Small crocheted hearts with a rose worked at the centre. They are lovely individually and better still strung together as a garland – a good Valentine’s decoration, and pretty enough to leave up beyond February.
Why they work as a garland
Small motifs almost always look better in numbers than alone, and hearts particularly so.
A single crocheted heart is a nice small thing. Fifteen of them across a mantelpiece or a window is a decoration.
They also take very little yarn each, so a full garland can come entirely from oddments.
Making the rose
The centre is the part that gives these their character.
Crocheted roses are made as a long strip with one shaped edge, then coiled and stitched at the base. The shaping makes the outer edge longer than the inner, so the strip opens into petals as you roll it.
Roll loosely. A tight roll gives a bud; a loose one gives an open bloom. Try it before stitching – it is easy to adjust and it makes a considerable difference.
Yarn
Cotton, in most cases. It holds a crisp edge, which is what makes the petals read as petals rather than as a soft lump, and it comes in clean bright colours.
Mercerised cotton adds a subtle sheen that lifts the whole thing.
Avoid anything fuzzy – the shape is the design, and a halo destroys it.
Colour
Reds and pinks are obvious. A set in graduated shades – deep red through to pale pink – looks considerably more considered than all one colour.
Cream and white hearts with a contrasting rose read as elegant rather than seasonal, which means the garland can stay up.
Making a set
Work them in a batch. Once the construction is in your hands each takes a few minutes, and the repetition evens out your tension.
Vary the sizes slightly. A garland of identical hearts looks manufactured; a mix looks arranged.
Stringing them
Crochet a long chain and attach the hearts as you go, or sew them onto a ribbon afterwards.
Space them unevenly rather than at exact intervals – it reads as more natural.
Attach at the top point of each heart so they hang straight.
Stiffening
A light spray starch helps them hold their shape and stops the petals curling inward. Do it after the roses are attached, so they set at the angle you have chosen.
