SMALL HEART

Send a gift this Valentine’s Day to those affected by cancer or who have had to isolate for months due to the pandemic and make them smile.

Measures approx 6.5 x 7.5cm. Tension is not essential.

MATERIALS

● Cygnet Baby Pato DK

Knitting Yarn oddments from cruk.org/shop

● Pair of 3.25mm knitting needles

● Stitch holder or safety pin

● Pencil

● Glue gun or tacky PVA glue

● Lace or ribbon trim

● 6 x 6in square card blanks.

ABBREVIATIONS

inc increase by working twice into the same st; k knit; p purl; rep repeat; rem remaining; RS right side; skpo slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over; st(s) stitches; st st stocking stitch (k 1 row, p 1 row); tbl through back of loop; tog together; WS wrong side.

Worked in st st throughout.

HEART

Using 3.25mm needles cast on 2 sts. Row 1 (WS) P to end.

Row 2 (RS) [Inc] twice. (4 sts).

Row 3 Inc, p2, inc. (6 sts).

Row 4 Inc, k4, inc. (8 sts).

Row 5 P to end.

Row 6 Inc, k to last 2 sts, inc. (10sts). Rep last 2 rows 4 times more. (18sts). Work 3 rows without shaping.

Row 18 As row 6. (20sts).

Row 19 P to end.

Divide for top

Next row K10 and turn, leaving rem sts on a holder. ** Next row P to end.

Next row Skpo, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (8sts). Next row P to end. Rep last 2 rows once more. (6sts). Next row

Skpo, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (4sts).

Next row P2togtbl, p to last 2 sts, p2tog. (2sts). Cast off.** With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem 10 sts on holder and k to end. Complete second side by working from ** to **.

Darn in all ends.

TO MAKE UP

Block lightly if needed following instructions on the ball band. Place the heart on the card where you’d like it to be positioned and draw around it lightly with a pencil. Glue trim around the pencilled heart shape, overlapping the edges so that the trimming will sit neatly beneath the heart when glued in place. Glue the heart in place over the top of the trim. If needed, you can place a heavy object, such as a book, over the top to help the piece lie flat while it is drying. Give to someone you care about.

Why not personalise your design with an initial or use your favourite-coloured yarn?