Introduction
The Mum’s Heart is a Tunisian crochet mini heart that is a wonderful little gift for mums. You can whip this cutie up including sewing the pieces together in less than an hour. This makes it is great last-minute project or you can make multiples and give them out to your mum friends and colleagues at work to brighten their Mother’s Day.
The pattern is made using Tunisian crochet technique that creates wonderful texture. This project includes simple shaping and it is a great first project if you would like to step beyond the basics.
The heart requires a small amount of yarn, so it can be equally used as a crap-yarn project.
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Skills required:
To create this beautiful Tunisian crochet mini heart you will need to master (or already know) these stitches and techniques:
Chain, Tunisian crochet technique (alternating forward and return passes), Tunisian simple stitch (tss), Tunisian full stitch (tfs, increase st), return pass with decrease (dec), Tunisian simple stitch bind-off, slip stitch joining, blocking.
Skill level:
Finished measurements:
The final Tunisian crochet mini heart measurements (blocked):
12 cm x 10 cm (approx. 4.75” x 4”)
Materials and tools
Yarn:
To get the exact look as on the pictures of Tunisian crochet mini heart, you will need:
Scheepjes Stone Washed (78% Cotton, 22% Acrylic | Sport | 50 g (1.8 oz) = 130 m (142 yds)),
- (#820) Rose Quartz 1 skein
Approx. 15 g (not including yarn used for a swatch)
Other yarn alternatives:
Please always swatch when substituting yarn:
- Scheepjes: River Washed
- Yarnart: Denim Washed
For further alternatives, please see:
Scheepjes Stone Washed | Substitutes
You can get your craft supplies here.
Tools and notions:
- Tunisian crochet hook size 4.5 mm (US size 7) with cable (at least 10 cm (4”)) or size to obtain the gauge
- Regular 4.0 mm crochet hook (US size G/6)
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Small amount of stuffing (fiberfill) or yarn cuttings
Gauge:
Blocked Gauge:
16 sts x 14 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4” x 4”) over tss
The gauge is not essential for this Tunisian crochet mini heart, but it will impact the amount of yarn used.
Gauge helps you to understand how the project turns out in terms of the final size. If you would like to achieve the exact size of the final project as in the instructions above, you gauge needs to match exactly to the above.
If you get more stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hook size as per instructions, your final project will turn out smaller. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hooks size as per instructions, your final project will turn out bigger.
To make adjustments, if you get more stitches and/or rows, you can try using bigger hook size to get closer to the desired size. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows, you can try using smaller hook size to get closer to the desired size.
It may take trial and error to try out a few hook sizes to achieve the exact size.
Alternatively, if you really don’t want to make several samples to achieve the desired size, you can try to alter your tension as you work the project. However, I would advise to try this out once you master the basics of Tunisian crochet as it may be a bit tiresome to try to master the basics of Tunisian crochet and focus on alternating your tension while working the project.
If this Tunisian crochet mini heart is your first Tunisian crochet project and are not sure if this project matches your skills, I have a Tunisian crochet masterclass tutorial that will jump-start your Tunisian crochet journey!
Stitch guide:
Tunisian crochet stitches are worked in 2 steps; forward and return pass from right to left, with the number of sts (lps) increasing on the hook during the forward pass and decreasing during the return pass.
Standard Return pass is worked in the same way for all stitches (rows of sts) used in this project as follows: 1 ch, * yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, rep from * until 1 lp on hook.
Return pass with decrease is worked as follows: * yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, rep from * until 1 lp on hook.
Edge stitches:
Right edge stitch- This is the first lp on hook and counts as first st unless otherwise stated.
Left edge stitch- This st is referred to in the pattern as the End Stitch (ES) and is crocheted as follows: Rotate the end of the fabric towards yourself, insert the hook under both bars (left and right) of the last st, yrh and pul.
Tunisian crochet stitches:
- First row of Tunisian crochet: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across.
- Tunisian simple stitch: Insert the hook from right to left under front vertical bar of the next st, yrh and pul.
- Tunisian full stitch: Insert the hook from front to back between the next 2 st, yrh and pul.
Bind off:
Tunisian Simple stitch bind-off: Insert hook from right to left under front vertical bar of the next st, yrh, pul and pull through the lp that is on the hook. One lp remains on the hook.
Abbreviations:
| Abbreviations used in the Tunisian crochet mini heart | |
| ch- chain | pul- pull up a loop |
| st(s)- stitch(es) | FP- forward pass |
| lp(s)- loop(s) | RP- return pass |
| tss- Tunisian simple stitch | RS- right side |
| tfs- Tunisian full stitch | approx.- approximately |
| ES- End stitch | rep- repeat |
| yrh- yarn round the hook |
Mum’s Heart stitch chart:
Notes:
- Similar sport weight yarns may be substituted; please check gauge.
- Number of loops on hook equals number of sts for row counting before RP (unless otherwise stated).
- The Tunisian crochet mini heart is worked flat with RS always facing from right to left.
Instructions:
Tunisian crochet mini heart
Base
Ch 3.
Row 1 FP: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul, insert the hook in the back bump of next ch, yrh and pul. 3 lps
Row 1 RP and all other RPs unless indicated otherwise: Standard RP.
Row 2: Tfs, tss in next st, tfs, ES.5 lps
Row 3: Tfs, tss across to last st, tfs, ES. 7 lps
Continue working the crochet heart placemat in established pattern of increasing at the beginning and end of the row and working tss between (2 sts inc per row).
Rows 4-9: Rep Row 3. 19 lps
Row 10: Tss across to last st, ES.
Row 11: Rep Row 3. 21 lps
Rows 12-13: Rep Row 10.
Row 14 FP: Rep Row 10.
Row 14 RP: Standard RP with decrease to last 3 lps, yrh and pul. (FP: 21 lps, RP:19 lps).
The stitches will be split in the next row with 1 st bind-off leaving 9 sts on each side of the Tunisian crochet mini heart.
Left side of heart will be worked till bind-off (sts on right side will be left on hook).
Row 15 FP: Tss in next 10 sts, bind-off next st (this creates a small gap between the group of sts on right and left), tss across to last st ES. (9 sts left per side).
Left side:
Row 15 RP: Standard RP with decrease to last 3 lps, yrh and draw through 3 lps. (FP: 9 lps, RP: 7 lps)
Row 16 FP: Tss across to last st, ES. 7 lps
Row 16 RP: Yrh, draw through 3 lps (2 sts dec made), yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, yrh, draw through 4 lps. 3 lps
Row 17: Tss bind-off.
Fasten off.
Right side:
Re-join yarn on right side working RP.
Row 15 RP: Standard RP with decrease to last 3 lps, yrh and draw through 3 lps. (FP: 9 lps, RP: 7 lps)
Row 16 FP: Tss across to last st, ES. 7 lps
Row 16 RP: Yrh, draw through 3 lps (2 sts dec made), yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, yrh, draw through 4 lps. 3 lps
Row 17: Tss bind-off.
Fasten off.
Finishing:
Weave in all ends and block the Tunisian crochet mini heart to final measurements as above.
Place both hearts WS together aligning stitches in preparation for sewing. Work slip stitch join around the outer edge as follows:
- Insert regular crochet hook through back loops of both layers (hearts), yrh and pull up a loop, pull through the loop that is already on hook.
- Repeat all around leaving a small opening to insert stuffing.
- Fill in the heart with stuffing until it looks as plump as desired.
- Continue working slip stitch join for the reminder of edge stitches.
Fasten off.
Weave in last 2 ends.
I would love to see and share your work on social media, use #mumsheart or #exquisitecrochetuk.
Pattern support: exquisite.crochet.uk@gmail.com
Further resources:
Pattern video tutorial for this Tunisian crochet mini heart:
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You can purchase the add free PDF version of the pattern at LoveCrafts here and Ravelry here.
Did you enjoy the Mum’s Heart pattern? Why not try my other Mother’s Day crochet patterns:
Thank you so much if you got this far in the pattern! I hope you got inspired for your own version using different colours. I can’t wait to see it! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and let me know in the comment section below how you got on with it :-). As always, if you have any pattern query, the quickest way to get it answered is by emailing me on the pattern support email address above.
Happy crocheting!
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