Sunday 9 February 2014

Happy ( not quite yet) Valentines....

I'm sure you all have noticed that Valentines day is almost here.....and if you haven't, have you been living under a rock?? Everywhere you go everything screams Valentines!! All the cynics out there keep saying that it is a silly holiday invented by card making companies, ehhh so what?, we have a day for everything these days why not for love?

For the past 10 years February has been a very difficult month for me for personal reasons and I would avoid it at all costs if I could, and this year is no different. So in an attempt to cheer up my self and others around me I have designed this lovely ring/brooch.
It is very simply to crochet, you can make it as big as you want. You can make plenty of them and cover yourself in them, or you can give it to someone who's feeling a bit down....spread the love a bit :)



All you will need is some Rowan Kidsilk Haze or Debbie Bliss Angel. You will hold the yarn DOUBLE through out, I usually take a strand from the outside of the ball and one from the inside, you will need to rummage a bit to find it, but to be honest any scraps of DK yarn will do.
I have chosen three colours but you can make each heart in one colour, after all it will be your heart you must make it as individual as you like
3.5mm (US E/4)
14 x medium 5mm beeds (again, any would do)
Ring base if you would like to make it into a ring or brooch back if you want to wear your heart as a brooch.

Abbreviations
ss - slip stitch
st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
ch-sp - chain space
htr (US hdc) - half treble (US - half double crochet)

Large heart
With 3,5mm (US E/4) and yarn held DOUBLE chain 13.
Round 1. 3 htr into 2nd chain from hook, 1 htr into next 4 ch, miss next 2 ch, 1 htr into next 4 ch, 3 htr into next chain, work each chain on opposite side of foundation chains, 1 htr into each of next 4 ch [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next 2-ch space, 1 htr into next 4 ch, ss to begining of round.
Round 2. ch 2 (counts as 1 htr),1 htr into base of 2 ch, 2 htr into next 2 htr, 1 htr into next 3 htr, miss next 2 htr, 1 htr into next 3 htr, 2 htr into next 3 htr, 1 htr into next 5 htr, [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next 2-ch space, 1 htr into next 5 htr, ss to to beginning of round.
Fasten off

Medium heart
With 3,5mm (US E/4) and yarn held DOUBLE chain 11.
Round 1. 3 htr into 2nd chain from hook, 1 htr into next 3 ch, miss next 2 ch, 1 htr into next 3 ch, 3 htr into next ch, work each chain on opposite side of foundation chains, 1 htr into each of next 3 ch [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next 2-ch space, 1 htr into next 3 chain, ss to begining of round.
Round 2. ch 2 (counts as 1 htr),1 htr into base of 2 ch, 2 htr into next 2 htr, 1 htr into next 2 htr, miss next 2 htr, 1 htr into next 2 htr, 2 htr into next 3 htr, 1 htr into next 4 htr, [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next 2-ch space, 1 htr into next 4 htr, ss to to beginning of round.
Fasten off

Small heart
With 3,5mm (US E/4) and yarn held DOUBLE chain 7.
Round 1. 3 htr into 2nd chain from hook, 1 htr into next st, miss next 2 chains, 1 htr into next st, 3 htr into next chain, work each chain on opposite side of foundation chains, 1 htr into next chain, [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next 2-ch space, 1 htr into next chain, ss to begining of round.
Round 2. ch 2 (counts as 1 htr),1 htr into base of 2 ch, 2 htr into next 2 htr, 1 htr into next htr, miss next 2 htr, 1 htr into next htr, 2 htr into next 3 htr, 1 htr into next 2 htr, [1 htr, 2ch, 1 htr] into next space, 1 htr into next 2 htr, ss to to beginning of round.
Fasten off



Join hearts together by placing them on top of each other and sew in place. Attach beads to the smallest heart by sewing them in place.

You can make the hearts bigger by chaining more chains and crocheting additional half trebles, the number of chains should go up by two, so from the biggest one, the next one up would be 15 chain, 17, 19, 21 and so on. If you are making more chains you will have to add rows as well.




Enjoy

Anna x