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Pattern: Hearts Blanket

3 August 2012 /

Hello all!

As you can see, I’m back from vacation and here to give you the reason why you probably all visit me 😉 : the translation of the popular post explaining how to make the hearts blanket.

    

I must say I’m quite overwhelmed by all the attention my rainbow heart blanket has been (and still is) receiving on the interweb. I’ve been receiving countless comments, compliments and questions about the pattern. Thank you for that ^_^ !
As I mentioned before, in my Dutch post, I am not the creator of this pattern. The original pattern belongs to Mary Ann Frits and you can find the original instructions here. I found the original hard to understand and it did not contain instructions to make a different size blanket, only a default sized blanket with a 169 staring chain. That’s why I decided to convert the written instructions into a symbolic crochet chart. To be able to do this, I enlisted the help of some lovely ladies on Ravelry and with unified forces we cracked the formula. Sometimes crochet is just like a puzzle 😀

Because not everyone feels comfortable using crochet charts, I also made a picture tutorial to get you going with the pattern. So without further ado, here’s the translation of the original Dutch tutorial!

TUTORIAL

REMARK: This tutorial is written using US crochet terms. So when I say for example double crochet, this is a UK triple crochet!

To begin your blanket (or whatever) you need to start with a basic chain. For this project you’ll need to crochet a chain of a multiple of 7 chain stitches plus another 8 chains for the beginning and turning.

FORMULA: 7x+8

For example, if you would like 20 full hearts spanning the width of your blanket, like I have in mine, you’ll need to chain 7 x 20 = 140 chain stitches PLUS 8 = 148 chain stitches.
For this tutorial, I’ll make a swatch of 2 full hearts, so we’ll start chaining (2x7) + 8 = 22 chain stitches.
The beginning needs to be crocheted in your main colour. In my case this is white.

In the above picture I crocheted a chain of 22.
Small tip: I always use a bigger crochet hook for the starting chain than the one I use for the main project. This way I assure that my chain isn’t too tight. For my blanket, I chained with a 5mm hook, while I used a 4mm for the rest of my project.

Okay, let’s continue with the first row, still using your main colour.

ROW 1:

DOUBLE CROCHET (=DC) in the 4th chain from the hook, and in each chain until the end. At the last DC, change to your first hearts colour.

For the swatch we now crocheted 19 DC (as we skipped the first 3 chains!)

ROW 2:

Using a hearts colour, CHAIN 3 and turn (ch 3 equals one DC).
DC in the first dc, CH 2. Skip the next 5 dc’s;
* in the next dc crochet [2DC, 1CH, 2DC], CH 2, skip next 6 dc’s;
repeat from * until you have 6 dc’s left. In the next dc work [2DC, 1CH, 2DC], CH 2, skip next 5 dc’s, work 2 DC in the 3rd chain of the skipped chains of the previous row. Change back to your main colour with the last DC.

ROW 3:

Chain 1 and turn.
SINGLE CROCHET (= SC) in the first dc, CH 1, skip next dc.
Now you’ll need to crochet over the space of 2 chains, IN the skipped dc’s of the PREVIOUS row (so you’l be working OVER the colour, into the main colour): skip first dc, DC in the next 2 skipped dc’s of the previous row;
* CH 2, skip next 2 dc of the WORKING row, SC in ch1-space, CH 2, skip next 2 dc. In the ch2-space, skip in the PREVIOUS row 2 skipped dc’s, DC in the next 2 skipped dc’s of the previous row;
Repeat from * until the last ch2-space. Then crochet another CH and a SC in the top of the beginning 3 chain.

ROW 4:

CH 3 and turn.
DC in the next ch1-space and in the next 2 dc’s;
* 2 DC’s in the next ch2-space; DC in the next sc, 2 DC in the next ch2-space, DC in the next 2 dc’s;
Repeat from * until the last 2 dc’s. DC in the ch1-space and in the next sc. Change to a hearts colour with the last DC.

ROW 5:

CH 3 and turn.
DC in the first dc, CH 2, skip next 5 dc’s;
* in the next dc crochet [2DC, CH1, 2DC]; CH 2, skip next 6 dc’s;
repeat from * until there are 6 stitches left. In the next stitch crochet [2DC, CH1, 2DC], CH 1, skip next 5 stitches, 2 DC’s in the 3rd chain. Change to main colour with the last DC.

ROW 6 until the end

Repeat rows 3 to 5, until your blanket has the wanted size. Finish with a row 4.
Bind off, weave in all the ends (yep, there are, unfortunately, lots and lost of ends).

For clarification, here’s the schematic representation of the pattern (click to enlarge):

And that’s it! I hope everything is clear enough and enjoy making your own heart blankets!

Cheers,
Charlotte

28 Comments

  • Michele

    3 August 2012 at 23:18

    Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this. I love the blanket and will be giving this a go soon!

  • Abigail

    18 August 2012 at 12:11

    I can see why so many people are commenting, it’s fantastic! A great tutorial too. I shall add it to my long to do list! x

  • Pamela

    28 September 2012 at 18:13

    thank you so very much for this pattern
    the second i saw it i knew it was perfect
    for what i am doing for charities
    i crochet for the premmie bebes and for the chemo suite at our local hospital
    this blanket and the pic tutorials you have given make it great for me to make the different sizes i need for them both
    what a way to show them i care with hearts all over

  • Goretti

    17 October 2012 at 19:49

    Thank you for this tutorial, it’s a very cute blanket
    I must say that your scheme is perfect, i’d could following before find your english version of this tutorial 🙂

  • heidi

    15 November 2012 at 05:26

    thank you so very much for this pattern,it is so generous of you to share your time and efforts with us!

    • Charlotte

      31 January 2013 at 19:53

      はじめまして。日本語の学生です。よろしくおねｇくぃします。 🙂

      My apologies for my late reply. Of course I don’t mind you translating the tutorial to Japanese! In fact, I think it’s really cool 🙂
      I’ve been trying to learn Japanese for 4 years in evening school, but still don’t feel comfortable enough to make conversation ^_^. If you would like to communicate to teach me, that would be amazing!

      Thanks for the link to your blog!

  • Anash

    28 February 2013 at 10:43

    Thank you very much for simplifying this tutorial. Your post was far more understandable and such a big help. I’m gonna make one of this. Hopefully it’ll turn out decent, or as pretty as yours.

  • Alejandra

    2 March 2013 at 02:50

    hi from Mexico City.
    I appreciatte you had taken the time and effort to share with us your lovely blanket tuto. Could I ask what yarn did you use? i find really hard to find a line of yarns with son many different colors.

    Thanks y gracias

  • Charlotte

    2 March 2013 at 11:34

    Hi just started this pattern as scarf for mothers day presents for my mum and mum-in-law! It’s lovely and works up so quick! Thanks for this pattern

  • Beaj

    3 March 2013 at 07:25

    Thanks for gifting us with your excellent tutorial.
    A perfect project for a Special young lady ..:)

  • Antonia

    8 March 2013 at 05:53

    I love this so much I can’t wait to get started thank you for posting this 🙂 I was wondering what kind of yarn you used and the finished size of your blanket? I want to see how much bigger I would want to make it 🙂

  • Tiffany

    23 April 2013 at 14:18

    I am returning to try this again! The first time I was still new to reading directions and just couldn’t get it. I am so glad I did! Can’t wait to start on a project using this pattern. Thank you! 🙂

  • julie zurcher

    24 April 2013 at 16:10

    Just discovered this pattern. Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial!

  • Cynthia Corelis

    5 October 2013 at 02:11

    Dank u veel! That is the extent of my dutch! My step mother is dutch from the town of Hengelo (?-spell). Not much chance to practice what dutch I know. I remember a few cuss words….but i don’t think that is appropriate. 😉 Your tutorial makes the pattern very easily understandable. I will be making a baby blanket as i have 4 friends of mine expecting either their own or first time grand babies (their kids I have known since they were either born or toddlers).

  • kalibulle

    31 January 2014 at 10:43

    Congratulations for this loooovely pattern. Your choice of colours in terrific.
    I’m expecting a baby, and wanted to do a blanket, but not in a “granny style”… Now i know!
    Thank you

  • Elke Hawkins

    2 February 2014 at 23:43

    Charlotte, “Thank you” from Atlanta, Georgia, USA! This is a beautiful heart pattern, and your tutorial is easy to follow and well-written. I will be making a baby blanket for my friend’s long-awaited baby girl. Thank you again for providing the “formula”. Knowledge is power/useful/beautiful! 🙂

  • Lisa

    16 May 2014 at 19:41

    What type of yarn did you use and what are the colors called?
    It is beautiful by the way!

  • Lisa

    16 May 2014 at 19:44

    What type of yarn did you use and what are the colors called?
    It is beautiful by the way! How many skeins of each color?

  • Zoe Kosma

    23 August 2014 at 15:02

    Σ ευχαριστώ πολύ! Υπέροχο σχέδιο.
    Thank you so much. I’m from Greece
    Kisses
    Zoe

  • Gemma Madden

    9 September 2014 at 22:29

    Hi thank you so much for the pattern. Do you have this on pdf? Do you have any other good blanket/afghan/samplers/motif patterns? I’ve been asked to crochet 22 blankets for babies children and adults but I’m in hospital 8 weeks now and there’s no wifi to look up internet so I’m using my phone data.
    I’ve not been crocheting long as I’ve had no yarn to practice but I also crochet for charity. I’d love to make a crochet hook case and a few handbags but because I’ve to crochet so many blankets and my mums promised them for free ill have to start saving again for yarn and more crochet hooks.
    I’d my stuff stolen in hospital so I’ve to start buying everything over again. Ill never get the books I had again as they were a luxury. I need to get the basics again first.
    I’d appreciate any help I receive in getting nice links to patterns for blankets etc if you can point me in the right direction to I get these started.
    Thank you again for the great tutorial. Do you know of any tutorials for the corner to corner blanket or the v stitch?
    Is there any way of following your blog or signing up for regular emails?
    Gemma from northern Ireland