hearts, 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. 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!

Step 2 - First Round (Tiny Hearts)

• 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 crochet hearts, you are done!

Step 3 - Second Round (Medium Crochet Hearts)

• Sc into the chain space below
• (2 hdc and 1dc) in next stitch
• 3 dc into next st
• 2 dc into next st
• dc into the next 4 sts
• (dc, tr, dc) into next st (This is the point)
• dc into the next 4 st
• 2 dc in next st
• 3 dc in next st
• (1dc, 2 hdc) in next st
• sc into ch 2 sp
• sl st into sl st below from the previous round

This will give you a medium-sized crochet heart.

Step 4 - Third Round (How to Crochet a Big Heart)

• Sc into first 2 sts
• (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st) 3 times
• Sc into next 6 sts
• (sc, hdc, sc) into next st (This is the point)
• Sc in next 6 sts
• (1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 3 times
• Sc in next 2 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!

Style 2 - 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: 1 sc in each of first 20 sts. Ch1, turn. (20 sts)
• 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.

Another Crochet Heart Pattern

Learn how to make a heart pattern with a bobble stitch.

Style 3 - Crochet Hearts in a Granny Square

For incorporating crochet hearts into a granny square, see my heart granny square pattern that will give you 2 more styles.

What to Do With Crochet Hearts?

Crochet hearts can be used to make sweet gifts. Here are a few ideas:

• APPLIQUE - Use as an appliqué on bags, hats, sweaters, or blankets.
• COASTERS - Make heart coasters or potholders.
• HEART GARLAND - Hang them up on a string or a length of chain stitches to make a garland or bunting

• TIE BACKS - Hang them on the end of a chain stitch length to make curtain tie-backs.
• BROOCHES - Stitch a pin onto the back and make a cute brooch.
• 3D HEARTS - 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 - 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?

More Crochet Projects

Now you know how to crochet hearts, here are a few more crochet projects. You can even add your crochet hearts to them as decorations.