Huggable Heart

by Kelly Nalley | Craftingintx.com | craftingintx@gmail.com

Huggable Heart

Materials

Stitches (US terms):

            Slip stitch

            SC – single crochet

            HDC – half double crochet

            DTR – double treble – wrap yarn around the hook three times, insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop, pull a loop through two loops 4 times

            HDTR – half double treble – wrap yarn around the hook three times, insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop, pull a loop through two loops 2 times, then pull a loop through last three loops

            Crab stitch – insert hook into stitch to the right, pull up a loop, pull a loop through two loops (you work the stitches from left to right backward across work)

Pink heart (face of heart):

With size 4mm hook and holding two strands of pink yarn together, chain 2.

Row 1) 2 SC in second chain from hook, ch 1, turn. (2)

Row 2) 2 SC in first SC, SC in second SC, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 3) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 4) It might be helpful to add a stitch marker to this side as you will be increasing on this side. 2 SC in first SC, SC to last SC, 2 SC in last SC, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 5) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 6) 2 SC in first SC, SC to last SC, 2 SC in last SC, ch 1, turn. (7)

Row 7) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (7)

Row 8) 2 SC in first SC, SC to last SC, 2 SC in last SC, ch 1, turn. (9)

Row 9) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (9)

Row 10) 2 SC in first SC, SC to last SC, 2 SC in last SC, ch 1, turn. (11)

Row 11) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (11)

Row 12) 2 SC in first SC, SC to last SC, 2 SC in last SC, ch 1, turn. (13)

Row 13) SC in each SC, ch 1, turn. (13)

Row 14) [DTR, DTR, 6 HDTR] in 4th SC, slip stitch in 7th SC, [6 HDTR, DTR, DTR] in 9th SC, slip stitch in last SC (this row will look like two fans across the top making the heart shape) Fasten off leaving a long tail of yarn for sewing.

Red Heart (back of the toy):

Using the red yarn, held double, and the 4 mm hook, repeat the instructions for the pink heart except do not fasten off.

Joining the front to the back:

Using the tail of yarn from the pink heart, join the two hearts with the wrong sides facing right under the fans. This will ensure that the stuffing won’t show through the fans. You will not stuff the top of the toy, just rows 1-13.

With the red yarn, still held double, and the 4 mm hook, work the crab stitch joining the outside edges of the pink and red hearts with the pink heart on top of the red heart (the pink heart you will insert the hook into first) When you are close to the end of the round, add stuffing to the bottom of the heart toy.

Adding the eyes and mouth:

I used one strand of black and a darning needle. Insert the darning needle from back to front just below the center of the fan and then putting the needle into the stitch just above, making sure not to show the black yarn on the back side of the toy, the red side. Bring the needle up just below the center again. Then using the needle, wrap the yarn around the vertical stitch you just made with the black yarn.

This will look like a French knot. I wrap it 5 times. Then put the needle into the center of the black stitch and bring it up on the other fan’s center to do the next eye, making sure you do not go through the toy to the back side.

The black yarn should be inside the toy. Follow the same instruction for the second eye and after putting the needle into the middle of the stitch, bring the needle up two rows down below the eye and stitch a “V” for the mouth.

Fasten off and hide the black yarn inside the toy.

Arms (make 2):

With the white yarn and the 6.0 mm hook, chain 8, slip stitch into the third chain from the hook, chain 2, slip stitch into the same chain as before, making the hand, SC down the remaining 5 chains, fasten off and attach the arms to the sides of the toy between rows 10 and 11. I knot the ends of the yarn before attaching the arm to the toy.

Legs (make 2):

With the white yarn and the 6.0 mm hook, chain 13, [SC, HDC] into the third chain from hook, slip stitch into next chain, chain 3, [SC, HDC] into the second chain from the hook, slip stitch into the same chain as before making the foot, SC in the remaining 9 chains, fasten off and attach the legs to the sides of the toy between rows 1 and 2. I knot the ends of the yarn before attaching the leg to the toy.