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As lots of you know I’m an NHS worker alongside my work here at HanJan. At the moment on on maternity leave and so seeing and hearing about what my colleagues are going through is just awful. I know that the best and right place for me at the moment is home with my little family but it is hard when I see the struggle.
I decided whilst I can’t use any of my midwifery skills at the moment, I can use my crochet ones instead and teach you how to crochet a heart.
There is a beautiful project that has launched over here in the UK that is asking people to make and send hearts to their local (or any) Intensive Care Unit. The plea is to make two identical hearts to be with the patient and should they pass away then the staff will send one of the hearts to the family and the other will stay with their loved one forever.
It is such an amazing thought, especially as these families won’t be able to see their loved ones. Having worked in the NHS for many years I can tell you it’s the aspects of care like this project that will have a lasting impact on the family that are left behind.
The hospital Trusts that I have seen are asking for knitted or crocheted hearts about 6cm in size and so today I’m sharing a tutorial of how to crochet a heart for you if you’d like to make some. You can use any yarn from your stash and don’t worry if you don’t have any wadding, you can just use old ends of yarn to stuff them.
They are really easy to make – I’ll put the pattern here in both UK and US terms and will also add lots of step by step photos to show you how to do it.
Click here to – Pin How to Crochet a Heart for later
Click here to – add How to Crochet a Heart to your Ravelry queue
Where to send your hearts – here in the UK there is an amazing charity that are distributing the hearts evenly to hospitals whilst also adhering to health and safety/infection control needs. You can find all the details of how to pack your hearts and where to send them at Silk Elephant.
Materials
| 4mm (US 7/G) crochet hook – my favourites are Furls Streamline Swirl crochet hooks or Clover Amour crochet hooks. |
| Tapestry needle |
| Scissors |
| Stitch markers if desired |
| A small amount (about 20g) of any double knit yarn from your stash |
| A small amount of wadding (or some old yarn if you don’t have any) |
Size and Tension
Tension isn’t essential for this project but the hearts measure about 6cm wide.
Stitch Key and Glossary
ch(s) – chain(s)
st(s) – stitch(es)
RS – right side
ss – slip stitch
| UK Terms | US Terms |
| dc – double crochet | sc – single crochet |
| htr – half treble crochet | hdc – half double crochet |
| tr – treble crochet | dc – double crochet |
| dtr – double treble crochet | tr – triple crochet |
The Pattern – How to crochet a heart
For each heart you make, you will need two of the following to create a front and a back:
UK Terms –
Foundation chain: ch2 (or make a magic ring if you prefer)
Round 1: 11tr into ring, ss in 1st to join [11]
Round 2: (ch2, tr, htr) in same place, htr in 2, tr, 8dtr, dc in 2, 8dtr, tr, htr in 2, ss in 2nd of ch2 to join.
Fasten off.
When you have made both the front and back, sew them together around the edge, filling with the wadding or yarn just before you seal them closed.
US Terms –
Foundation chain: ch2 (or make a magic ring if you prefer)
Round 1: 11dc into ring, ss in 1st to join [11]
Round 2: (ch2, dc, hdc) in same place, hdc in 2, dc, 8tr, sc in 2, 8tr, dc, hdc in 2, ss in 2nd of ch2 to join.
Fasten off.
When you have made both the front and back, sew them together around the edge, filling with the wadding or yarn just before you seal them closed.
Step by Step Photo Tutorial
How to crochet a heart –
Step 1 – chain 2 (or make a magic ring if you prefer)
Step 2 – 11tr (dc) into ring, ss in 1st to join
Step 3 – ch2, tr, htr (ch2, dc, hdc)
Step 4 – htr in 2 (hdc in 2)
Step 5 – tr (dc)
Step 6 – 8dtr (8tr)
Step 7 – dc in 2 (sc in 2)
Step 8 – 8dtr (8tr)
Step 9 – tr, htr in 2 (dc, hdc in 2)
Step 10 – ss in 1st to join
Step 11 – make a second heart for the back
Step 12 – sew the two hearts together – leave a small gap to add the stuffing
Step 13 – Add the stuffing and continue to sew shut.
Step 14 – Weave in ends to finish.
Crochet Heart Video Tutorial
Where to send your hearts –
I can’t speak for everywhere but I have seen that most Trusts here in the UK are asking for hearts. You can find the nearest one to you by searching the NHS website here: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/
You can address them – FAO Intensive Care Heart Appeal and then the hospital address you choose and I’m sure they will get to where they need to go.
Please don’t put yourself in danger to get these to hospitals though – if you are vulnerable and shouldn’t leave home but would like to make some then I’m sure someone nearby would happily collect them from your doorstep and post them for you, we all just need to ask for help if we need it at the moment. Stay safe.
If you enjoyed my tutorial then I have lots more you might like to see!
Here are some of my favourite stitch patterns with step by step tutorials like this one:
