Free Pattern – Valentine Pillow

Show your love to someone special with this soft and squishy heart. The simple heart shapes are seamed with a decorative edging, to make a Valentine pillow you’ll love to squeeze. Remember to make one for yourself too!

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I’m working on using up some of my stash yarn this year, so I’m delighted that this first project of the year is a stashbuster. Both the yarn and the fiber came from my stash.

I used a skein of Patons Classic Wool Merino that I’ve had for ages. The yarn was actually renamed to just Patons Classic Wool at some point, but the Rosewood colorway I used has been discontinued. They have a really pretty color now called Plum Heather which I think would be just gorgeous for this pattern!

For the stuffing, I used some Poly Fil brand fiber fill. I had originally received this fiber fill for free from Fairfield, to use for my Serrana the Mermaid design. The generous folks at Fairfield sent me so much that I have a ton left over! I may be designing quite a few more stuffed items this year to use it all up.

This pattern is protected by copyright. Please do not distribute or share this pattern in any way other than by sharing a link to this page or to the pattern page on Ravelry. Click here for copyright information.

Valentine Pillow

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Materials

• 200 yds worsted weight yarn
• Size H / 5 mm crochet hook, or size needed to match gauge
• Yarn needle
• 2 -3 oz Original Poly-Fil fiber fill

Skill Level

Intermediate – All single crochet with some increases and decreases for shaping. Worked flat and seamed with reverse single crochet (crab stitch).

Size

12 inches x 12 inches

Gauge

14 sc x 17 rows = 4 inches. Exact gauge is not critical, but fabric should be tight enough so stuffing doesn’t show through.

Abbreviations used

(Pattern is written in US terms)
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dec = invisible decrease (see Special Stitches)
st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch

Recommended Resources

• Invisible Single Crochet Decrease on Nicki’s Homemade Crafts
• Edging – Crab Stitch and Twisted SC
• Felting / Fulling

Special Stitch:

Invisible Decrease (dec):   Insert hook into front loop only of both of next 2 stitches, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.

This is an alternative to a single crochet 2 together (sc2tog) stitch. If you prefer, you can use the standard sc2tog instead.

Instructions

Heart (make 2)

The heart shapes are reversible, so your work has no right or wrong side until it is joined.

Bottom:

Row 1: Ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook (1 sc).

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, 3 sc in first st. (3 sc)

Rows 3-9: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc across to last st, 2 sc in last st. (17 sts)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (17 sts)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc across to last st, 2 sc in last st. (19 sts)

Row 12-23: Repeat rows 10-11 six times more. (31 sts)

Rows 24-25: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (31 sts)

Row 26: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc across to last st, 2 sc in last st. (33 sts)

Row 27-29: Repeat rows 24-26. (35 sc)

Rows 30-32: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (35 sc)

1st half of top:

Row 33: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 17 sts, leaving remaining sts unworked. (17 sc)

Row 34: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (17 sc)

Row 35: Ch 1, turn, sk first st, sc across to last 2 sts, dec. (15 sc)

Rows 36-37: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (15 sc)

Row 38: Ch 1, turn, sk first st, sc across to last 2 sts, dec. (13 sc)

Row 39: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (13 sc).

Rows 40-43: Ch 1, turn, sk first st, sc across to last 2 sts, dec. (5 sc)

Fasten off.

2nd half of top:

Working into skipped stitches from Row 32, sk first st, join yarn with a sl st in next st.

Row 33: Ch 1, sc in each st across. (17 sts)

Rows 34-43: Repeat rows 34-43 of 1st half of top.

Fasten off after first heart. Do not fasten off second heart.

Edging Round

Hold both heart pieces together, lining up the edges. Work through both layers together, going backwards. If you are right handed, this means work from left to right instead of from right to left. This is called reverse sc or crab stitch.

• Left top: Ch 1, sc in each st across top. (5 reverse sc)
• Center “valley”: Ch 1, work 11 sc evenly spaced across sides of rows to the skipped st at the center, sc in skipped st, work 11 sc evenly spaced across sides of rows to top. (23 reverse sc)
• Right top: Ch 1, sc in each st across top. (5 reverse sc)
• Right side: Ch 1, work 41 sc evenly spaced to bottom point, 3 sc in bottom point. (44 reverse sc)
• Left side: Work 41 sc evenly spaced to top, stuffing your pillow firmly as you go. Join with sl st to first st of edging. (41 reverse sc)

When made in a “feltable” wool yarn (not superwash), this project is perfect for felting. If you plan to felt your pillow, stuff it slightly less firmly, to allow for some shrinkage during the felting process. See this felting / fulling tutorial for more information.

I hope you enjoy making this pattern. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is also available on Ravelry, for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.

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