Have a Heart

My garden spoke to me this morning. As I was watering the cherry tree, the water pooled in a heart shape. If I had only had my camera! But alas, water and cameras don't mix. (Although, I did just buy Avery a waterproof one-time use camera to congratulate her on taking 3rd place in her first synchronized swim meet!)

Here is a pattern for a crochet heart, which I came up with last winter during a crochet jag, but never bothered to write down. I gave all the women in my husband's family invitations to crochet lessons, and pinned these crochet hearts on the card with a crochet hook, like Cupid's arrow. My sister-in-law recently asked me to make a few hearts for her hand-crafted Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, and I decided to write down the pattern so I wouldn't forget (like the way I forgot my PIN yesterday at the grocery store).

Crochet Heart

Using cotton crochet yarn, such as Aunt Lydia's, and the smallest hook you have, chain 2.

Row 1: sc in 2nd stitch from hook, 1ch, turn.

Row 2: sc in first stitch, 2 sc in second stitch, 1ch, turn. (you should now have 3 stitches)

Row3: sc in two stitches, 2 sc in third stitch, 1ch, turn.

Row 4: sc in three stitches, 2 sc in fourth stitch, 1ch, turn.

Row 5: skip first stitch, 3 dc in 2nd stitch, anchor with slip stitch in 3rd stitch, 3 dc in 4th stitch, slip stitch in 5th stitch, cast off leaving a tail to weave in -OR- chain stitch around base of heart for a finished edge.

To make a bigger heart, crochet two more rows after row 4, increasing with two sc in last stitch of each row.

Row 7: skip first two stitches, 5 dc in third stitch, slip stitch in fourth stitch, 5 dc in fifth stitch, slip stitch in 7th (last) stitch. Finish as above.

There are so many possibilities for these hearts. They would look adorable appliqued onto clothes or bags, affixed with a blanket stitch or chain stitch. Sew two together and stuff for a sweet ornament. Sew six in a circle for a flower. Experiment with different yarns, ribbons or even thin gauge wire. Happy hooking!