Have a Heart!

You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to start blogging every day! OK Let’s start at every OTHER day. I know blogs are way more interesting when there is new content more frequently and that is my goal.
So for today’s post, I want to tell you about a class I’m teaching this weekend at The Knitting Nest in Austin. It should be pretty fun, really easy, and you will go home with probably several projects!

If you’re a mom, I KNOW you are busy. Working moms feel like they don’t have enough time at home and stay at home moms feel like they are being pulled in all directions all the time too! As women we are caretakers, maids, chefs, frugal shoppers (me! me!), school liaisons, and if we are lucky, we like to do fun things for ourselves.

This Saturday, indulge your crafty side and your mommy side. I’m teaching a crochet class to make teeny tiny crocheted hearts for Valentine’s Day. That’s not all. Stacy, the ultra-crafty mom and grandma, who also happens to run the Knitting Nest, will have cards and all the supplies you will need to make handmade Valentines so your kids will bring the most popular cards to the party! It will be really easy. Did I say easy? Even if you’ve never crocheted before, I promise, when I’m done with you, you will have a stack of little crocheted hearts to make Valentines with.

The little heart is attached to a jumbo paperclip and detaches from the card to use as a bookmark. Cute, right?? Inspired by a pin on Pinterest, these will be the coolest cards ever. All the kids will love ’em.

While this is an awesome class for the grownups (not just Mom, of course!), kids can get in on the action later in the day at a Friendship Bracelet class. I know when I was growing up in the late 80s and early 90s, Friendship Bracelets were HUGE. Every week there was some new design someone was making. We put one on and KEPT it on. Never took those things off, even in the shower. I remember pulling tights over my Friendship Anklets, feeling like such a good friend. 🙂

If you’re interested in either of these classes, please call the Knitting Nest at (512) 291-8866 to sign up. I’m also continuing my Thursday morning classes (every other week) with my next class on Thursday, February 16th at 10:00. We’re making amigurumi, of course!

Free Pattern Friday! Valentine’s Day Yarn Wreath

Valentine’s Day Yarn Wreath

As soon as the Christmas decorations come down in my house, I like to get things moving on to the next holiday. Sure I could try to decorate for “Winter” but I really love red and pink and hearts and all that stuff, so I go straight for Valentine’s Day!
I’m sure some people would wait until February to decorate (if they decorate at all) but then what do you have? Two weeks? No way! I say decorate in January and revel in the awesomeness longer. (That is the reason I decorate for Halloween at the beginning of September, after all!)

I have a spot in my kitchen where I always hang a wreath. My front door is a craftsman-type, with windows at the top and a little ledge, so I can never quite figure out hanging a wreath there. I always look for a cute wreath for Valentine’s day at the usual places: Target, Hobby Lobby, etc, but I never find the right one. So with all these awesome yarn wreaths I love to drool over on Pinterest, I thought I’d make my own! This one is super easy and the heart pattern is fun and quick.

Valentine’s Yarn Wreath

Materials:
12″ Styrofoam wreath form 
Bulky variegated yarn (I used Hobby Lobby’s First Love Yarn in “Kisses”)
Any color worsted weight yarn (I used hot pink, pale pink, aqua, light blue, lilac, and purple)

Yarn, 16 gauge wire, 12 foam wreath

E Hook (or your favorite)
Yarn needle
Polyester stuffing 
16 gauge wire (optional)
Decorative ribbon or trim
Stick pins


Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
sc2tog: single crochet 2 st together (decrease)

*     *     *
Begin by tying the yarn around the wreath in one spot. Don’t worry about hiding the knot, as it will be covered. Wrap the yarn all the way around the wreath, trying to not overlap the strands. This makes the yarn’s color changes more even. When you reach the end, cut the yarn leaving a few inches and wrap the tail to the back. Use a crochet hook and pull the tail under a few strands to hide it.


Heart A (smallest–make 2):
R1: Starting at point of heart, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 3 into the ring. Pull closed.
R2: Work 2sc into each st (6)
R3: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (9)
R4: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (12)
R5: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (15)
R6: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* repeat to end of round (18)
R7: Sc into the next 9 st, skip next 9 st.
*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.
R8: Starting at the first stitch of R6, sc into each st (9)
R9: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)
Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R7-9 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.


Heart B (medium–make 1):
R1-R6: Work as for Heart A
R7: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 5 st)* repeat to end of round (21)
R8: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 6 st)* repeat to end of round (24)
R9: Sc into next 12 st, skip next 12 st.
*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.
R10: Starting at the first st of R9, sc into each st (12)
R11: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)
R12: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R9-12 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

Heart C (large–make 2):

R1-R8: Work as for Heart B

R9: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 7 st)* repeat to end of round (27)

R10: (2 Sc into next st, sc into next 8 st)* repeat to end of round (30)

R11: Sc into next 15 st, skip next 15 st.

*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.

R12: Starting at the first st of R11, sc into each st (15)

R13: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (12)

R14: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)

R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R11-15 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

Heart D (extra large–make 1):

R1-10: Work as for Heart C

R11: (2 Sc into next st, sc into 9 st)* repeat to end of round (33)

R12: (2 Sc into next st, sc into 10 st)* repeat to end of round (36)

R13: Sc into next 18 st, skip next 18 st.

*You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.

R14: Starting at the first st of R13, sc into each st (18)

R15: (Sc2tog, sc into next 4 st)* repeat to end of round (15)

R16: (Sc2tog, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (12)

R17: (Sc2tog, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (9)

R18: (Sc2tog, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail. Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole. Use a stuffing tool or the eraser end of the pencil to stuff the heart lightly. Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R13-18 on the other side to create the second top bump. Weave in ends and set aside.

You may now begin sewing your hearts together. Arrange them as you would like and stitch them in a line. It’s easier to use one color and stitch through all of them across, keeping your stitches hidden, rather than changing yarn colors.

The next step is completely optional but I found that it really helped the hearts on my wreath stand up and stay in line. Once you’ve stitched the hearts together, start at the back on one side and feed a long piece of wire all the way through to the other side. After making it all the way through, insert both ends into the wreath form.

In a word processing program, print “Happy Valentine’s Day” and trim into a banner. Curl edges and pin to wreath.

Cut a length of trim 24″ in half, so you have two 12″ pieces. Loop them around the top of the wreath and tie at the top. Hang her up! Easy right? Happy Valentine’s Day! (or as my little boys say, Happy Valentimes!)

>Prepping for Valentine’s anyone??

>

In the grand tradition of procrastinating on this blog, I now present the third free pattern I promised way back in ’09.  Ok, that wasn’t really all THAT long ago, was it?  But it sounds like it 🙂

When I set up a demo booth at the Handmade Nation craft fair here in Austin, one of the kits I put together was for this here little Happy Heart Pin.  I thought it would be fitting to post this baby up before Valentine’s Day.  If you’re especially productive, you could even crochet up a couple dozen and pin them on some cute homemade cards for your kids at school.  If you aren’t so dedicated to spreading the handmade love, you could just make one for yourself to wear around for a few weeks leading up to Valentine’s day. 
Here she is!

Happy Heart Pin

Materials:
Red worsted weight yarn
Black safety eyes (6mm)
Black embroidery floss
(E-I) Hook (larger hook will make Happy bigger)
Yarn needle
Polyester stuffing
Pinback
Craft glue

Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
sc2tog: single crochet 2 st together (decrease)

*     *     *

Starting at point of heart and with red yarn, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, and sc 3 into the ring. Pull closed.

R1: Work 2sc into each st (6)

R2: (2sc into next st, sc into next st)* repeat to end of round (9)

R3: (2sc into next st, sc into next 2 st)* repeat to end of round (12)

R4: (2sc into next st, sc into next 3 st)* repeat to end of round (15)

R5: (2sc into next st, sc into next 4 st)* repeat to end of round (18)

R6: sc into the next 9 st, skip next 9 st.

(**You have now started the right side of the top of the heart.)

R7: starting at the first stitch of R6, sc into each st (9)

R8: (sc2tog, sc into next st)* into each st (6)

Fasten off by slip stitching into the next stitch. Leave a tail . Using the yarn needle, weave tail through last row of stitches and pull tightly to close the hole.

You should now insert the eyes into the heart. The backing piece will be snapped onto the back, inside the heart. It will be a tight fit!

Attach yarn back onto the open side of the yarn, starting on the inside and you will work around the opening. You can either tie a knot to attach the new yarn or you can insert the hook on the outside into the first stitch and pull the yarn up through the work, and sc for your first stitch. Repeat R6-8 on the other side to create the second top bump.

Embroider a tiny smile onto Happy Heart’s face.

Glue pinback onto the back of the heart.

LOVELY!