This small heart is made from fine thread lace, the kind of heirloom ornament that looks as good on a tree as it does tucked into a card. A six-petal flower sits in the center. Two radiating fans fill the upper lobes, and small picot rosettes are scattered through an open chain mesh. A picot-trimmed outline finishes the heart, and a sturdy loop covered in single crochet lets it hang from the top dip.
The sample uses one color, a soft ivory cream size 10 cotton thread. A single shade lets the texture show: the solid fans, the round flower, and the open spaces between them. The look is vintage and wintery, but the heart also suits weddings, Valentine’s Day, or a gift tag any time of year.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished heart measures about 3.5 in wide x 3.5 in tall (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm), not counting the hanging loop, which adds a drop of about 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
The heart is one piece worked in joined rounds from the center out. You make the flower, then chain loops, then the fans and rosette arches, then a mesh round, and finally a picot outline that serves as the border. The hanging loop is added last, and heavy starch blocking sets the heart shape.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm), plus a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop
- Skill level: Intermediate (thread work, counting chain spaces)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Size 10 cotton crochet thread (Lace, weight 0)
- Hook: 1.5 mm steel hook (US steel size 8)
- Number of pieces: 1 (single motif, no joining)
- Layout: Worked in the round; top dip at petal A, bottom point at petal D
- Piece size before border: about 3 in x 3 in (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) after Round 6
- Border depth: about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per edge (Round 7)
Materials
Choose a mercerized size 10 cotton thread. Mercerized thread has a slight sheen, takes starch well, and keeps picots crisp. Avoid fuzzy or stretchy blends, which blur the fans and won’t hold the point. Size 20 thread works too, but it makes a smaller heart, about 2.75 in (7.0 cm).
- Ivory / cream (only color): 6 g, about 19 m (21 yd)
The quantity includes a margin for a test flower and for weaving in ends. A standard ball of size 10 thread makes enough hearts for a whole tree.
Tools:
- 1.5 mm (US steel 8) crochet hook
- Fine tapestry needle or sharp sewing needle
- Small scissors
- Blocking board or foam mat
- Rustproof pins (about 30)
- Fabric stiffener or heavy spray starch
- Paper heart template, 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special stitches:
- Picot: Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
- Rosette: Ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook. This makes the first petal; the ch you slipped into is the base ch. [Ch 3, sl st in same base ch] 3 times. You now have 4 small petals around one point. Number the petals 1–4 in the order you made them; petals 2 and 3 point outward.
- Picot arch (pa): Ch 3, picot, ch 3.
- Rosette arch (ra): Ch 3, rosette, ch 3.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge is measured on the flower: Rounds 1–3 = 1 in (2.5 cm) across, from petal tip to petal tip.
Use the flower as your test piece. If it matches gauge, just keep going, so the test costs you nothing. Thread is unforgiving of tension changes, so hold it the same way throughout and keep your chains even.
Checkpoints (measured lightly flattened, before blocking):
- After Round 3: 1 in (2.5 cm) across
- After Round 4: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across
- After Round 5: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across the two fans
- After Round 6: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide
- After Round 7 and blocking: 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
If your flower is too big (over 1.25 in / 3.2 cm), switch to a 1.25 mm hook. If it is too small (under 0.75 in / 1.9 cm), switch to a 1.75 mm hook. A difference of up to 0.25 in (0.6 cm) in the finished heart is fine for an ornament.
Pattern
Central Flower
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 12 sc in the ring. Pull the ring closed and join with sl st to the first sc. (12 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, sk next st, sc in next st, ch 3, sk next st; repeat from * 4 more times. Join with sl st to the first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-3 sps)
Round 3: Sl st in first ch-3 sp. In each ch-3 sp work (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc). Join with sl st to the first sc. (6 petals of 7 sts = 42 sts)
Flower checkpoint: 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
Foundation Loops
The first petal of Round 3 is petal A; it becomes the top of the heart. Going around in your working direction, the other petals are B, C, D (bottom), E and F.
Round 4: Sl st in next hdc, sl st in next dc, sl st in center dc of petal A. Ch 1, sc in same center dc, ch 9, sc in center dc of next petal, ch 9; repeat from * 4 more times. Join with sl st to the first sc. (6 sc, 6 ch-9 loops = 60 sts)
Name the loops by position: L1 sits between A and B, L2 between B and C, L3 between C and D, L4 between D and E, L5 between E and F, and L6 between F and A. L1 and L6 become the two lobes.
Checkpoint: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Fans and Rosette Arches
Round 5: Ch 1, sc in same sc (over A). Then work:
- Right fan: In L1 work (tr, ch 1) 10 times, then tr. (11 tr, 10 ch-1 sps)
- Sc in sc over B.
- In L2: Sc in loop, ra, sc in same loop.
- Sc in sc over C. In L3: Sc, ra, sc.
- Sc in sc over D. In L4: Sc, ra, sc.
- Sc in sc over E. In L5: Sc, ra, sc.
- Sc in sc over F.
- Left fan: In L6 work (tr, ch 1) 10 times, then tr.
Join with sl st to the first sc.
Count: 6 sc over the petals, 2 fans (22 tr, 20 ch-1 sps), and 4 rosette arches (each with 2 anchoring sc and 1 rosette).
The fans should open into half circles pointing up and out. The rosettes sit on short stems around the lower half. Checkpoint: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across the two fans.
Fan Scallops and Mesh
In this round, attach each rosette by petal 2 or petal 3, whichever sits farther from the center.
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same sc (over A). Then work:
- Right fan scallop: Ch 3, sc in first ch-1 sp, [ch 3, sc in next ch-1 sp] 9 times, ch 3. (10 sc, 11 ch-3 loops)
- Sc in sc over B, ch 5, sc in outer petal of L2 rosette, ch 5.
- Sc in sc over C, ch 5, sc in outer petal of L3 rosette, ch 5.
- Sc in sc over D, ch 5, sc in outer petal of L4 rosette, ch 5.
- Sc in sc over E, ch 5, sc in outer petal of L5 rosette, ch 5.
- Sc in sc over F.
- Left fan scallop: Work into the L6 fan the same way as the right fan scallop.
Join with sl st to the first sc.
Count: 30 sc in total (6 over the petals, 20 on the fans, 4 in the rosettes), 22 ch-3 loops (11 per fan), and 8 ch-5 sps.
Number each fan’s ch-3 loops 1–11 in the order you made them. On the right fan, loop 1 sits next to the dip. On the left fan, loop 1 sits on the lower side, next to F.
Checkpoint: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide. This is the size before the border.
Border (Round 7: Picot Outline)
The outline is the border. It wraps the heart in picot arches and adds a rosette at the dip, two rosettes down each side, and one at the bottom point.
Border gauge: Each picot arch spans about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) along the edge and stands about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) out from Round 6.
Keep your chains relaxed but even in this round. Tight chains pull the lobes flat, and loose ones make the outline sag away from the fans.
Round 7:
Dip: Ch 1, sc in first sc (over A), ra, sc in same sc. This puts the dip rosette on a short stem.
Right half:
- Pa, sc in loop 1 of right fan.
- [Pa, sk next loop, sc in next loop] 5 times. You have now anchored in loops 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.
- Ra, sc in ch-5 sp between B and L2 rosette.
- Pa, sc in ch-5 sp between L2 rosette and C.
- Ra, sc in ch-5 sp between C and L3 rosette.
- Pa, sc in ch-5 sp between L3 rosette and D.
Bottom point: Ra.
Left half:
- Sc in ch-5 sp between D and L4 rosette, pa.
- Sc in ch-5 sp between L4 rosette and E, ra.
- Sc in ch-5 sp between E and L5 rosette, pa.
- Sc in ch-5 sp between L5 rosette and F, ra.
- Sc in loop 1 of left fan, [pa, sk next loop, sc in next loop] 5 times.
- Pa, then join with sl st to the first sc at the dip.
Fasten off and weave in the end.
Counts per side:
- Right half: 10 sc anchors, 8 picot arches, 2 rosette arches
- Left half: 10 sc anchors, 8 picot arches, 2 rosette arches
- Shared: Dip (2 sc + 1 rosette) and bottom point (1 rosette)
- Round total: 22 sc, 16 picot arches, 6 rosettes
Why the math works: Round 6 gives each half 11 fan loops and 4 ch-5 spaces. Anchoring into every other fan loop (6 of 11) plus all 4 ch-5 spaces gives 10 anchors per half, with exactly one arch before each anchor. Skipping every other fan loop keeps the outline from ruffling around the lobe. Because the two halves match exactly, the heart stays symmetrical, and the single rosette at the bottom makes a clean point instead of a blunt curve. The arches stand about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) out on every edge, so the 3 in (7.6 cm) piece finishes at 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
Hanging Loop
Join the thread with a sl st to the outermost petal of the dip rosette. Ch 36, then sl st in the same petal. Ch 1, work 44 sc into the ch-36 loop, then sl st in the petal. Fasten off and weave in the end.
The covered loop hangs about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) above the dip and won’t stretch or twist much.
Final Blocking
- Draw or print a 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm) heart. Lay it on the blocking board under plastic wrap.
- Soak the heart in fabric stiffener, or wet it and spray heavily with starch. Squeeze out the excess without wringing.
- Pin the center of the flower over the center of the template.
- Pin the dip rosette at the top dip and the bottom rosette at the point, pulling gently until the heart is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
- Pin the outer edge of each fan scallop to round the lobes, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) apart at the widest point.
- Pin each picot outward along the template line, and open every rosette with the tip of a pin.
- Straighten the hanging loop above the dip.
- Let the heart dry completely, at least 12 hours, before unpinning.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The flower has 6 even petals and a closed center.
- Each fan has 11 tr and opens evenly into a half circle.
- 4 inner rosettes sit on the lower half, 2 on each side.
- The outline has 16 picots and 6 rosettes, and both halves match.
- The heart measures 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm), within 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
- The bottom point is sharp and the dip is centered under the loop.
- The hanging loop is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long and fully covered.
- All ends are woven in and trimmed close.
Troubleshooting
The flower cups or ruffles. Cupping means your gauge is too tight, so go up a hook size. Ruffling means it’s too loose, so go down a size.
The fans curl forward. The ch-1 spaces are too tight. Work them a little looser, or block the fans flat with extra pins.
The outline ripples around the lobes. Check that you skipped every other fan loop in Round 7. Anchoring into all 11 loops adds too many arches.
One side is longer than the other. Count each half: 10 sc, 8 picot arches and 2 rosette arches. An extra arch on one half pulls the point sideways.
The rosettes look like knots. Keep the ch-3 petals relaxed, and open each one with a pin while blocking.
The point is rounded. Re-wet the bottom, pin the bottom rosette firmly downward, and let it dry fully.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll the heart in a towel, and re-block with starch to restore its shape. Store it flat or hanging, away from damp.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain. The flower is 1 in (2.5 cm), the loops bring it to 1.5 in (3.8 cm), and the fans reach 2.25 in (5.7 cm). The mesh makes it 3 in (7.6 cm), and the picot outline finishes the heart at 3.5 in x 3.5 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm), plus a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop. If the flower matches gauge, the rest of the heart will come out to size. Make one for your tree, then a few more to give away.
Happy crocheting!