Some stitches form a unique texture, different from what we normally expect from a knitted fabric. The pattern discussed in this tutorial is one of those stitches – it looks like a lacy pattern with cute little hearts all over it.
This pattern is reversible (though the heart motifs really shine on the right side of the work) and it does not curl at the edges. This makes it perfect for scarves, shawls, cowls, blankets and cardigans.
Like most unusual stitch patterns, this one is created by using a few clever knitting tricks. Otherwise, it is just a bunch of well-organized knit stitches. This pattern does not even require purling.
WATCH EVERY STEP IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL
(if you don’t see the video, turn off the ad blocker in your browser)
Let’s see how we can make those cute hearts with knit stitches and yarn overs.
Cast on an even number of stitches. The fabric created by this stitch pattern is fairly loose, and the side edges are not perfectly even. That’s why it is better to add selvedges to a project worked in the tiny hearts lace stitch pattern.
Depending on the type of the selvedges you plan to make, add two or more stitches to the number of stitches you cast on.
You can work the selvedges in any way you like – use one of the five ways described in this tutorial or use any other method.
For my little swatch, I cast on 10 stitches and I’m going to work the first and the last stitches of each row using the Silesian selvedge method.
ROW 1 – RIGHT SIDE
Work the first stitch as a selvedge – slip it, knit it or purl it depending on the selvedge method you use. To make Silesian selvedges, knit the first stitch through the back loop.
Then make a yarn over and knit one stitch through the back loop.
Repeat the sequence of [ yarn over + knit 1 through the back loop ] until you get to the last stitch of the row.
Work the last stitch as a selvedge. To make Silesian selvedges, slip this stitch purlwise with the yarn at the front of the work.
Because we added so many yarn overs in this row, the number of stitches on the needles almost doubled. Don’t worry – we’ll turn those yarn overs into lovely little hearts in the next row.
ROW 2 – WRONG SIDE
This is the row when all the heart-making magic happens. In fact, the process is not magic at all – just a few simple but slightly unusual steps.
We’ll start with the easiest one – work the first stitch as a selvedge.
STEP 1
Slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle and pull it to the right to drag the yarn over that comes after this stitch off the left needle.
STEP 2
Do the same to the next stitch – slip it to the right needle and drop the yarn over.
STEP 3
Bring these two long stitches back to the left needle. Do it purlwise, without twisting the stitches.
STEP 4
Now, we will knit the second stitch through the back loop. To do that, insert the tip of the right needle from right to left into the back leg of the second long stitch.
Wrap the needle with the yarn and pull the wrap through to form a new stitch.
Slip this long stitch off the left needle by bringing it over the first long stitch.
Be careful not to slip the first long stitch. We’ll need it in a moment.
STEP 5
Finally, knit the first long stitch in a usual way – through the front loop.
Repeat these five steps until you get to the last stitch of the row.
Work the last stitch as a selvedge.
The number of stitches is now back to the number we cast on, but we still don’t see those lovely hearts. Why?
Remember, that we are looking at the wrong side of the work. Turn your work, and you will see a line of tiny hearts neatly placed one next to another.
If you want to keep these hearts arranged in clean vertical lines, repeat rows 1 and 2 throughout your project.
But we can make this pattern even more interesting if we shift the lines of hearts to arrange them in a checkered pattern.
To do that, rows 3 and 4 of the pattern repeat should be slightly different from rows 1 and 2.
ROW 3 – RIGHT SIDE
Work the first stitch as a selvedge, then knit one stitch through the back loop.
Repeat the sequence of [ yarn over + knit 1 through the back loop ] until you get to the last two stitches of the row.
Knit 1 stitch through the back loop and work the last stitch as a selvedge.
ROW 4 – WRONG SIDE
Work the first stitch as a selvedge and then knit the next stitch through the back loop.
Work the same five steps that we performed in the second row of the pattern repeat.
Repeat these steps until you get to the last two stitches of the row.
Knit one stitch through the back loop and work the last stitch as a selvedge.
These 4 rows will create a beautiful lacy fabric with lots of tine hearts arranged in a neat checkered pattern.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
If you want to make these hearts bigger and the fabric looser, make two yarn overs instead of one in rows 1 and 3 of the pattern. Then drop both yarn overs every time you slip a stitch in rows 2 and 4.
SAVE IT FOR LATER:
This and 41 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #6.
