Knitted hearts are easy to make, look lovely and make a sweet little personalised gift, ideal for mums or grannies on Mother's Day.
Below, I've included a pattern for the small knitted heart cushion and general guidance for increasing the size and changing the pattern to personalise your gift. If you intend to put patterns, initials or other contrasting decoration on your knitting, visit The Knitting Site for free downloadable graph paper, especially designed for knitters and very useful.
The basic method for a knitted heart is so simple that anyone who can knit even a little bit should be able to make one (also, the cushions are made with double thickness wool on fairly large needles, which makes them quick to knit as well as giving a good, firm fabric.)
Small Knitted Heart Cushion
For a small, plain cushion, you will need 2 balls of DK wool in your chosen colour, a pair of 4mm knitting needles and a small amount of polyester filling. Add beads, sequins or patterns as you wish.
Knitted Heart, Main Pieces (Knit 2)
Using two strands of double knitting wool and 4mm needles, cast on 3 stitches. Knit two rows of stocking stitch (1 row knit, one row purl). Increase one stitch at each end of the third row. 4th row, purl.
Continue in this way, increasing at each end of every knit row until you have twenty five stitches, ending on a knit row. Next row, purl to end. next row, knit twelve, increase in next stitch, knit 12 (26 stitches). next row, purl to end.
Next row (divide for shaping). Knit first two stitches of the row together to decrease 1. Knit to 12th stitch, knit 2 together. Slide the remaining 13 stitches onto a spare needle or stitch holder. Turn and purl the next row. Continue in stocking stitch, decreasing at each end of every knit row until you have four stitches left. Cast off remaining four stitches, rejoin wool to stitches left on stitch holder and repeat process to complete the other side of the heart.
Side Bands (Knit Two)
Using two strands of double knitting wool and 4mm knitting needles, cast on five stitches and knit forty five rows in stocking stitch (measure this against the sides of your main pieces, you may need to knit more or less, depending on your knitting tension).
When you have knitted a long enough piece to reach from the bottom point of the heart to almost the bottom of the top shaping, decrease one stitch at each end of the next row. Purl to end of next row. Cast off remaining three stitches.
To Make Up
With right sides facing and using one strand of DK wool and a bodkin or special wool sewing needle, sew the bands to one of the main pieces, starting at the top curve and working down to the point. Join the point seam together. Turn the heart right sides out.
Join the other face by sewing it onto the band by oversewing neatly with the wrong sides together (this is the easiest way to do it). Stuff the heart with washable polyester filling. Pull the pointed end of the bands gently into the curve at the top of the heart to define the shape and fasten off.
If wished, decorate the completed heart with multi coloured pastel seed beads, as shown in the illustration.
Varying and Personalising This Pattern
This little cushion can be used as a pin cushion, for keeping ear rings safe or just as a decoration. Design your own motifs using the special knitted graph paper, or vary the size by continuing to increase until desired size is achieved, modifying the decreasing as well.
For more about knitted hearts, including knitted heart motifs, read this article on the intarsia method of colour weaving as you knit.
Join the Conversation