Crochet Vintage Heart Bunting

*sport yarn of your choice and color (I used 2 colors of Phil Cotton 3) a 3.00 mm hook (UK11) (US 10/3) less than 20 grams per color (for 5 hearts)

* doubled ecru crochet thread #10 and a 1.9 mm hook (UK14) (US B1)

* tapestry needle for weaving ends

Stitches: chain (ch), chain space (ch-sp), slip stitch (sl st), skip (sk), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), 3 (4-)ch picot. American terminology used.

Heart size with ecru border: 9.3 cm across and 8 cm down (at the widest and longest point)

Heart Pattern:

Foundation and row 1: ch4 and dc2 in the very 1^st ch. Ch3 and turn work.

Row 2: dc2 in 1^st st, sk1, ch1 and dc3 in the last st (2 fans in this row). Ch3 and turn work.

Row 3: dc2 in 1^st st, ch1 and dc2 in the ch-sp below (between the two fans below), ch1 and dc3 in the last st. (3 fans in this row). Ch3 and turn work.

Row 4: dc2 in 1^st st, ch1 and dc2 in the ch-sp below (between the two fans below), ch1 and dc2 in the second ch-sp below, ch1 and dc3 in the last st (4 fans in this row). Ch3 and turn work.

Row 5: repeat increasing fan pattern as in row 4, (with three 2dc fans in the middle and 3dcs at the sides or a total of 5 fans in this row). Ch4 and turn work.

Row 6: dc2 in the 1^st ch-sp, next, ch3 and sc1 in between the two dcs of the third fan of the row below, ch3 and dc2 in the last ch-sp. Then ch4 and sc1 in the last st. Ch5 and turn work.

Row 7: dc3 in between the fan of the row below, ch4 and sl st in the center of the heart (the place where you made the single crochet in the row below), ch4 and dc3 in between the next fan of the row below. Ch5 and sl st in the chain below. The heart is done.

To make the edging I used a doubled #10 crochet thread. With the number of chains I employed for it, the lace edging comes a little behind the heart, especially in the upper part. If you want to avoid this look, then consider adding more chains than instructed (like 10 or 11). If you decide to use sport yarn for the edging as well, you might have to decrease the number of stitches in the chain. Test to make sure you are OK with the final result.
Round 1: Insert thread at the bottom of the heart, ch8 and sc1 in the 1^st st of row 2. Next, ch8 and sc1 in the 4^th row. Ch8 and sc1 in the upper right (curving) chain. Ch8, skip the (upper right) fan and sc1 in the chain that comes after it. Ch3 and sl st in the center of the heart. Ch3 and sc1 in the next chain. Ch8 and sc1 in the next chain. From here, repeat the chaining pattern we did for the other side.

When you come to the bottom, sl st the chain into the very bottom.

Round 2: sl st again into the 1^st ch, ch1 and dc3 inside that chain, next ch1 and sl st into the same chain. Sl st into the next chain, ch1, dc2, ch3 and make a picot, next dc2, ch1 and sl st into the same chain. Repeat this pattern 2 times more. With this, you have filled the upper right curved part of the heart. Next, sl st into the next chain, ch4 and make a picot, sl st in the very center of heart, sl st into the next chain, sl st into the next chain and repeat the filling pattern for the other side of the heart 3 times. Sl st in the last ch-space, ch1, dc3, ch1, sl st in the same ch. Sl st in the bottom, ch4, make a picot and sl st it in the very first chain. Work the tails.

For the bunting tie, ch10 and sl st into 1^st st to make a loop (so that it’ll be easier to hang it). Next, ch10 and sl st into the 5^th st of that 10-chain. This will create a nice, plump picot. For my bunting I made 4 such picots before I attached the first heart. After the 4^th picot, ch5 and place the heart with the back to your crochet work, and sl st through the center picot of the heart. Ch10 and sl st into the 5^th st of that 10-chain. Make a total of 3 picots (length) before you attach the next heart. Repeat this chaining and attaching pattern until you have all your hearts strung. In my bunting there are 5 hearts. I ended the bunting making 4 picots after I attached the last heart, then I chained 10 and made a loop as I did at the beginning. When crocheting the flowers onto the tie, check that all the hearts are facing out and do not turn inward. And with this, your bunting is done!

I hope you enjoy working on this project! Let me know if you make it!