This little letter H is a quick, personal bag charm. Each upright is filled with neat stacked V-stitches, a solid crossbar joins them, and a crisp single-crochet frame holds the shape together.
The letter is worked in a saturated cobalt blue cotton. Three tiny cream daisies with sunny yellow centers and sage-green leaves add a soft, cottagecore touch, and a gold keyring finishes it off.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished letter measures 3.4 in (8.6 cm) wide by 4.2 in (10.7 cm) tall, not counting the keyring.
To make it, you work two identical uprights in rows. Next you work a short crossbar between them, then one continuous border round around the entire H outline. Finally, you sew on the flowers and leaves and attach the hardware.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.4 in (8.6 cm) wide x 4.2 in (10.7 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3) cotton for the letter; sport (#2) cotton for the appliqués
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4) for the letter; 2.5 mm (C-2) for the appliqués
- Number of pieces: One letter (two uprights plus a crossbar, bordered as one unit), plus 3 flowers and 3 leaves
- Layout: Two uprights 1.0 in (2.5 cm) apart, joined at mid-height
- Each upright before border: 1.0 in (2.5 cm) wide x 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall
- Letter before border: 3.0 in (7.6 cm) wide x 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge
Materials
Choose a smooth, tightly plied mercerized or matte cotton. Cotton holds the letter shape well and shows off the V-stitches. Avoid fuzzy or splitty yarns, because the openwork will blur.
- Cobalt blue, DK cotton: 12 g / 26 m
- Cream, sport cotton: 2 g / 6 m
- Yellow, sport cotton: 1 g / 3 m
- Sage green, sport cotton: 2 g / 6 m
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) and 2.5 mm (C-2) crochet hooks
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Gold split keyring, 1 in (2.5 cm), with a short chain
– 1 gold jump ring, 6 mm, plus 2 pairs of flat-nose pliers
– Pins and a blocking mat
All quantities include a margin of about 20% for gauge swatches and weaving in ends.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
- RS – right side
V-stitch (V-st): (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch or space.
sc2tog: Insert hook in first indicated place, yarn over, pull up a loop. Insert hook in second indicated place, yarn over, pull up a loop. Yarn over and draw through all 3 loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge with DK cotton and a 3.5 mm hook: 5 sc = 1.0 in (2.5 cm) wide. Each sc row is 0.2 in (0.5 cm) tall, and each V-st row is 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall.
Gauge matters here more than you might expect. The border math relies on 1 sc for every 0.2 in (0.5 cm) of edge. Make one upright first and measure it before you make the second.
Checkpoints:
– After Row 3 of an upright: 1.0 in (2.5 cm) wide x 0.8 in (2.0 cm) tall
– After Row 7: 2.0 in (5.1 cm) tall
– Finished upright (Row 13): 1.0 in (2.5 cm) x 3.8 in (9.7 cm)
– After the crossbar: 3.0 in (7.6 cm) x 3.8 in (9.7 cm)
– After the border: 3.4 in (8.6 cm) x 4.2 in (10.7 cm)
Too big? Go down to a 3.25 mm (D-3) hook, or check that your dc stitches aren’t loose and loopy.
Too small? Go up to a 3.75 mm (F-5) hook. A small difference is fine as long as both uprights match each other exactly.
Uprights (Make 2)
With cobalt blue and the 3.5 mm hook:
Foundation: Ch 6.
Row 1 (sc row): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (5 sc)
Row 2 (V row): Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip next sc, V-st in next sc (the center st), skip next sc, dc in last sc, turn. (4 dc and 1 ch-1 sp = 5 sts)
Row 3 (sc row): Ch 1, sc in first dc, sc in next dc, sc in ch-1 sp, sc in next dc, sc in top of turning ch, turn. (5 sc)
Rows 4–13: Repeat Rows 2–3 five more times, ending with an sc row. Do not turn after Row 13.
You now have 13 rows: 7 sc rows (odd rows) and 6 V rows (even rows). Each upright shows 6 stacked V’s separated by flat sc bars.
Stitch count after Row 13: 5 sc.
Height check: 7 sc rows x 0.2 in + 6 V rows x 0.4 in = 1.4 in + 2.4 in = 3.8 in (9.7 cm).
Fasten off with a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail and weave in all ends. Make a second upright exactly the same, then compare the two side by side. They should match row for row.
Crossbar
Lay both uprights RS up, with their foundation edges at the bottom and a gap of 1.0 in (2.5 cm) between them. The crossbar fills the side edges of the upper half of Row 6, all of Row 7, and the lower half of Row 8 on each upright. That is 0.6 in (1.5 cm) of height, centered on the letter.
With cobalt blue and the 3.5 mm hook:
Foundation: Join with sl st to the midpoint of the side edge of Row 6 on the inner edge of the left upright. Ch 5, then sl st to the matching point on Row 6 of the right upright. Make sure the chain lies flat and isn’t stretched.
Row 1: Sl st up into the side edge of Row 7 on the right upright. Turn, then sc in each of the 5 ch, working into the top loops only. Sl st into the side edge of Row 7 on the left upright. (5 sc)
Row 2: Sl st up into the lower half of the Row 8 side edge on the left upright. Turn, then sc in each of the 5 sc. Sl st into the lower half of the Row 8 side edge on the right upright. (5 sc)
Row 3: Turn, then sc in each of the 5 sc. Sl st into the same Row 8 point on the left upright. (5 sc)
Fasten off and weave in the ends. The crossbar is 5 sts wide, so it matches the 1.0 in (2.5 cm) gap exactly. With its foundation chain, it is 3 sc rows tall.
Checkpoint: 3.0 in (7.6 cm) wide x 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall. The crossbar should lie flat, without pulling the uprights together or ruffling.
Border
Border gauge: 5 sc per 1.0 in (2.5 cm) along every edge. On the side edges, work 1 sc in each sc-row end and 2 sc in each V-row end.
In this border, side counts exclude the corner groups. Each convex corner is a separate 3-sc group worked into the corner stitch or corner row end. Each inner (concave) corner is a single sc2tog.
With RS facing, cobalt blue, and the 3.5 mm hook, join with sl st at the top-left corner of the left upright. Work counterclockwise:
- Top-left corner of the left upright: 3 sc.
- Left outer side, Rows 12–2: 17 sc.
- Bottom-left corner: 3 sc. Bottom edge, working into the foundation ch: 3 sc. Bottom-right corner: 3 sc.
- Left inner side going up, Rows 2–5: 6 sc.
- Concave corner: sc2tog (first leg in the lower half of the Row 6 side edge, second leg in the 1st ch of the crossbar foundation).
- Crossbar underside: sc in the next 3 ch. (3 sc)
- Concave corner: sc2tog (first leg in the 5th ch, second leg in the lower half of the Row 6 side edge of the right upright).
- Right inner side going down, Rows 5–2: 6 sc.
- Bottom-left corner of the right upright: 3 sc. Bottom edge: 3 sc. Bottom-right corner: 3 sc.
- Right outer side, Rows 2–12: 17 sc.
- Top-right corner: 3 sc. Top edge: 3 sc. Top-left corner of the right upright: 3 sc.
- Right inner side going down, Rows 12–9: 6 sc.
- Concave corner: sc2tog (first leg in the upper half of the Row 8 side edge, second leg in the 5th sc of crossbar Row 3).
- Crossbar top: sc in the next 3 sc. (3 sc)
- Concave corner: sc2tog (first leg in the 1st sc of crossbar Row 3, second leg in the upper half of the Row 8 side edge of the left upright).
- Left inner side going up, Rows 9–12: 6 sc.
- Top-right corner of the left upright: 3 sc. Top edge: 3 sc. Sl st to the first sc.
Border total: 104 sts
– 8 convex corners x 3 sc = 24
– 2 outer sides x 17 = 34
– 4 top/bottom edges x 3 = 12
– 4 inner side sections x 6 = 24
– 4 sc2tog = 4
– Crossbar top and underside: 3 + 3 = 6
– Total: 24 + 34 + 12 + 24 + 4 + 6 = 104
Why the math works: Rows 2–12 are 5 sc rows and 6 V rows: 5 x 1 + 6 x 2 = 17 sc. Add the corner stitch at each end and you get 19 sts over 3.8 in (9.7 cm), which is exactly 5 per inch.
On the inner sides, the 6 + 6 sc plus the 3 row-equivalents hidden behind the crossbar also total 17. Each upright’s top and bottom edge uses its 5 sts as 1 corner + 3 + 1 corner.
The sc2tog stitches keep the inner corners crisp instead of puckered. The border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge, so the letter grows from 3.0 x 3.8 in to 3.4 x 4.2 in (8.6 x 10.7 cm).
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Appliqués
Flowers (Make 3)
With the 2.5 mm hook and yellow:
Rnd 1: Make a MR and work 5 sc into the ring. Pull the ring tight and sl st to the first sc. (5 sc) Fasten off yellow.
Rnd 2: Join cream in any sc. [Sl st in st, (ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st) in same st] 5 times. (5 petals)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. Each flower measures about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) across.
Leaves (Make 3)
With the 2.5 mm hook and sage green:
Ch 6. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working into the opposite side of the foundation ch: hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch. Ch 2 for the pointed tip, then sl st in the first sc. (11 sts plus a ch-2 tip)
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Each leaf is about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) long.
Placement
Pin a leaf behind each flower so that the pointed tip extends past the petals.
- Flower 1: Upper part of the left upright, overlapping its outer edge, with the leaf pointing up-left.
- Flower 2: Lower end of the left upright, overlapping its outer edge, with the leaf pointing down-left.
- Flower 3: Right upright at crossbar height, overlapping its outer edge, with the leaf pointing right.
Sew each leaf first, then the flower on top, with small stitches through the yellow center and the petal bases. Keep the stitches invisible on the RS.
Hardware
Open the jump ring with two pairs of pliers. Slide it through the border at the top inner (right-hand) corner of the left upright, add the keyring chain, and close the jump ring fully.
Final Blocking
- Before attaching the hardware, spritz the letter lightly with water until it is damp.
- Pin the letter to a mat at 3.4 in (8.6 cm) x 4.2 in (10.7 cm). Pin all 8 outer corners first.
- Pin the 4 inner corners so that the crossbar sits square and straight.
- Check that each upright measures 1.4 in (3.6 cm) wide including the border.
- Leave it to dry completely before removing the pins.
- Sew on the appliqués and attach the hardware after the letter is dry. Don’t flatten the flowers.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Both uprights have 13 rows and 6 V’s each.
- The crossbar is centered, flat, and 0.6 in (1.5 cm) tall.
- The border has exactly 104 sts.
- All 12 corners are crisp: 8 convex and 4 concave.
- Finished size is 3.4 x 4.2 in (8.6 x 10.7 cm).
- All ends are woven in securely.
- The flowers and leaves are firmly sewn, with no loose petals.
- The jump ring is completely closed.
Troubleshooting
- The V’s lean to one side: Make sure you work into the ch-1 sp on every sc row and into the center sc on every V row.
- An upright is too tall: Your dc stitches are loose. Pull up a shorter loop, or go down a hook size.
- The crossbar ruffles: Your foundation chain is too long. Rework it so that it spans the 1.0 in (2.5 cm) gap without slack.
- The border waves: Your border has too many stitches. Recount the side sections (17 and 6).
- The border cups: Your border has too few stitches, or tension that is too tight. Use a looser hand.
- The inner corners gap: Make sure each sc2tog bridges the column and the crossbar, not two stitches on one piece.
- The flowers flop: Add a second ring of tacking stitches around the petal bases.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the moisture in a towel, and dry flat. Remove the metal hardware before washing if it isn’t tarnish-resistant.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. Each upright is 5 sts wide (1.0 in / 2.5 cm) and 13 rows tall (3.8 in / 9.7 cm). The 5-st crossbar fills a 1.0 in (2.5 cm) gap, which brings the letter to 3.0 x 3.8 in (7.6 x 9.7 cm).
One 104-stitch border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) all around, for a finished letter of 3.4 x 4.2 in (8.6 x 10.7 cm). If you check the gauge at each stage, the letter will come out square and crisp.
Happy crocheting!