Make crochet hearts for bunting to hang in your window to cheer up passers-by, or be part of a national NHS initiative to make pairs of hearts to send to your local hospital, where one will stay with a critically ill patient and the other will be sent to their loved ones to bring them comfort.
Critical care nurses have been asking the public LINK to knit or crochet hearts for patients and their families. We asked local crochet and knitting expert, Rachel Vowles for a pattern.
Rachel explains: If you have never crocheted before, or if you need to revise your stitches, there are loads of tutorials and instructional videos on YouTube - be sure to search for UK crochet guides though as the US use different terms for the same stitches! A quick google search will show you which hospitals are currently collecting hearts for their intensive care units.
MATERIALS
Use any spare yarn and the appropriate size of hook. I suggest:
4ply - 3.5mm, DK - 4mm, Aran - 4.5mm
ABBREVIATIONS (UK terms)
Ch = chain
Ch-sp = chain space
Dc = double crochet
Htr = half treble
Tr = treble crochet
Dtr = double treble crochet
Sl st = slip stitch
Rnd = round
Rep = repeat
Simple Crochet Heart
Start with a magic ring (OR 4ch, sl st to first ch).
Rnd 1: 2ch (does not count as a st), 15tr into ring, sl st into top of first tr.
Rnd 2: 2ch, 1tr in same st as 2 ch, 4dtr in next st, 2tr in next st, 4htr, (1tr, 1dtr, 1tr) in next st, 4htr, 2tr in next st, 4dtr in next st, 1tr, 2ch sl st to same st as last tr.
Tie: Work 12ch and sl st back into starting st, remove hook from stitch and insert from the back of the heart and grab the stitch and pull it through to the back. Fasten off on the back and weave in ends.
Granny Square Crochet Heart
Rnd 1: 4ch, 2tr in first of these 4 ch, 2ch (3tr, 2ch) three times in same ch, join with sl st in top ch of first ch3.
Rnd 2: Sl st in each of next 2 tr and in next 2ch-sp, 3ch (counts as 1tr), in same 2ch-sp work (2tr, 2ch, 3tr), 1ch, * (3tr, 2ch, 3tr) in next 2ch-sp, 1ch; repeat from * around, join with sl st in 3rd ch of first 3 ch.
Rnd 3: Sl st in each of next 2 tr and in next 2ch-sp, 12dtr in next 1ch-sp, sl st in next 2ch-sp, 12dtr in next 1ch-sp, sl st in next 2ch-sp.
Rnd 4: 1dc in same sp as sl st, 1dc in each of next 3 tr, 1dc in next 1ch-sp, 1dc in each of next 3 tr, (1htr, 1tr, 1htr) in next 2ch-sp, 1dc in each of next 3 tr, 1dc in next 1ch-sp, 1dc in each of next 3 tr, 1dc in next 2ch-sp, 1dc in each of next 11 dtr, sl st in next dtr, sl st in next 2ch-sp, 12ch, sl st back in same ch-sp, sl st in next dtr, 1dc in each of next 11 dtr, join with sl st in first dc.
Fasten off and weave in end.
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