Heart: a free lace knitting stitch pattern

When I used the word sweetheart as the basis for a stitch pattern, I accidentally encoded it in such a way that it was easy to split into its two component words. I’ve already swatched and published sweet; here is heart, which I think is even better! Any resemblance to hearts is purely coincidental.

I did make some minor changes to the decreases in the first row so that it would flow nicely when repeated.

Heart: a free lace knitting stitch pattern (photo), by Naomi Parkhurst
Heart: a free lace knitting stitch pattern (chart), by Naomi Parkhurst
click to enlarge

Notes:

  • This is a stitch pattern such as might be found in a stitch dictionary. It is not  a pattern for a finished object. You will need to add selvedges or some other form of knitted stitches to either side.
  • Sweet is a multiple of 18+19 stitches and 16 rows.
  • I’ve made a stitch map for it.
  • Designers, please feel free to use this stitches in your patterns. I’d like credit but won’t be offended if people don’t give it.
  • If you like my posts like this, please consider supporting me on Patreon or donating with my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. Thanks!

Abbreviations:

  • CDD: centered double decrease: slip the next 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit the next stitch, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the third.
  • k: knit.
  • k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning decrease)
  • k3tog: knit 3 stitches together as if they were 1. (Right-leaning double decrease)
  • p: purl.
  • ssk: slip each of the next 2 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning decrease)
  • sssk: slip each of the next 3 stitches as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop. (Left-leaning double decrease)
  • yo: yarnover.

Row 1 (RS): p1, k2, sssk, yo x 2, k2tog, yo, k1, p1, *k1, yo, ssk, yo x 2, k3tog, k2, p1, k2, sssk, yo x 2, k2tog, yo, k1, p1; work from *, k1, yo, ssk, yo x 2, k3tog, k2, p1. [37 sts]

Row 2: k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, *[k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3] x 2; work from *, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1.

Row 3: p1, k1, cdd, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, k2, p1, *k2, yo x 2, ssk, yo, cdd, k1, p1, k1, cdd, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, k2, p1; work from *, k2, yo x 2, ssk, yo, cdd, k1, p1.

Row 4: k1, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, *k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, k1, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2; work from *, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, k1.

Row 5: p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, p1, *yo, ssk, k3, yo, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, p1; work from *, yo, ssk, k3, yo, k1, ssk, p1.

Row 6: k1, p8, *(k1, p8) x 2; work from *, k1, p8, k1.

Row 7: p1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p1, *yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, p1, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p1; work from *, yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, p1.

Row 8: k1, p8, *(k1, p8) x 2; work from *, k1, p8, k1.

Row 9: p1, k1, yo, ssk, yo x 2, k3tog, k2, p1, *k2, sssk, yo x 2, k2tog, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, ssk, yo x 2, k3tog, k2, p1; work from *, k2, sssk, yo x 2, k2tog, yo, k1, p1.

Row 10: k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, *[k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3] x 2; work from *, k1, p3, (k1, p1) in double yo, p3, k1.

Row 11: p1, k2, yo x 2, ssk, yo, cdd, k1, p1, *k1, cdd, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, k2, p1, k2, yo x 2, ssk, yo, cdd, k1, p1; work from *, k1, cdd, yo, k2tog, yo x 2, k2, p1.

Row 12: k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4, *k1, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1, p2, (k1, p1) in double yo, p4; work from *, k1, p4, (k1, p1) in double yo, p2, k1.

Row 13: p1, yo, ssk, k3, yo, k1, ssk, p1, *k2tog, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, p1, yo, ssk, k3, yo, k1, ssk, p1; work from *, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, p1.

Row 14: k1, p8, *(k1, p8) x 2; work from *, k1, p8, k1.

Row 15: p1, yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, p1, *yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p1, yo, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, p1; work from *, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, p1.

Row 16: k1, p8, *(k1, p8) x 2; work from *, k1, p8, k1.