This little heart ornament pairs a lacy cream flower with a solid cranberry frame. The center is an eight-petal flower inside a ring of chain loops shaped like a heart. Red fan wedges grow outward from the flower’s petal tips, with small open windows between them. A firm red edge and a covered hanging loop finish the piece.
It uses two colors: deep cranberry red and soft cream. The style is classic holiday lace with a Scandinavian feel. It looks lovely on a tree, tied to a gift, or hung in a window.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished heart measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide by 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall, not counting the loop. With the hanging loop it is about 6.25 in (15.9 cm) tall.
The heart is one piece worked in the round. First you make a cream ring, then a cream flower, then a round of cream chain loops. That round uses different stitch heights to set the heart shape. Then you switch to red for one fan round and two solid border rounds. The hanging loop is added in the last round.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall; about 6.25 in (15.9 cm) tall with the loop
- Skill level: Easy-Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: a single heart motif, worked in the round
- Piece size before border (after Rnd 4): 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
- Border depth (Rnds 5-6): about 0.4 in (1.0 cm) on each side
Materials
Use a smooth DK-weight cotton, either mercerized or matte. Cotton holds the lace shape well and blocks crisply. Acrylic works too, but the open loops will be softer.
- Color A, cream: 4 g, about 10 m (11 yd)
- Color B, cranberry red: 8 g, about 20 m (22 yd)
These amounts include a small margin for checking gauge and weaving in ends. One 50 g ball of each color will make many ornaments.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat or folded towel
- Spray bottle with water
- Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sc2tog / sc3tog – single crochet 2 or 3 together
- RS – right side
Special stitches:
- Beginning cluster (beg cl): Ch 4 (counts as tr). *Yo twice, insert hook in same st, yo and pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; repeat from * once more. Yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
- 3-tr cluster (3-tr cl): *Yo twice, insert hook in st, yo and pull up a loop, [yo, pull through 2 loops] twice; repeat from * 2 more times in the same st. Yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook.
- Bridging sc2tog: Insert hook in current ch-sp, yo and pull up a loop. Skip the next st, insert hook in the next ch-sp, yo and pull up a loop. Yo and pull through all 3 loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) with a 3.5 mm hook. That is 5 sc per inch (2.54 cm).
Because this is one small piece, the ornament itself is your test. Work Rnds 1-2 and measure before you go further.
Checkpoints:
- After Rnd 1: ring diameter 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
- After Rnd 2: flower diameter 2.5 in (6.4 cm)
- After Rnd 3: cream heart 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide x 3 in (7.6 cm) tall
- After Rnd 4: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
- After Rnd 5: 4.1 in (10.4 cm) wide x 3.9 in (9.9 cm) tall
- After Rnd 6: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall
Measure flat, without stretching. Take the width across the widest part of the lobes. Take the height from the notch to the bottom point.
If your piece is too big: go down one hook size, to 3.25 mm (D-3). Also check that your chain loops are not loose.
If your piece is too small: go up one hook size, to 3.75 mm (F-5). A difference of 0.1 in (0.3 cm) is fine and can be fixed in blocking.
Pattern
Work in joined rounds with the RS facing the whole time. Do not turn.
To keep your place, the eight petals of Rnd 2 are named P1 to P8, in the order you work them:
– P1 is the top center (the notch).
– P2 and P8 are the lobes.
– P3 and P7 are the sides.
– P4 and P6 are the lower sides.
– P5 is the bottom point.
Rnd 1 (cream ring)
With Color A, make a magic ring.
Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 15 dc in the ring. Pull the ring snug but leave a small center hole, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) across. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch-3.
Stitch count: 16 dc.
Rnd 2 (eight petals)
Work beg cl in the same st as the join. *Ch 4, skip next dc, 3-tr cl in next dc; repeat from * 6 more times. Ch 4, skip last dc, join with sl st to top of beg cl.
Each cluster uses one dc and each skip uses one dc, so the 8 repeats cover all 16 dc (8 x 2 = 16).
Stitch count: 8 clusters and 8 ch-4 sps.
The cluster you just joined to is P1. Place a marker in it.
Rnd 3 (cream heart loops)
This round sets the heart outline. Short stitches pull the notch in, and tall stitches push the lobes and point out. Each ch loop passes over the ch-4 sp of Rnd 2 below it.
Ch 1, sc in top of P1 (same st as join).
Ch 6, tr in top of P2.
Ch 6, dc in top of P3.
Ch 5, hdc in top of P4.
Ch 6, (dtr, ch 3, dtr) in top of P5 for the point.
Ch 6, hdc in top of P6.
Ch 5, dc in top of P7.
Ch 6, tr in top of P8.
Ch 6, join with sl st to first sc.
Stitch count: 9 sts (1 sc, 2 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 2 dtr), 8 ch loops, and 1 ch-3 point sp.
The loops match on both sides: 6, 6, 5, 6 before the point and 6, 5, 6, 6 after it. Fasten off Color A.
Checkpoint: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) wide x 3 in (7.6 cm) tall. Lay it flat and ease it into a heart shape before you continue.
Rnd 4 (red fans and windows)
Each fan is worked into one cream stitch. This puts the narrow end of the wedge on the petal tip and lets it spread outward. The ch-4 spans pull straighter than the cream loops underneath, which leaves the open windows.
Join Color B with sl st in the ch-3 point sp.
Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the point sp.
Ch 4, 5 dc in hdc at P6.
Ch 4, 5 dc in dc at P7.
Ch 4, 5 tr in tr at P8.
Ch 4, sc in sc at P1 (notch).
Ch 4, 5 tr in tr at P2.
Ch 4, 5 dc in dc at P3.
Ch 4, 5 dc in hdc at P4.
Ch 4, join with sl st to first sc.
Stitch count: 33 sts (2 point sc + 6 fans x 5 sts + 1 notch sc), 8 ch-4 sps, and 1 ch-2 point sp.
Checkpoint: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall. This is the size before the border.
Border
The border is two solid rounds of sc in Color B. Border gauge is the same as the main gauge: 5 sc per inch (2.54 cm) along the edge.
For counting, the heart has four zones: the point, the right side (from the point up to the notch), the notch, and the left side (from the notch down to the point).
Rnd 5
Sl st into the ch-2 point sp.
Point: Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the point sp.
Right side:
– Sc in next sc (1)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Sc in each of 5 dc at P6 (5)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Sc in each of 5 dc at P7 (5)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Over the 5 tr at P8: sc in first tr, 2 sc in each of next 3 tr, sc in last tr (8)
Right side total: 1 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 8 = 34 sc.
Notch:
– 4 sc in ch-4 sp (4)
– Bridging sc2tog, skipping the notch sc (1)
– 4 sc in next ch-4 sp (4)
Notch total: 9 sts.
Left side:
– Over the 5 tr at P2: sc in first tr, 2 sc in each of next 3 tr, sc in last tr (8)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Sc in each of 5 dc at P3 (5)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Sc in each of 5 dc at P4 (5)
– 5 sc in ch-4 sp (5)
– Sc in next sc (1)
Left side total: 34 sc.
Join with sl st to first sc.
Stitch count: 79 sts (2 point + 34 right + 9 notch + 34 left) and 1 ch-2 point sp.
Checkpoint: 4.1 in (10.4 cm) wide x 3.9 in (9.9 cm) tall.
Rnd 6 (edge and hanging loop)
This round works 1 sc in every Rnd 5 st except at the notch, where 3 sts become 1.
Sl st into the ch-2 point sp.
Point: Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the point sp (2).
Right side: Sc in the next point sc and in each of the 34 right-side sts (35).
Notch:
– Sc in each of next 3 sc (3)
– Sc3tog over the next sc, the sc2tog, and the following sc (1)
– Hanging loop: Ch 30, sl st in top of the sc3tog. Ch 1, work 36 sc into the ch-30 loop, then sl st in top of the sc3tog again.
– Sc in each of next 3 sc (3)
Notch total: 7 sts, plus the loop.
Left side: Sc in each of the 34 left-side sts and in the last point sc (35).
Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Stitch count: 79 sc (2 point + 35 right + 7 notch + 35 left), plus 36 sc on the loop.
As a conversion check: 76 Rnd 5 sts are worked 1 per st, 3 sts become 1 sc3tog, and 2 new sc go in the point sp. That gives 76 + 1 + 2 = 79.
Checkpoint: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide x 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall. The loop stands about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the notch.
Why the Math Works
At 5 sc per inch, 79 sc make an edge of about 15.8 in (40.1 cm), which fits the outline of a heart this size.
- Ch-4 spans get 5 sc. The one extra stitch keeps the edge from cupping where it curves.
- Dc fans get 1 sc per dc. They already sit on a gentle curve.
- Tr fans grow from 5 to 8 sts. The lobes are the tightest outward curve, so they need the extra stitches.
- The notch loses stitches. The bridging sc2tog in Rnd 5 and the sc3tog in Rnd 6 make the top dip inward.
- The point stays sharp. Every red round repeats the ch-2 point sp.
Both sides have exactly the same counts, so the heart stays symmetric.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the back of stitches in the same color. Hide cream ends inside the cream loops and red ends inside the solid border.
- Mist the heart lightly with water until it is damp, not soaked.
- Lay it RS up on your blocking mat.
- Pin the bottom point first, then the center of the notch. They should be 4.25 in (10.8 cm) apart.
- Pin the outer edge of each lobe so the width is 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- Pin the sides and lower sides into smooth curves, about every 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
- Open each window and center the flower with your fingers. Pin any petal tip that drifts.
- Straighten the hanging loop so it stands upright and lies flat.
- Let it dry completely, at least 4 hours, before you unpin it.
For a firmer ornament, spray lightly with fabric stiffener before drying.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The center ring is small, round, and even
- All 8 petals are the same length
- The cream loops match: 6, 6, 5, 6 on one side and 6, 5, 6, 6 on the other
- There are 6 red fans of 5 sts each, plus the notch sc and the point
- The windows are open and about the same size on both sides
- Rnd 5 has 79 sts and Rnd 6 has 79 sc
- The bottom point is sharp and the notch dips clearly
- The hanging loop has 36 sc and stands about 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
- The final size is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) x 4.25 in (10.8 cm)
- All ends are woven in and can’t be seen from the front
Troubleshooting
The flower ruffles after Rnd 2. Your ch-4 sps are too long or your clusters are too tall. Chain more tightly or go down a hook size.
The center ring is too large. Pull the magic ring tighter before you weave in the tail.
The cream round does not look like a heart. Check the stitch heights in Rnd 3. Using a tr where a dc belongs changes the outline a lot.
The windows close up. The ch-4 spans in Rnd 4 are too loose. Chain tighter, or chain 3 instead of 4 for every span if your tension is very relaxed.
The border cups or curls. The edge is too tight. Go up a hook size for Rnds 5-6 only.
The border ruffles. The edge is too loose. Work 4 sc instead of 5 in each ch-4 sp in Rnd 5, and change both sides the same way.
The notch is shallow. Pull the sc3tog firmly, and pin the notch slightly downward when blocking.
The loop is floppy. Pack the 36 sc closely, or work 40 sc instead.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press the water out in a towel, and dry flat. Reshape and pin again if the heart loses its outline.
Final Notes
Here is the full chain of measurements:
– The ring is 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
– The flower is 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
– The cream heart is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) by 3 in (7.6 cm).
– The fan round brings it to 3.75 in (9.5 cm) by 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
– The border adds 0.4 in (1.0 cm) per side, for a final 4.5 in (11.4 cm) by 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
If each checkpoint matches, your heart will lie flat and look like the one shown. Make one in an evening, then make a few more for the tree.
Happy crocheting!