This Buttercup Bloom Heart is a small lace heart with an eight-petal flower at its center. A padded ring with an open center holds eight rounded petals. Rope-like arches frame the petals, two fan-filled lobes form the top of the heart, and a tall-stitch fan shapes the pointed bottom.
The sample is worked in one color, a soft pale butter yellow. The look is light and old-fashioned, like a vintage doily folded into a heart. It looks good hanging on a Christmas tree, tied to a gift, or tucked into a card.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished heart measures about 4.25 in wide x 4.25 in tall (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm), not counting the hanging loop.
The heart is one single piece, worked in joined rounds from the center out. You make a ring, add the petals, then chain arches and cover them with sc. One shaping round turns the circle into a heart, and a final sc round and hanging loop finish it. There is no sewing and no joining.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4.25 in x 4.25 in (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Size 3 cotton crochet thread (fingering, #1)
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B-1)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: Single standalone motif, no assembly
- Piece size (after Rnd 6): 4 in x 4 in (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm)
- Size before border: 4 in x 4 in (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm)
- Border depth: 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on each edge, adding 0.25 in (0.6 cm) to width and height
- Hanging loop: about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long when folded
Materials
Yarn: Use mercerized size 3 cotton crochet thread. Mercerized cotton gives clear stitches, holds its shape after blocking, and does not fuzz. Choose a smooth, solid color so the petals and fans stand out.
- Pale butter yellow: 10 g, about 32 m (35 yd)
This amount includes a margin for testing gauge and weaving in ends. One heart uses about 7 g.
Tools:
- 2.25 mm (US B-1) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 1 locking stitch marker
- Scissors
- Blocking mat and rustproof pins
- Spray bottle with water, plus spray starch if you want (it helps)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet (yo twice)
- dtr: double treble crochet
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- yo: yarn over
- Rnd: round
Special stitches
- dtr (double treble): Yo 3 times, insert hook in st, yo and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook). [Yo, pull through 2 loops] 4 times.
- Petal: Into one ch-9 sp work (sc, hdc, 2 dc, 5 tr, 2 dc, hdc, sc). That is 13 sts. The 7th st, the 3rd tr, is the petal center.
Gauge and Checkpoints
There is no flat swatch for this design. Your first heart is the test piece. Make Rnds 1–3, measure, and only continue once you match the gauge.
Base gauge: 9 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) along a flat edge.
Checkpoints:
- After Rnd 1: the padded ring is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across, with an open center hole.
- After Rnd 3: the flower is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across, measured from petal tip to petal tip.
- After Rnd 5: the covered-arch circle is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across.
- After Rnd 6: the heart is 4 in wide x 4 in tall (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm), from lobe to lobe and from the V dip to the point.
- After Rnd 7: 4.25 in x 4.25 in (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm).
If your flower is too big (over 2.5 in / 6.4 cm), go down to a 2.0 mm hook. If it is too small (under 2 in / 5.1 cm), go up to a 2.5 mm hook. If the petals cup forward, your ch-9 loops are too tight, so loosen your chains instead of changing hooks.
Pattern
Rnd 1: Center Ring
Ch 6, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Ch 1 (does not count as a st), work 16 sc in ring, sl st in first sc to join. (16 sc)
Pack the sc snugly so they hide the ring and leave a clean round hole in the middle.
Rnd 2: Petal Loops
Ch 1, sc in same st as join, ch 9, sk next sc, sc in next sc, ch 9, sk next sc; rep from * 6 more times, sl st in first sc to join. (8 sc, 8 ch-9 sps)*
Rnd 3: Petals
Sl st in first ch-9 sp. Work a Petal in this sp. Sl st in next sc, work a Petal in next ch-9 sp; rep from * 6 more times, sl st in first sc of Rnd 2 to join. (8 petals, 104 sts, plus 8 sl sts between petals)*
Each petal has 13 sts packed tightly over a short loop. This makes a rounded, teardrop-shaped petal: narrow at the ring, full at the outer end, with rope-like ridged edges.
Checkpoint: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across. Lay the flower flat. Choose one petal as Petal 1 and place a marker in its petal center. This petal will point straight up into the V of the heart.
Rnd 4: Arches
Sl st in next 6 sts, ending in the 6th st of Petal 1. Remove the marker. Ch 1, sc in the petal center (7th st) of Petal 1. Ch 9, sc in petal center of next petal; rep from * 6 more times, ch 9, sl st in first sc to join. (8 sc, 8 ch-9 arches)*
The 8 sc sit on the tips of the petals. Name these anchor points by clock position: P12 (top, on Petal 1), then clockwise P1:30, P3, P4:30, P6, P7:30, P9, P10:30. Name the arches A1–A8, where A1 runs from P12 to P1:30 and A8 runs from P10:30 back to P12.
Rnd 5: Covered Arches (conversion round)
Ch 1, sc in same st (P12). *Work 11 sc in next ch-9 arch, sc in next anchor sc; rep from * 6 more times, work 11 sc in last arch (A8), sl st in first sc to join.
Count: 8 sc (1 per existing anchor sc) + 88 sc (11 added into each of 8 arches) = 96 sc.
The sc-covered arches form the rope-like frames around each petal. Checkpoint: 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across.
Rnd 6: Heart Shaping (growth round)
This round builds the two lobes, the sides, and the point. Do not ch. The joining sl st at P12 is the V dip of the heart. Each arch has 11 sc. Work every arch section into exactly those 11 sts.
Right half:
- A1: sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st, tr in next 3 sts, 2 tr in each of next 5 sts. (16 sts)
- P1:30: 3 tr in anchor sc. (3 sts, lobe peak)
- A2: 2 tr in each of next 3 sts, tr in next 3 sts, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next st. (14 sts)
- P3: sc in anchor sc. (1 st)
- A3: sc in next 4 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, dc in next 3 sts. (11 sts)
- P4:30: dc in anchor sc. (1 st)
- A4: dc in next 3 sts, tr in next 4 sts, dtr in next 4 sts. (11 sts)
Bottom point:
- P6: (dtr, ch 2, dtr) in anchor sc. (2 sts, 1 ch-2 sp)
Left half (mirror):
- A5: dtr in next 4 sts, tr in next 4 sts, dc in next 3 sts. (11 sts)
- P7:30: dc in anchor sc. (1 st)
- A6: dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, sc in next 4 sts. (11 sts)
- P9: sc in anchor sc. (1 st)
- A7: sc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, tr in next 3 sts, 2 tr in each of next 3 sts. (14 sts)
- P10:30: 3 tr in anchor sc. (3 sts, lobe peak)
- A8: 2 tr in each of next 5 sts, tr in next 3 sts, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st. (16 sts)
Sl st in P12 sc to join.
Round count: right half 57 sts + bottom point 2 sts + left half 57 sts = 116 sts and 1 ch-2 sp.
Check each half: 16 + 3 + 14 + 1 + 11 + 1 + 11 = 57.
The increases in A1, A2, A7, and A8 open into radiating tr fans that fill the upper lobes. The dtr in A4 and A5 form a smaller fan of tall sts down to the point. The V stays deep because only a sl st sits at P12.
Checkpoint: 4 in wide x 4 in tall (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm). Pin it flat for a moment to check, because tall sts curl until blocked.
Rnd 7: Border and Hanging Loop
Go to the Border section below to work Rnd 7.
Border
Border gauge: 9 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) along the outer edge. The heart has an outer edge of about 13.2 in (33.5 cm), so it needs about 119 sc.
Rnd 7: Ch 1. Work along the right half: sc in each of the 57 sts from A1 through A4. (57 sc)
At the bottom point: sc in first dtr, 3 sc in ch-2 sp, sc in next dtr. (5 sc)
Along the left half: sc in each of the 57 sts from A5 through A8. (57 sc)
Sk the P12 sl st and sl st in first sc to join.
Count: 116 sc (1 per existing st) + 3 sc (added in the ch-2 sp) = 119 sc.
Hanging loop: Ch 40, sl st in the same sc as the join. Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Why the math works: Rnd 6 already sized each half of the outer curve. Working one sc per st keeps the edge the same length, so it lies flat without ruffling or pulling. The 3 sc in the ch-2 sp give the point enough fullness to turn sharply. No sts are added at the V, so it pulls in neatly. Each side of the heart has 57 sc, which keeps the two halves an exact match. The sc round adds 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on each edge, so 4 in (10.2 cm) becomes 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the back of the covered arches, where they will not show. Do not trim them yet.
- Wet the heart in cool water, squeeze gently in a towel, and do not wring it.
- Lay it face up on the blocking mat. Pin the V and the bottom point first, 4.25 in (10.8 cm) apart.
- Pin the two lobe peaks 4.25 in (10.8 cm) apart, level with each other.
- Pin the center of each petal tip outward so the eight petals spread evenly around the ring.
- Pin each arch into a smooth curve, and open each tr fan so the sts radiate evenly.
- Mist with spray starch if you want a stiff ornament. Let dry completely, then trim the ends.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Center ring is round with a visible open hole.
- Eight petals, each 13 sts, all the same size.
- Rnd 4 sc sit exactly on petal centers.
- Rnd 5 has 96 sc. Rnd 6 has 116 sts plus a ch-2 sp. Rnd 7 has 119 sc.
- Both halves have 57 sts and mirror each other.
- Petal 1 points straight into the V.
- Heart measures 4.25 in x 4.25 in (10.8 cm x 10.8 cm).
- Hanging loop is centered at the V and hangs about 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
Petals look thin or gappy: Your ch-9 loops are too long for your tension. Try ch 8, keeping 13 sts per petal.
Center ring will not close neatly: Work Rnd 1 over the starting tail and pull the tail snug before joining.
Arches buckle on Rnd 5: Your chains are tight. Loosen the ch-9 arches so the 11 sc have room.
Lobes are uneven: Recount A1, A2, A7, and A8 against the stitch lists. One missing 2-tr increase shows clearly.
Heart leans to one side: Petal 1 was not centered at the top. Check that Rnd 4 started in the marked petal.
Border ruffles: Your border sc are looser than your Rnd 6 sts. Work Rnd 7 with a 2.0 mm hook.
Point is blunt: Make sure you used 3 sc in the ch-2 sp, and pin the point firmly when blocking.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and lay flat to dry, re-pinning if needed. Re-starch after washing if you want the ornament stiff.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple: a 0.75 in (1.9 cm) ring, a 2.25 in (5.7 cm) flower, a 2.75 in (7.0 cm) covered-arch circle, a 4 in (10.2 cm) heart, and a 4.25 in (10.8 cm) finished ornament. If each checkpoint matches, the next round will fit. The stitch counts are 16, 104, 96, 116, and 119. Check them as you go, and the two halves of the heart will match.
Happy crocheting!