I bought this solid chocolate hand painted polka dot heart from Rococo Chocolates in London for the Mr. but I kind of don’t want him to eat it – it’s too cute!
London was so glorious and I had a lovely time! I’m in serious sugar withdrawals, though, now that I’m back home. AND Valentine’s Day is today. The torture!! I’ve been trying to get a step by step picture tutorial of how to make a crocheted Danish Heart posted since a few people have found row 3 of the pattern a little bit tricky.
It will have to wait – we’re taking the kids to warmer climes this weekend and jetlag and the reality of three children and a household to run after being away for two weeks have conspired against me. When I get back…
Oh, oh, oh, I was in the most glorious yarn shop today. Loop Knit Lounge, located in London’s borough of Islington, was a complete delight, from top to bottom. Charming and helpful staff (co-owner Susan Cropper was behind the counter), the most glorious selection of yarn imaginable, books, magazines and lovely gifts – I could have stayed in the shop for hours, slowly moving from one spot of inspiration to the next. It was absolutely worth every single tube station change I made to get there and get back.
I’m working with the Young Women in our neighborhood now. We wanted to recognize the girls on the Sunday before their birthdays. I couldn’t really find something that I liked online, so I came up with this.
The badge measures 7″ x 9″ and hangs around the neck like a lanyard (didn’t want a pin or crown or cape to interfere with Sunday best outfits). It’s made from muslin, fabric and felt with a grosgrain ribbon. I actually made two, and might need to make more, just in case we have more than one birthday in a week.
I’m getting ready for new crochet classes at Harmony and was thinking of teaching the beginner students in my Intro to Crochet class how to make this lovely lavender heart sachet inspired by the very talented Lucy at Attic 24. What do you think?
The Scandinavian blood in me responds quite strongly to the colors and pattern of the Danish Heart. The simplicity and ingenuity of the pattern is stunning. Two ovals of contrasting colors, folded in half with strategic slits, when woven together produce a charming checkerboard heart that becomes a little basket. Brilliant! Thank you Hans Christian Andersen!
Recently, I saw in a magazine the pattern for a knit version of the Danish Heart and my own heart did several palpitations. A Danish Heart in YARN?? So absolutely fabulous!! However, the pattern required sewing knit pieces together BEFORE you even got to the weaving of the heart. Sorry, but excessive piecing and joining makes me eventually hate the project that I set out so excitedly to make.
before…….and after blocking
Knowing that I could crochet a flat oval quite easily, I figured out how to incorporate the necessary slits into the pattern so that when the oval is completed WITH ONE PIECE OF YARN the piece is ready to weave. Yay! So easy!
Gauge is not important for this project – just make sure that your crochet is nice and tight. Adjust crochet hook size smaller if necessary.
US Crochet Terms
beg: beginning
ch(s): chain(s)
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
sl st: slip stitch
Make 2 Ovals – one in red, one in cream
Ch 30.
Round 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Sc in the next 27 ch. 3 sc in the last ch. Crocheting along the opposite side of the foundation ch, sc in the next 28 ch. 3 sc in the skipped ch from the beg. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 2: Ch 1. Sc in same st. Sc in the next 27 sc. 2 sc in the next 3 sc. Sc in the next 28 sc. 2 sc in the last 3 sc. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 3: Ch 1. Sc in same st. Ch 26. Taking care to not twist your chain, skip 26 sc and sc in next sc. (2 sc in next sc. Sc in next sc.) 3 times. Sc in next sc. Ch 26. Taking care to not twist your chain, skip 26 sc and sc in next sc. (2 sc in next sc. Sc in next sc.) 3 times. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 4: Ch 1. Sc in same st. Sc in the next 26 ch. Sc in the next sc. (Sc in the next 2 sc. 2 sc in the next sc.) 3 times. Sc in the next st. Sc in the next 26 ch. Sc in the next sc. (Sc in the next 2 sc. 2 sc in the next sc.) 3 times. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 5: Ch 1. Sc in same st. Sc in the next 27 sc. (2 sc in next sc. Sc in the next 3 sc.) 3 times. Sc in the next 28 sc. (2 sc in next sc. Sc in the next 3 sc.) 3 times. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 6: Ch 1. Sc in same st. Sc in the next 27 sc. (Sc in the next 2 sc. 2 sc in the next sc. Sc in the next 2 sc.) 3 times. Sc in the next 28 sc. (Sc in the next 2 sc. 2 sc in the next sc. Sc in the next 2 sc.) 3 times. Sl st in beg sc.
Round 7: Ch 1. Sc in the same st. Sc in the next 27 sc. (Sc in the next 5 sc. 2 sc in the next sc.) 3 times. Sc in the next 28 sc. (Sc in the next 5 sc. 2 sc in the next sc.) 3 times. Sl st in beg sc.
Leaving an 18” tail, break yarn and knot.
Make 1 Strap in Red
Leaving an 18″ tail, ch 31.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Sc in each ch to end. (30 st)
Row 2 – 4: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each sc across to end. (30 st)
Leaving an 18″ tail, cut yarn and knot.
Assembly
Making sure that the ending tails of yarn on the red and cream ovals are turned towards the outside, fold in half with right sides facing. Position ovals and weave them together using the following illustration as a guide. Use the tails of yarn to sew the heart together in the places indicated. Using the long tails on the strap, sew the strap on the inside of the heart to form a handle in the places indicated. Weave in ends.
Crochet up a bunch to decorate a Christmas tree or to give away as Valentine’s gifts. Or make a few for special people that need to know you love them. Enjoy!
I was deeply touched by this short clip of Renate Hiller, co-director of the Fiber Craft Studio at the Threefold Educational Center in Chestnut Ridge, New York, who speaks on the transcendent and meditative qualities of creating with our hands and the importance of using natural and beautiful fibers in our work.
To quote from the video clip:
“…in handwork, in transforming nature we also make something truly unique that we have made with our hands, stitch by stitch, that maybe we have chosen the yarn, we have even spun the yarn — even better, and that we have designed. And when I do that, I feel whole. I feel I am experiencing my inner core because it’s a meditative process. You have to find your way; you have to listen with your whole being. And that is the schooling that we all need today. Because we’re so egocentric and this makes us think of what is needed by something else. So we are in a way practicing empathy — empathy with the material, empathy with the design. I think this practicing of empathy that we do in the fiber crafts is paramount for being healing to our world. And it’s a service for the divine that we are surrounded by.”
Our friends, the Truax Family, are making the final push to raise enough money to adopt three orphan siblings from the Ukraine. They’ve set up an online auction and have listed some really fantastic items people can bid on Thursday and Friday, November 15-16th! See all the details here.
Last month I crocheted a baby blanket that will be part of the auction! This blanket was hand crocheted with high quality 100% mercerized cotton yarn from England and can be lovingly passed down from generation to generation. It’s a great baby size, 27.5″ x 34″, and will work for summer or winter.
If you want to bid on the blanket, set your clocks for 1 am Thursday November 15th to get your bid in! Check out the bid page here.
We’ve organized another beginning crochet class this fall at Harmony! The class will run Thursday mornings from 10 am to noon on November 1, 8, & 15. I’ll walk you through all the basics of chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, changing colors, reading patterns, increasing, decreasing, and weaving in ends when you’re finished.
You’ll leave the class with a gorgeous scarf and the confidence to try new crochet patterns – just in time for Christmas! The cost of the class is $60 and you’ll receive a 10% discount on supplies purchased at the shop.
*If you’re left-handed, don’t despair! I have experience teaching lefties how to crochet!*
Have you ever wanted to learn how to crochet something like this?
I signed up for the Smocking Class at Harmony and I’m over the moon to finally learn how to embroider smocking!! I’ve wanted to learn since {G} was a baby and for one reason or another I never have. Thank you Harmony!! And I also learned how to embroider bullion roses. Bonus. My lines are a little wonky, but I’m thrilled with how it’s turning out. Just need to sew the smocked panel into a skirt and I’ll be done!
I’m teaching another class at Harmony on Saturday November 3rd from noon to 2 pm. Do you want to learn how to crochet Granny Squares?? I’ll discuss how to quickly change colors, weaving in ends as you crochet, different methods of circular crochet and joining the blocks together as you go! The 2 hour class will be jam packed with tips and tricks that you can apply to all your crochet projects. Come join us for a great class to elevate your basic crochet skills to the next level. Only $20!
