Heart Strings

/ June 6, 2014
Heart Strings 2 row pattern

Heart Strings – an easy 2 row pattern!

How cute are these little hearts? These heart strings are quick to make and can be used for lots of craft projects.  Mini garlands, gift wrapping, bracelets and even as a fancy edging.  I tied some round a jar candle as an easy alternative to making a jar cover!

Use Heart Strings to make an easy jar cover!

Use Heart Strings to make an easy jar cover!

The best bit is it is just 2 rows of crochet with no joining of motifs, and no cutting and re-joining of the yarn. Scroll down for pdf patterns! (US and UK notation) You can use any leftover stash yarn and a matching hook size.  Mine are made with size 3mm and 4mm hooks.

Pattern:

Ch a multiple of 4 +1 (eg for a 5 heart string ch21)

Tip: crochet R1 through both loops of the chain – this keeps the dip in the middle of the heart from stretching upwards.

R1: In 3rd ch from hook, *(2dc, ch1, sl-st, ch1, 2dc), sk 1 ch, sl-st in next ch, sk1 ch, repeat from * to end of ch. Rotate the piece in order to work back along the string making the points of the hearts.

Working Row 2: 1 – at the end of R1, 2 – rotate work and yarn over for hdc (that is htr if UK), 3 – insert hook into centre of heart, 4 – after working the first heart, 5 & 6 – hook over and under the sl-st and ch between the hearts, 7 – draw up a loop, 8 – complete the sl-st by drawing first loop through second.

Working Row 2: 1 – at the end of R1, 2 – rotate work and yarn over for hdc (that is htr if UK), 3 – insert hook into centre of heart, 4 – after working the first heart, 5 & 6 – hook over and under the sl-st and ch between the hearts, 7 – draw up a loop, 8 – complete the sl-st by drawing first loop through second.

R2: (hdc, sc, sc, dc, sc, sc, hdc) into centre ch of heart.  Sl-st over the sl-st and ch between this heart and the next (see picture above).  Repeat from * to end, and finish with a sl-st into the turning ch of the first heart.

Fasten off and weave in ends.  Or alternately tie the ends to make hanging loops or use them to tie around a parcel.  If you are making a bracelet then sew a button or bead just bigger than the central hole onto the end heart to make a fastening.

Heart Strings - quick and easy free 2 row pattern to make decorations and bracelets

Heart Strings – quick and easy free 2 row pattern to make decorations and bracelets

That’s it for this week, I’m off on a week’s holiday to sunny (I hope) Northumberland and I need to go and pack!

What will you use your heart strings for?

Downloadable pdf patterns: Heart Strings US and UK

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79 thoughts on “Heart Strings”

  1. Thank you for this lovely pattern. Have a great holiday, nice people in that part of the world.

    • I know what you mean – it can get a bit much! But I’m glad you like this, and I think it’s good for small projects so you can put a touch of hearts here and there! :)

  8. Amazing! Do you have an estimate on how much yarn for a certain number of hearts? If not, I’ll just measure out some yarn and see how it goes. Thanks!

    • Thanks Cheryl! I think the best thing is to make a short string of 3-5 hearts and then measure how much you used, because obviously it will depend on your yarn thickness and hook size. :)

  11. Wonderful idea! thank you :)))
    I also dream of finding or thinking of such “2sided” pattern for simple lace string …you know , to make my own lace with fine thread :)

  12. Dear Esther,
    what a lovely idea to crochet these little hearts in a string. I shared this post at fb I hope, it’s ok. Some of my friends asked me to translate it into German, would it be ok for you? Of course I would give you the translation to share here when I’m ready. Please tell me your opinion.
    Greetings from Germany,
    Sabine.

  17. Gracias por compartir. Precioso!! Saludos desde España
    Thank you for sharing. Really Beautiful!! Greetings from Spain

  18. Thank you so much! Great tutorial…. I am not that great at patterns but you made this so nice and easy for me to work up! Thank you again!

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  22. Hi!
    I really like your pattern! It’s super pretty!
    Would it be OK if I translate it into Swedish and post it in my blogg? I will of course link to your original pattern in the text.
    //Yvette from Sweden

  23. I love your little heart strings. I am crazy for crochet jewelry and plan to use the pattern for that. Honestly I like most of your designs, but I need instant gratification these days. Thanks so much for sharing and I have also shared your items on Pinterest where they are popular.

  24. Reblogged this on gottagetagift and commented:
    Here is a great design for making crochet jewelry. Instead of making a lot of separate hearts and attaching, these are made together. I plan on using this soon and will add some pictures of what I come up with. Of course this can be an edging or trim for anything else you might be making!

  25. Hi, I should have asked first before I did it. I’m hoping it’s ok with you? I posted a link for the heart strings to http://www.Facebook.com./groups/ArtAbandonment because someone asked how I made the pretty little heart choker that I made to abandon. I am trying not to be such a dinosaur with the computer but every once in a while I still make mistakes like this! I should have asked first. But on the bright side, Art Abandonment has members all over the world that are abandoning (there’s a list of countries on the site and lots of people have put their towns up) so you are getting a LOT of exposure. I hope that makes up for the fact that I forgot to ask first. Have a wonderful New Year, Debby.

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  27. These are super cute, but I’m a bit confused. What do you mean by a multiple of 4+1 (eg. for a 5 heart string chain 21?) 21 isn’t a multiple of 4, unless you mean 4 plus 1, which equals 5. 5 isn’t a multiple of 21 either…I guess I just don’t get it. Could you explain what you mean?

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  31. Hey! I want to make a cutesy valentine’s day crown out of this and sell it on etsy. If I give you credit and link to the pattern in the description, is that okay?
    Love the pattern!

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  33. Absolutely adorable. What a cute way to use up some of my yarn stash. I’m going to make a bunch of garlands. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  35. Hey, I’m a complete beginner and I thought I’d try these because they’re so cute! I was given a starter kit years ago but the instructions are terrible, the crochet hook is tiny and the wool is very thin, so I’m sort of bumbling along and self teaching. So I’ve given up on the project in the kit and wanted to do these instead.

    I’m having trouble with the instructions for the first row. I’m okay with the 2dc, but I’m really confused about the “ch1” instruction. Are you just making another stitch like you do with a foundation chain or is it linked in to the row below it? And if so, how is that different from a slip stitch? I’ve seen a couple of ways to do a slip stitch and none are the same so I feel like I’m losing the plot!

    These are probably really silly questions but I can’t work it out. Hope you can help! :)

    • Hi Francesca! I’m glad you are inspired to learn to crochet! To make a ch1, just do the same as you did when making the foundation chain. The chain makes a bit of space so that when you do the sl-st, the dc’s you just made don’t get pulled out of shape (try it without the ch1 if you want to see what I mean – the top of your heart will be kind of scrunchy). To make a sl-st, just insert your hook into the stitch and draw up a loop (2 loops on hook). Pull the first loop through the second. Hope that helps! :)

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  39. If I wanted to make various sizes, how would I increase. I want to make these for a gift and I want to give three strings of hearts but in different sizes. Thank you.

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  42. These are wonderful! What a neat idea to create the tops first and go back to do the points! I would never have thought of that. I have done a number of crochet hearts for garlands (I really, really decorate my house for every occasion and crochetted garlands are now a big part of that!), but the ‘string’ I put them on is always just a long chain. I’m thinking this would be absolutely wonderful to hang the hearts from, so I can have a more sturdy (and adorable) garland string that will add interest. Thanks so much for sharing it! I’m thinking of modifying to try doing eggs, too, for Easter garlands! :)

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