I was playing with some red yarn and a hook at my local tea shop and came up with a small heart that you can use as an ornament or applique. I have made a few to make sure the directions work out as written but this hasn’t been tested by anyone else. Let me know if you have any questions.

I feel it works best without the hanging loop as the loop obscures the dip in the top of the heart somewhat. Do whatever you prefer. It is slightly asymmetrical.

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What you’ll need:

A small amount of any yarn, any weight, any colour (I used Knit Picks Shine Sport in Serrano)

A hook to suit your weight of yarn (I used a 3.75mm/F hook)

A darning needle to weave in ends

A stitch marker (the locking kind that look like little plastic safety pins are perfect for this)

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

ss = slipstitch

sc = single crochet (double crochet in UK)

dc = double crochet (treble crochet in UK)

hdc = half double crochet (half treble in UK)

rnd = round

rep = repeat

st/sts = stitch(es)

How to:

Ch4, ss into 4th ch from hook to join into a circle, ch 1

R 1: Work 6sc into circle. From now on you will be working in a spiral, not joined rounds. I suggest placing a stitch marker into the first st of each rnd to keep track. (6 sts)

R 2: 2sc into each sc (12 sts)

R 3: (2sc into next st, 1 sc into next st) repeat around (18 sts)

R 4: (2sc into next st, 1 sc into each of next 2 sts) repeat around, ss into next sc to complete rnd (24 sts)

R 5: ch3, dc in same st, 2dc into next st, 2 dc into next st, hdc in each of the next 3 sts, sc into each of the next 6 sts, ch2, sc into same st (makes bottom point), 5sc, 3hdc, 2dc into next st, 2dc into next st, dc in next, ch3, ss into same st (base of dc just worked)

There should be one st left unworked for the top centre of the heart. Either fasten off here and weave in your ends or create hanging loop as follows.

Loop: ss into last st of round, ch10, ss into same st as before. Fasten off. (Loop can be made as long or as short as you like; just make more chains.)