A knitted heart is a small, flat project you can finish in about an hour. Brittany from B.Hooked knits this one in garter stitch, so every row is a knit row and there is no purling at all. The heart is worked sideways: you start at one side, grow the first hump and the point, then mirror everything to make the second side. It uses about 12 yards of yarn, so it is a good way to use up leftovers.
How to knit a heart: the short version
- Cast on 7 stitches and knit one row.
- Increase with KFB at both ends until you have 15 stitches.
- Grow the point with a KFB at one end.
- Hold the count at 18 with an SSK at the top and a KFB at the point.
- Reverse it: KFB at the top, K2tog at the point.
- Decrease back down to 7 stitches and bind off.
What you need
Any medium weight (worsted) yarn works. Brittany uses an alpaca blend because it looks soft and a little fuzzy. Pair it with US 7 (4.5 mm) needles. Straight, circular or double pointed needles are all fine for a piece this small. You also need a yarn needle and scissors to finish.
Keeping track of the rows
This is not a hard pattern, but it has a lot of short repeats. Every pair of rows is a shaping row followed by a plain knit row. The plain rows always run from the point toward the top of the heart, which tells you where you are if you put it down. Print the free pattern and tick off each row, or click a row counter as you go. Count your stitches at the end of every repeat.
The three stitches you need
KFB (knit front and back) adds a stitch: knit it, leave it on, then knit the back loop. SSK (slip, slip, knit) takes away a stitch and leans left. K2tog (knit two together) takes one away and leans right. Using the right decrease on each side keeps the curves of the heart smooth.
Changing the size
The finished heart is about 4 inches across in worsted yarn. For a smaller heart, use a lighter yarn with smaller needles and follow the same rows. Bulky yarn on bigger needles gives a chunky heart for a pillow applique or a door hanger. The stitch counts do not change, only the yarn and needle size.
Ways to use your hearts
- Sew one onto a hat, scarf, bag or jacket as a patch.
- Knit two, sew them together and stuff them for a little softie.
- Tuck one into a Valentine's card or a gift for a grandchild.
- String several on yarn for a garland.
Common problems
- Lopsided humps. Count after each repeat. One missed increase shows.
- A boxy top edge. The bind-off edge is flatter than the cast-on side. Run the tail along it and pull gently to round it.
- A loose first stitch. Tug the cast-on tail after the first row.
New to the basics? Review how to cast on, increase, decrease and bind off. If you also crochet, try a crochet heart to go with it.
