This little lace heart has an eight-petal flower in the middle. Chain arches frame the flower, and fans of tall stitches build the heart shape around it. Mercerized red cotton thread gives the stitches a crisp, ribbed sheen, so the ornament looks delicate on a tree, a gift, or in a window.
The design uses one color and is worked as one piece, starting at the center and going outward. One petal points up to the top dip and one points down to the bottom point. That’s how a round flower ends up inside a heart outline. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
The finished heart measures 3.8 in (9.7 cm) wide by 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall. The hanging loop adds about 2 in (5.1 cm) on top of that.
Construction overview: you make a padded center ring, eight long petals, and a round of chain arches. One shaping round turns that circle into a heart, and two edging rounds finish the outline. The hanging loop is chained at the very end, so there’s no sewing.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.8 in × 3.8 in (9.7 cm × 9.7 cm), not counting the loop
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Size 3 mercerized cotton crochet thread
- Hook: 2.25 mm (US B-1)
- Number of pieces: 1
- Layout: Single motif, worked in the round
- Flower size (after Round 4): 2.4 in (6.1 cm) across
- Size before border (after Round 6): 3.4 in × 3.4 in (8.6 cm × 8.6 cm)
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) per edge over 2 rounds
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, tightly twisted, mercerized cotton thread in size 3. Mercerized cotton shows the stitch texture clearly and holds a firm shape after blocking. A soft or fuzzy yarn will blur the petals and arches.
- Red (cherry or Christmas red): 8 g, about 32 m (35 yd) per heart
These amounts include a margin for the gauge swatch, the tails and the hanging loop.
Tools:
- 2.25 mm (US B-1) crochet hook
- Fine tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Rust-proof pins and a foam blocking board
- Spray bottle, plus spray starch (optional)
- A 3.8 in (9.7 cm) paper heart template for blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet (yarn over twice)
- dtr – double treble crochet (yarn over 3 times)
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rev sc – reverse single crochet
- sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
Special stitches
- Reverse single crochet (rev sc): Work from left to right (right-handed). Insert the hook in the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops. This makes the twisted, cord-like rim.
- sc3tog: Pull up a loop in each of the next 3 stitches, then yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on the hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge matters more for an ornament than you might think. If your tension is a little too loose, the arches sag and the heart loses its crisp outline. Make one test heart first and compare it with these checkpoints:
- After Round 1: the ring is 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across.
- After Round 2: the padded ring is 0.9 in (2.3 cm) across.
- After Round 4: the flower is 2.4 in (6.1 cm) from petal tip to opposite petal tip.
- After Round 5: the arches reach 3 in (7.6 cm) across.
- After Round 6: the heart is 3.4 in (8.6 cm) wide and tall.
- After Round 7: 3.6 in (9.1 cm).
- After Round 8: 3.8 in (9.7 cm).
Border gauge: 9 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) along the edge.
If the piece is too big: go down to a 2.0 mm hook, or pull the tall stitches up more snugly. If it’s too small: go up to a 2.5 mm hook. Change hooks after the Round 4 checkpoint. Don’t try to fix the size by changing the stitch counts, because the heart shaping depends on them.
Pattern
Round 1: Center Ring
Ch 8 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring.
Ch 1, then work 16 sc into the ring. Sl st to the first sc. (16 sts)
Keep the ring open. Don’t pull the starting tail tight, because the open center is part of the look.
Round 2: Padded Band
Ch 1. Sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st. Repeat from * 8 times in total. Sl st to the first sc. (24 sts)
Together with Round 1, this makes the thick, rolled band around the hole.
Round 3: Petal Foundation Loops
Ch 1. Sc in the next st, ch 8, sk 2 sts. Repeat from * 8 times in total. Sl st to the first sc. (8 sc and 8 ch-8 loops)
Check the math: 8 repeats × 3 sts (1 worked and 2 skipped) = 24 sts, which uses every stitch of Round 2.
Round 4: Petals
Sl st into the first ch-8 loop.
Petal: In the loop, work (sc, hdc, dc, 2 tr, 2 dtr, ch 3, 2 dtr, 2 tr, dc, hdc, sc).
Sl st in the next sc of Round 3, then work 1 Petal in the next ch-8 loop. Repeat from * 7 more times, for 8 petals in all. Sl st in the sc at the base of the first petal.
Each petal: 7 sts up one side, a ch-3 tip and 7 sts down the other side, so 14 sts.
Round total: 8 petals × 14 = 112 sts, plus 8 ch-3 tips and 8 sl sts between the petals.
The sts climb from sc to dtr and back down, which makes each petal long and pointed. The ch-3 makes a sharp tip. Gently tug each petal into a point as you go.
Round 5: Chain Arches
Sl st along the first petal into the next 7 sts (sc, hdc, dc, tr, tr, dtr, dtr), then sl st into the ch-3 tip.
Ch 1, sc in the same tip, ch 9. Sc in the next petal tip, ch 9. Repeat from * 6 more times. Sl st to the first sc. (8 sc and 8 ch-9 arches)
Orientation: Place a marker in the first sc. That petal tip becomes the top dip of the heart. Counting clockwise from it, the 5th tip becomes the bottom point.
For Round 6, name the arches L1 to L8, going clockwise from the dip. Name the tips by clock position: 12 (dip), 1:30, 3, 4:30, 6 (point), 7:30, 9 and 10:30.
Round 6: Heart Shaping
In this round the stitches get taller over the lobes and shorter near the dip and the sides. That’s what turns the circle into a heart.
Ch 1.
– Tip 12 (dip): sc in the marked sc.
– L1: 2 hdc, 3 dc, 6 tr. (11)
– Tip 1:30 (right lobe): 3 tr in the sc. (3)
– L2: 6 tr, 3 dc, 2 hdc. (11)
– Tip 3: sc. (1)
– L3: 2 dc, 3 hdc, 4 sc. (9)
– Tip 4:30: sc. (1)
– L4: 3 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 3 tr. (10)
– Tip 6 (point): (2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr) in the sc. (4 sts and a ch-3 sp)
– L5: 3 tr, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 3 sc. (10)
– Tip 7:30: sc. (1)
– L6: 4 sc, 3 hdc, 2 dc. (9)
– Tip 9: sc. (1)
– L7: 2 hdc, 3 dc, 6 tr. (11)
– Tip 10:30 (left lobe): 3 tr in the sc. (3)
– L8: 6 tr, 3 dc, 2 hdc. (11)
Sl st to the first sc.
Round total: 97 sts plus the ch-3 point sp.
– Right half (L1 through L4): 11 + 3 + 11 + 1 + 9 + 1 + 10 = 46
– Left half (L5 through L8): 46
– Dip: 1
– Point: 4
– 46 + 46 + 1 + 4 = 97
The fans of tr over Tips 1:30 and 10:30 make the rounded lobes. The short stitches in L3 and L6 pull the sides in, and the tr fans in L4 and L5 run down into the point. The open triangles between the petals and the arches stay open, which makes the lace look.
Checkpoint: 3.4 in × 3.4 in (8.6 cm × 8.6 cm).
Border
The border has 2 rounds. Treat the heart as having two sides that meet at the dip and the point. Each side runs from the dip, over a lobe, down to the point.
Border gauge: 9 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm). Each 48-st side is about 5.3 in (13.5 cm) long along the edge.
Round 7: Single Crochet Outline
Ch 1. Start in the last hdc of L8, just before the join. Work sc3tog over that hdc, the dip sc and the first hdc of L1. This is the dip st.
Right side:
– sc in each of the next 10 sts of L1
– over the 3 lobe tr: sc in the 1st, 2 sc in the 2nd, sc in the 3rd (4 sts)
– sc in each of the 11 sts of L2, the tip, the 9 sts of L3, the tip and the 10 sts of L4
– sc in each of the next 2 tr
That’s 10 + 4 + 11 + 1 + 9 + 1 + 10 + 2 = 48 sts.
Point: Work (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in the ch-3 sp. (4 sts and a ch-2 sp)
Left side: sc in each of the next 2 tr, then repeat the right side in reverse, ending with sc in each of L8’s remaining 10 sts (that leaves out the last hdc, which is already part of the sc3tog). (48 sts)
Sl st to the top of the sc3tog.
Round total: 1 + 48 + 4 + 48 = 101 sts plus the ch-2 sp.
As a trim round, that’s 94 sts worked one into each Round 6 st, plus 4 sts made by gathering 3 sts into 1 at the dip, plus 1 extra st at each lobe top, plus 4 sc into the point sp. 94 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 101.
Why the math works: The sc3tog pulls the dip inward, so the top stays sharp. The extra sc at each lobe top lets the curve lie flat. The extra sc at the point make the corner turn neatly.
Checkpoint: 3.6 in (9.1 cm).
Round 8: Reverse Single Crochet Rim and Hanging Loop
Ch 1. Do not turn. Work rev sc in each st as follows:
– 1 st at the dip
– 48 sts along the first side
– at the point: rev sc in each of the 2 sc, (rev sc, ch 2, rev sc) in the ch-2 sp, rev sc in each of the 2 sc (6 sts)
– 48 sts along the second side
Sl st to the first rev sc.
Round total: 1 + 48 + 6 + 48 = 103 sts. That’s the 101 Round 7 sts worked one each, plus 2 extra sts in the point sp.
Hanging loop: Ch 40, then sl st in the same dip st. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. Run the tail down through the base of the loop twice to lock it in.
The loop folds to about 2 in (5.1 cm). The rev sc rim gives the outline its smooth, rope-like edge.
Checkpoint: 3.8 in × 3.8 in (9.7 cm × 9.7 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all the ends along the back of the sc stitches. Leave 6 in (15.2 cm) of each tail uncut until the heart is blocked.
- Soak the heart in cool water for 10 minutes, then press out the water in a towel. Don’t wring it.
- Lay the heart face up on the blocking board over the 3.8 in (9.7 cm) paper template.
- Pin the dip and the point first, then the two lobe tops, then the widest point of each side.
- Pin each petal tip outward so all 8 petals lie straight and evenly spaced.
- Open each arch with a pin so the triangles between the petals are clean and even.
- If you want a stiffer ornament, spray it lightly with starch.
- Let it dry completely, which takes at least 6 hours. Then trim the tails.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The center ring is open and round, with an even padded band.
- There are 8 petals, each with a sharp ch-3 tip.
- One petal points straight to the dip and one straight to the point.
- All 8 arches are the same length and none sag.
- The two lobes are the same size and height.
- The rim stitch counts are 48 per side, plus 1 st at the dip and 6 sts at the point.
- The heart measures 3.8 in (9.7 cm) both wide and tall.
- The hanging loop comes out of the center of the dip and is secured.
- No ends show on the front.
Troubleshooting
The petals are rounded instead of pointed. Your ch-3 tips are too loose, or your dtr are short. Pull each dtr up to full height and keep the ch-3 snug.
The heart looks like a circle. Check Round 6: L3 and L6 must start with short stitches, and the lobe tips get 3 tr each. Also make sure the dip is lined up with the marked tip.
The lobes are lopsided. Count L1, L2, L7 and L8. Each one should have 11 sts.
The edge ruffles. Your Round 7 count is too high, or your hook is too large. Recount to 101 sts.
The edge cups or pulls in. The sc are too tight. Go up 0.25 mm in hook size for Rounds 7 and 8 only.
The point is blunt. Work the ch-2 at the point in both border rounds, and pin it sharply when you block.
The arches sag. Your chains are looser than your stitches. Chain more firmly, or work the chains with a hook 0.25 mm smaller.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and pin it flat to dry. Re-starch after washing if you want it stiff.
Final Notes
Here are the measurements in order:
– After Round 1: the ring is 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
– After Round 2: the padded band is 0.9 in (2.3 cm).
– After Round 4: the flower is 2.4 in (6.1 cm).
– After Round 5: the arches are 3 in (7.6 cm).
– After Round 6: the shaped heart is 3.4 in (8.6 cm).
– After Rounds 7 and 8: the border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) per edge, for a finished heart of 3.8 in × 3.8 in (9.7 cm × 9.7 cm).
The stitch counts follow the same chain: 16, 24, 8 loops, 8 petals of 14 sts, 8 arches, 97, 101 and 103 sts.
If you match these checkpoints, every heart you make will come out the same size, which helps if you’re making a set for gifts or a whole tree. Happy crocheting!