Your Heart to Warm

For some weeks now I have been trying to engineer good weather with cheerful colour knits and summery yarn. Looking out of the window at the grey chill day, with snow on the ground and no real end in sight, I realise that my tactic has been an unmitigated disaster. So here’s some reverse pshychology.

For all those who need to be out in biting wind and freezing weather over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, here is a quick and warming craft idea. Using aran weight or chunky yarn, create a heart-shaped warming pad for a loved one. Fill with a little stuffing and cherry stones/barley/other large-grained cereal type in a bag which can be removed and heated in a microwave as necessary. This beats the synthetic heat cushions for being environmentally aware and it shows you care in more ways than one. A slightly larger version, perhaps in a luxury yarn, creates an eye-catching finale to that all important pile of cushions on the bed and with lavender sewn inside also keeps away moths (grrrr)!

Pattern for Warming Heart:
Back bottom piece
CO 3 stitches
Row 1 Purl
Row 2 (RS) Increase 1, K to end, Increase 1. 5 stitches

Continue in St st increasing two on each Right Side until there are 25 stitches, then continue in St st for the next two rows.

Row 25 (WS) P6, P2tog, P9, P2tog, P6. 23 stitches
Row 26 K7, YO, K9, YO, K7. 25 stitches
Row 27 Purl all stitches
BO

Back top piece
CO 25 stitches
Row 1 Knit
Row 2 Purl
Row 3 K2tog, K to last 2 stitches, K2tog. 23 stitches
Row 4 Purl
Row 5 Repeat Row 3. 21 stitches
Row 6 P9, P2tog, P10. 20 stitches.
Row 7 K2tog, K8, turn and work on these stitches alone.
Row 8 P2tog, P7. 8 stitches
Row 9 K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 stitches
Row 10 P2tog, P4. 5 stitches
Row 11 K2tog, K3. 4 stitches
BO

With RS facing, rejoin yarn and work remaining 10 stitches.
Row 1 K8, K2tog. 9 stitches
Row 2 P7, P2tog. 8 stitches
Row 3 K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 stitches
Row 4 P4, P2tog. 5 stitches
Row 5 K3, K2tog. 4 stitches
BO

Front
CO 3 stitches
Row 1 Purl
Row 2 (RS) Increase 1, K to end, Increase 1. 5 stitches
Row 3 Purl

Continue in St st increasing two on each Right Side until there are 25 stitches, then continue in St st for the next five rows.

Row 28 K2tog, K to last two stitches, K2tog. 23 stitches
Row 29 Purl
Row 30 K2tog, K to last two stitches, K2tog. 21 stitches
Row 31 P9, P2tog, P10. 20 stitches.
Row 32 K2tog, K8 turn and work these stitches alone.
Row 33 P2tog, P7. 8 stitches
Row 34 K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 stitches
Row 35 P2tog, P4. 5 stitches
Row 36 K2tog, K3. 4 stitches
BO

With RS facing, rejoin yarn and work remaining 10 stitches.
Row 1 K8, K2tog. 9 stitches.
Row 2 P7, P2tog. 8 stitches.
Row 3 K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 stitches.
Row 4 P4, P2tog. 5 stitches
Row 5 K3, K2tog. 4 stitches
BO

Stitch together, sew on two buttons to face button hole. Take out in cold weather.

If you’d prefer a cushion, double the stitches and make two of the Front. The heart itself can be decorated with different types of stitches to show your skill and to practice. I added some seed stitches and purl stripe to provide texture interest to the cushion. I also used two different coloured yarn on the cushion for fun.

Happy Easter all.

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