Crocheted Pixel & Lace Heart ~ Part 1

This crocheted pixel & lace heart pattern is something that came to me while I was trying to go to sleep one night.  That’s why I need to brain dump in my journal at night – I sleep a little better!  Anyway, I love combining different yarns in a project to give it more texture, so I’m using two different yarns in this project.  I’m calling this “part 1” because after I finished the outer edge I realized I wanted to add another element.  Time {my nemesis!} did not permit me to finish before posting.  Part 2 will post next Monday, the 29th.  On to the yarny goodness!

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Note ~>  This pattern uses the corner to corner {C2C} method, which you can learn more about at Make and Do Crew.  I’m using a triple crochet stitch for my C2C boxes instead of double crochet.  I will explain it further in the instructions, but it works up the same as the instructions, just replace the double crochet with triple crochet.  For this post, I will walk through how many C2C boxes I used, the decrease, & how to skip the boxes at the center of the heart.  I’m working on full written instructions to be included in “part 2”.

~>~> You can find Part 2 & a graph right here. <~<~

Pixel Heart

When I first started this project, I was going to just wing it.  It didn’t take too long to realize I needed to graph it out to see where I was going!  My basic idea was to use C2C to make a heart shape without a background.  The boxes make it look pixelated to me, so that’s where the “pixel” part comes in.

I’m using Lion Brand Homespun in Gemstone Stripes & a I-9{5.5 mm} hook for the main heart body.  I really love the gradient purples & pinks with the gray!  This was leftover from a hat I made my step-daughter for Christmas, which I mentioned in my year end roundup.  I had no picture of the hat then, but now I do & I’ll share it at the bottom!

As I said at the beginning, I’m using C2C with triple crochet for this pattern.  It just seemed to layout better than the double crochet with this yarn.  This is for the first two rows of boxes:

row 1 ~ ch 6; tr in 4th ch from hook & in next two ch

row 2 ~ ch 6 & turn; tr in 4th ch from hook & in next two ch; sl into ch 3 of first box; ch 3; 3 tr into ch 3 of first box

You should have something that looks like the picture above after row 2.  As I mentioned,  Make and Do Crew has great pictures for the C2C method if you need a visual.

After row 2, you continue making boxes just like row two.  Each row will grow by one box.

Continue until you have reached the 7th row, which will have 7 boxes.

Now it’s time to decrease for one row.  After you finish the last box from row 7, turn & slip stitch in the ch 3 & 3 tr of the last box.  Then continue making boxes, leaving off the last box.  You should have 6 boxes on the 8th row.

Turn, sl stitch into the ch 3 & 3 tr of the last box, then make two more boxes.  Now, slip stitch 3 times across the chain three on the side of the box.  I found it worked best if I slip stitched around the chain, then in the chain for the next stitch.

Slip stitch up the side of the next box right into the top of the triple crochets & chain 3 – 4 slip stitches.  Then make two more boxes.

This is how it should look after the 9th row.

Turn, sl stitch into the ch 3 & 3 tr of the last box, then make one more box.  Slip stitch seven times to the heart center, 8 slip stitches back up the other side.

One more box & it’s done!  You can weave in the ends or crochet over them with the second yarn like I did.

I used Knit Picks Comfy Sport in Whisker & a E/4 {3.5mm} hook for the lacy border.  Join the yarn to the heart center & chain 1.  Put 2 sc into each stitch all the way around the heart, adding 2 sc at each corner.

Slip stitch to the beginning sc.

For the lacy edge:

Sc in first stitch, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in next stitch.  Continue all around the heart.

Slip stitch into the starting sc.

Here’s a close up of the corners…

I’m loving how this is looking, but it needs a little more.  Come back next Monday for part 2!  In the mean time, here’s my adorable step daughter {daughter really!} in the hat I made her for Christmas.

Such a pretty young lady!  She will graduate this spring, sniff, sniff!  The pattern is from Gea Crea Designs on Ravelry.

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