by: maybematilda.com
You can use any old scrap yarn you have lying around, and any size hook that is appropriate for your yarn (if you’re using worsted weight yarn, anywhere from an F through a K should work nicely). I used a G hook for the tiniest pink heart in my photos (it’s about an inch and a half across), an I hook for the medium size bright pink one, and a K hook for the largest maroon heart. They were all made with the same pattern, all are made of worsted weight yarn, and the only thing that I changed from one heart to the next was the hook size, so play around and experiment with different hook sizes to find a size you love!
You’ll need to start with a magic circle. To be honest, I find this tough to capture in pictures and to explain, so please refer to this tutorial and this video if you need help.
Make your magic circle and chain 3.
Now you’re going to work 3 treble (or triple) crochets into the circle. Yarn over your hook twice:
Then insert your hook into the circle and pull up a loop, then yarn over again:
You’ll now have 4 loops (plus the yarn over) on your hook (as pictured above). Pull the yarn over through just the first two loops on your hook, then yarn over again:
You’ll now have 3 loops on your hook, plus the yarn over. Pull the yarn over through just the first two loops again, exactly as you did in the previous step. Yarn over again:
You’ll now have two loops left on your hook, plus the yarn over. Can you guess what’s coming next? I bet so. Pull the yarn over through the two remaining loops on your hook.
There’s your first treble crochet! Now just repeat those steps for two more treble crochets:
By now, you should have your chain 3 on the right, then your three treble crochets, as pictured above.
Next up, we need to work 3 double crochets. Yarn over your hook just once:
Insert your hook into the circle, pull up a loop, and yarn over again:
Pull the yarn over through the first two loops on the hook, and yarn over again:
Then pull the yarn over through the two remaining loops on your hook:
There’s your double crochet! Now work two more double crochets.
From right to left in the picture above, you should have your chain 3, 3 treble crochets, and 3 double crochets. (My chain 3 is kind of hiding my first treble crochet in that picture. Don’t worry about it, it’s in there, I promise.)
Now chain 1 by yarning over the hook and pulling it straight through the loop on your hook.
Work one treble crochet into the circle. Refer to the pictures up top if you don’t remember how. This treble will be the ‘tip’ of your heart.
Chain 1 again.
Now you’re basically going to repeat the first half of the pattern, backwards, to form the second half of the heart. First up is 3 double crochets. Refer to the double crochet pictures above if you need help.
Then you’ve got 3 more treble crochets. You’re probably a pro at these by now.
Now just chain 2:
Then slip stitch into the circle to finish it up. Just insert your hook into the circle, pull up a loop, and pull the loop straight through the loop already on your hook.
And you’ve got your little heart! Mostly!
See the loose ‘tail’ yarn at the top? Pulling that will tighten your heart and cinch it closed (the magical part of the magic circle—it disappears like magic!). Give it a good firm pull until your heart is completely closed in the center.
Ah, that’s more like it. Fasten off your yarn by pulling a loop through the loop on your hook (just like working a chain), snipping your yarn a few inches away from the hook, and pulling the loop completely through. Tighten it up and weave in the ends, and you’re done!
In case you want to see all the stitches labeled on the heart, enjoy this pictographic brilliance:
So, to sum up, the hearts are simply made by . . .
Magic circle, ch 3, 3 trc, 3 dc, ch 1, 1 trc, ch 1, 3 dc, 3 trc, ch2, sl st.
(trc = treble crochet; dc = double crochet; ch = chain; sl st = slip stitch)
Ta da!
Fun, huh? Once you’re comfortable with the stitches, you’ll be able to whip these up in no time at all.
Enjoy!
