The Sweetheart Vine Wall Hanging is a soft, cascading wall piece made of lacy little hearts hanging on slim chain strands. A leafy vine wraps the wooden dowel at the top, so the whole piece looks like a trailing plant that has bloomed into hearts.
The palette is gentle and botanical: olive green, light sage, cream and dusty pink. Each heart has an open center ring, spoke-like stitches, rounded lobes and a crisp outline. Hung over a desk, in a nursery or above a bed, it brings in warmth without looking busy.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished hanging measures 18 in (45.7 cm) wide and drops 26 in (66.0 cm) below the dowel. Each heart measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide by 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
To build it, you’ll make 48 hearts in three rounds, then 12 small leaves. Next, you’ll chain 8 strands that thread through each heart from the top dip to the bottom point. Finally, you’ll wrap the vine around the dowel.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 18 in (45.7 cm) wide x 26 in (66.0 cm) drop below the dowel
- Skill level: Easy–intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (#3), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 48 hearts, 12 leaves, 8 strands, 1 vine
- Layout: 8 strands x 6 hearts, with neighboring strands staggered
- Heart size: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall
- Heart size before border: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide x 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
- Border depth: 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on every edge
Materials
Use a smooth DK cotton or cotton blend. It shows the stitches clearly and holds the heart’s point after blocking. The amounts below assume about 2.3 m per gram.
- Olive green: 50 g / 115 m (14 hearts, 8 strands, vine)
- Light sage: 50 g / 115 m (12 hearts, 12 leaves)
- Cream: 35 g / 81 m (12 hearts)
- Dusty pink: 30 g / 69 m (10 hearts)
These amounts include a safety margin of roughly 25%.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
– Wooden dowel, 18 in (45.7 cm) long x 3/4 in (1.9 cm) thick
– Jute or cotton twine, 30 in (76.2 cm), for the hanger
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch marker
– Scissors
– Rust-proof pins and a foam blocking mat
– 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
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- rnd – round
- RS – right side
Special stitch – treble crochet (tr): Yarn over twice, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook). Then [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] 3 times.
Picot tip: Ch 2, then sl st into the 2nd ch from the hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one complete heart before you commit to all 48. Gauge matters here because heart size controls the spacing of the strands and the length of each strand.
- After Rnd 1: the ring is 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
- After Rnd 2: the heart is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide x 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 3: the heart is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
- Chain gauge: 10 ch = 2 in (5.1 cm), measured relaxed.
Too big? Go down to a 3.25 mm hook. Too small? Go up to a 3.75 mm hook. If only your chain gauge is off, keep the hook you used for the hearts and change hooks just for the strands.
Heart Motif (Make 48)
Make the hearts in the colors listed in “Make All Pieces.” Work every heart with the RS facing you and do not turn.
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 15 dc into the ring. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch-3. Pull the ring partly closed, leaving a small open center. (16 dc)
Number these stitches 1 to 16, with the joining stitch as st 1. St 1 becomes the top dip of the heart and st 9 becomes the bottom point.
Rnd 2 (heart shaping): Ch 1, then work:
– st 1: sc in the same st as the join (top dip)
– st 2: 2 dc
– st 3: 3 tr
– st 4: 3 tr
– st 5: 2 dc
– st 6: 2 dc
– st 7: dc
– st 8: dc
– st 9: (tr, ch 2, tr) (bottom point)
– st 10: dc
– st 11: dc
– st 12: 2 dc
– st 13: 2 dc
– st 14: 3 tr
– st 15: 3 tr
– st 16: 2 dc
Join with a sl st to the first sc. (31 sts and 1 ch-2 sp)
Count check: Each side has 15 sts (14 sts from sts 2–8 or 10–16, plus 1 point tr). Two sides of 15 plus the 1 dip sc gives 31. The tall tr groups in sts 3–4 and 14–15 form the lobes. The single dc in sts 7–8 and 10–11 pull the sides in toward the point.
Leave the yarn attached and go straight on to Rnd 3 (see Border). Check that the heart measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) x 2 in (5.1 cm) before you start Rnd 3.
Leaves (Make 12, Light Sage)
Ch 8.
- Side 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, then 3 sc in the last ch.
- Side 2: Rotate the work and go along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc. The last sc goes into the same ch as the first sc.
Work a picot tip, then sl st to the first sc. (15 sts plus tip)
Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail for sewing. Each leaf is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long and 3/4 in (1.9 cm) wide.
Vine (Make 1, Olive)
Ch 110 to make a vine 22 in (55.9 cm) long. Fasten off.
Sew the 12 leaves along the vine by their rounded base ends. Space them about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) apart and alternate sides.
Make All Pieces
| Color | Hearts | Other |
|---|---|---|
| Olive (O) | 14 | 8 strands, vine |
| Sage (S) | 12 | 12 leaves |
| Cream (C) | 12 | — |
| Pink (P) | 10 | — |
| Total | 48 |
Layout grid (strands 1–8 run left to right, hearts are numbered from top to bottom):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Heart 1: O C S P O C S O
Heart 2: S P O C S O P C
Heart 3: C O P S C S O P
Heart 4: O S C O P C S O
Heart 5: P C O S O P C S
Heart 6: S O C P S O P C
No two hearts of the same color sit next to each other, either across a row or down a strand. Odd strands (1, 3, 5, 7) are short-drop A strands. Even strands (2, 4, 6, 8) are long-drop B strands.
Before joining, block all hearts (see Final Blocking) and weave in all ends.
Joining: Building the Strands
Each strand is one olive chain that passes through its 6 hearts. The chain catches each heart at the top dip, runs down behind it, and comes out at the bottom point.
Stitch-to-stitch logic, one strand:
- Leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. Make the lead chain: ch 25 for an A strand or ch 35 for a B strand. The first 3 in (7.6 cm) of the lead wraps over the dowel. The rest is the drop to the first heart: 2 in (5.1 cm) for A, 4 in (10.2 cm) for B.
- Hold the first heart with the RS facing you. Insert the hook from front to back through the top dip sc (st 1 of Rnd 3) and sl st.
- Ch 10 behind the heart. This back chain measures 2 in (5.1 cm), which matches the heart’s dip-to-point height.
- Insert the hook from back to front through the ch-2 point space and sl st.
- Ch 10 for the gap before the next heart, which is 2 in (5.1 cm).
- Repeat steps 2–5 for hearts 2 to 6. After the sl st in the 6th heart’s point, fasten off and weave in the end.
Strand totals:
– A strand: 25 + (6 x 10) + (5 x 10) = 135 ch, plus 12 sl sts
– B strand: 35 + 60 + 50 = 145 ch, plus 12 sl sts
Tension advice: Chain loosely and evenly. If the back chain is too tight, the heart will cup. If it’s too loose, the heart will droop forward. Each heart should lie flat against its chain.
Size checkpoint: From one heart’s dip to the next heart’s dip is 4 in (10.2 cm). An A strand hangs 2 + (6 x 2) + (5 x 2) = 24 in (61.0 cm). A B strand hangs 4 + 12 + 10 = 26 in (66.0 cm).
Mounting: Space the strands 2 in (5.1 cm) apart, starting 2 in (5.1 cm) from each end of the dowel. That gives 7 x 2 = 14 in (35.6 cm) between strands plus 2 in (5.1 cm) at each end, for a total of 18 in (45.7 cm). Fold each lead chain over the dowel and sew the tail into the back of the chain.
The A and B strands are offset by 2 in (5.1 cm), which is half a heart-to-heart step. Because of this, each heart sits beside a gap in the next strand and the hearts nestle together.
To finish the top, wrap the vine loosely around the dowel in 3 to 4 turns and tie off the ends. Then tie the twine to both ends of the dowel to make the hanger.
Border: Heart Outline (Rnd 3)
Work this round on every heart right after Rnd 2, before blocking and joining.
Border gauge: One round of sc adds 1/8 in (0.3 cm) to every edge. This turns the 2.25 in (5.7 cm) x 2 in (5.1 cm) heart into a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) heart.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, then work:
– sc in the same sc (dip)
– sc in each of the next 2 dc
– 2 sc in each of the next 6 tr (first lobe)
– sc in each of the next 6 dc
– sc in the next tr
– (sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 sp (point)
– sc in the next tr
– sc in each of the next 6 dc
– 2 sc in each of the next 6 tr (second lobe)
– sc in each of the next 2 dc
Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off. (45 sc and 1 ch-2 sp)
Count by side: Each side has 2 + 12 + 6 + 1 = 21 sc between the dip and the point space. Two sides of 21, plus 1 dip sc, plus 2 sc in the point space, gives 45.
As a conversion round: 31 sc worked 1 into each Rnd 2 stitch, plus 12 extra sc (1 extra in each of the 12 lobe tr), plus 2 sc in the point space, gives 45.
Why the math works:
– The lobe edges are the longest curves, so the extra stitches go there. This keeps the lobes round without ruffling.
– The sides are fairly straight, so they take 1 sc per stitch.
– The ch-2 at the point keeps it sharp.
– The single dip sc keeps the top notch tight so the heart shape stays clear.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each heart, or soak it and press out the water in a towel.
- Pin it RS up to a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm) outline drawn on paper and slipped under clear plastic.
- Put one pin in the dip and one in the point, then two pins in each lobe.
- Use your fingertip to open the center ring into a neat circle.
- Let the hearts dry completely, about 6–12 hours.
- Block the leaves flat and pin each tip to a point.
- After the hanging is assembled, hang it and lightly steam the strands, holding the iron above the yarn without touching it, to relax any twist.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] All 48 hearts measure 2.5 in (6.4 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- [ ] Every heart has 45 sc and a ch-2 point.
- [ ] Color counts are 14 olive, 12 sage, 12 cream, 10 pink.
- [ ] Colors match the layout grid.
- [ ] A strands hang 24 in (61.0 cm) and B strands hang 26 in (66.0 cm).
- [ ] Dip-to-dip spacing is 4 in (10.2 cm) on every strand.
- [ ] Strands are 2 in (5.1 cm) apart on the dowel.
- [ ] Back chains are hidden and the hearts lie flat.
- [ ] All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- The heart’s point is rounded: Check that you worked (tr, ch 2, tr) in Rnd 2 and (sc, ch 2, sc) in Rnd 3, then pin the point firmly when blocking.
- The lobes ruffle: Your tr are too loose. Go down a hook size for Rnd 2 only.
- The heart cups forward on the strand: The back chain is too short. Add 1 ch.
- The strands are uneven lengths: Recount each 10-ch section. Loose chains add length fast.
- The center hole is too big: Pull the magic ring tighter before weaving in the tail.
- The strands twist: Steam them while hanging, or add a single sl st row along the back of the chain.
Care
Dust gently, or hand wash the hearts in cool water before assembling them. After assembly, spot clean only, then re-pin any hearts that lose their shape and let them air dry.
Final Notes
The measurement chain for this piece runs as follows:
- Rnd 1 is 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
- Rnd 2 brings the heart to 2.25 in (5.7 cm) x 2 in (5.1 cm).
- The Rnd 3 border brings it to 2.5 in (6.4 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- Chains of 10 ch at 2 in (5.1 cm) give a 4 in (10.2 cm) step between hearts.
- With 6 hearts per strand, the strands hang 24 in (61.0 cm) and 26 in (66.0 cm).
- Eight strands spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart fill an 18 in (45.7 cm) dowel.
Check each stage against these numbers and the hanging will come together evenly. Happy crocheting!