ch	chain
ch-sp	chain space
dc	double crochet (treble crochet for UK/Aus)
hdc	half double crochet (half treble crochet for UK/Aus)
sc	single crochet (double crochet for UK/Aus)
sl st	slip stitch (single crochet for UK/Aus)
st	stitch
tr	triple (treble) crochet (double treble crochet for UK/Aus)

You will need…

• E US/3.5mm crochet hook
• Small quantity of worsted weight yarn in red, pink, or the colour of your choice
• Yarn needle to weave in ends
• Optional: small amount of polyester fibrefill stuffing for the puffy heart

Gauge

Gauge is unimportant for this pattern. I like to crochet the hearts with a small hook so they are rigid and there are no gaps between the stitches; if you prefer a looser, floppier heart, use a G or H hook instead.

Notes for all hearts

To make these hearts, you must be comfortable with the magic ring technique. Instead of single crocheting into the magic ring, the entire first round (Heart A) is crocheted directly into the ring, and then the ring is pulled tight to complete the round. This same pattern also forms Rnd 1 of all the other hearts, so read these instructions before beginning any of the hearts!

1. As you crochet Rnd 1, you may need to stop and snug together the bases of the stitches you’ve already made, so that you can fit all the stitches into the magic ring.
   
   Left: Halfway through Rnd 1. Right: The same stage after pushing the bases of the stitches together.
2. When you reach the end of Rnd 1, pull the magic ring almost closed, leaving a small hole in the middle.
   
   Left: Rnd 1 finished. Right: Magic ring pulled almost closed with a small hole remaining.
3. To complete Rnd 1, make the final sl st into the remaining hole, and then pull the magic ring tightly closed.
   
   Left: Final sl st made. Right: Magic ring pulled tightly closed.

A: Small Heart

Make a magic ring, ch 2.
Rnd 1: (3 tr, 4 dc, tr, 4 dc, 3 tr) into magic ring.
Pull the magic ring mostly closed, leaving a small space in the middle, ch 2, sl st into the remaining hole in the magic ring. Pull the magic ring tightly closed.

To complete the heart, see Finishing (p4).

B: Medium Heart

Make a magic ring, ch 2.
Rnd 1: (3 tr, 4 dc, tr, 4 dc, 3 tr) into magic ring.
Pull the magic ring mostly closed, leaving a small space in the middle, ch 2, sl st into the remaining hole in the magic ring. Pull the magic ring tightly closed.

Note: do not turn work, continue working anti-clockwise (clockwise for left-handers) around the heart, working into the stitches of Rnd 1, and starting by working into the ch-sp formed by the ch 2 you made after the magic ring.

Rnd 2: sc in ch-sp, 2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, (sc, sl st) in ch-sp.

To complete the heart, see Finishing (p4).

C: Large Heart

Make a magic ring, ch 2.
Rnd 1: (3 tr, 4 dc, tr, 4 dc, 3 tr) into magic ring.
Pull the magic ring mostly closed, leaving a small space in the middle, ch 2, sl st into the remaining hole in the magic ring. Pull the magic ring tightly closed.

Note: do not turn work, continue working anti-clockwise (clockwise for left-handers) around the heart, working into the stitches of Rnd 1, and starting by working into the ch-sp formed by the ch 2 you made after the magic ring.

Rnd 2: sc in ch-sp, 2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, (sc, sl st) in ch-sp.

Note: do not turn work, continue working anti-clockwise (clockwise for left-handers) around the heart, working into the stitches of Rnd 2.

Rnd 3: sc in next 2 st, (sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) three times, sc in next 6 st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 6 st, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) three times, sc in next 2 st.
Join with sl st into first st.

To complete the heart, see Finishing (p4).

Finishing (Hearts A, B ,C)

As Hearts A, B, and C are flat, you’ll need to weave in the yarn ends.

Starting tail
Note: Make sure your magic ring is pulled tightly closed before you begin weaving in the ends – this is your last chance to avoid having a hole in the middle!
This yarn end should already be at the back of the work (the side facing away from you as you crochet). Using a yarn needle, weave the end, a few stitches at a time, underneath the backs of the stitches of Rnd 1.

End tail
If you’d like to make a hanging loop to string your hearts into a garland, keep the end tail long and use it to form the hanging loop. If not, draw the yarn end to the back of the heart (the side facing away from you as you crochet). Using a yarn needle, weave the end under the backs of the stitches of Rnd 1, as you did for the other end.

D: Puffy Heart

Heart D is a puffy version of Heart C, made by crocheting 2 hearts together with a small amount of stuffing in between them.

1. Begin by crocheting 2 x Heart B, but do not fasten off the yarn when you have completed the second heart.
2. Holding both hearts with wrong sides together, work Rnd 3 of Heart C, inserting the hook through both layers to begin each stitch (see picture below).
   
3. When you have one lobe of the heart left to crochet together, stuff all the yarn ends into the heart, then add a small wisp of stuffing to puff up the heart a little (see pictures below).
   
4. Complete Rnd 3, again crocheting through both layers.
5. If you’d like to make a hanging loop to string your hearts into a garland, keep the yarn tail long and use it to form the hanging loop. If not, use a yarn needle to lose the end between the two layers of the heart.