End of Life Hearts for NHS Free Knit Pattern

I've recently been contacted by a local Nurse asking for knitters help as the Covid -19 End of Life ward is rapidly running out of Hearts.

"In the covid ward when a patient is at end of life they put a heart in the patient's hand and give one to the family member so that their hearts are still together, but they are running low."

To help other knitters I have created a simple to make hand sized knitted heart pattern. Ideally if hearts could be created in matching pairs this would reinforce the shared nature of these little hearts.

The pattern I created has a puffy garter stitch edge and a smooth stockinette centre so people can find the texture which is most soothing to them while holding the hearts.

Each heart uses around 6 - 7g of DK yarn on 3.5mm needles.

This is absolutely one of those occasions when I would love for people to spread details of this pattern far and wide. If your local NHS needs some little hearts it really is the very least we can do to help ease a families suffering. These little hearts take maybe 15 minutes to knit and sew together. If you only have enough yarn to make two sides in a single colour not four don't forget you can mix and match and create a pair of hearts with two colours, one on each side.

Abbreviations

k knit

p purl

kfb knit front and back in the same st, inc 1 st

kfbf knit front, back and front again in the same st, inc 2 sts

ssk knit 2 sts together through the back of the stitch, dec 1 st

k2tog knit 2 sts together, dec 1st

inc increase

dec decrease

st(s) stitch(es)

Instructions

Create a Slipknot as your first st.

Row 1: kfbf - 3sts

Row 2: k all

Row 3: kfb, k1, kfb - 5sts

Row 4: k all

Row 5: kfb, k3, kfb - 7sts

Row 6: k3, p1, k3

Row 7: kfb, k5, kfb - 9 sts

Row 8: k3, p3, k3

Row 9: kfb, k7, kfb - 11sts

Row 10: k3, p5, k3

Row 11: kfb, k9, kfb - 13 sts

Row 12: k3, p7, k3

Row 13: kfb, k11, kfb - 15 sts

Row 14: k3, p9, k3

Row 15: kfb, k13, kfb - 17 sts

Row 16: k3, p11, k3

Row 17: kfb, k15, kfb - 19 sts

Now to work straight for a moment to give the heart some body.

Row 18: k3, p13, k3

Row 19: k all

Row 20: k3, p13, k3

Row 21: k all

Row 22: k3, p13, k3

Row 23: k all

Row 24: k3, p6, k1, p6, k3

Row 25: k all

Row 26: k3, p4, k5, p4, k3

Shape the Top of the heart

You will be splitting the heart into two, working short rows with shaping to create heart curves.

Row 27: k9, turn

Row 28: k3, p3, k3

Row 29: ssk, k5, k2tog - 7 sts

Row 30: k all

Row 31: ssk, k3, k2tog - 5 sts

Row 32: k all

Row 33: ssk, k1, k2tog - 3 sts

Cast off

Now rejoin your yarn the the centre st at Row 27.

Row 27: Cast off 1 st, k8 - 9 sts

Row 28: k3, p3, k3

Row 29: ssk, k5, k2tog - 7 sts

Row 30: k all

Row 31: ssk, k3, k2tog - 5 sts

Row 32: k all

Row 33: ssk, k1, k2tog - 3 sts

Cast off

That didn't take long at all now did it?

How long to make another matching 3 hearts do you think?

Once you have your two pairs of heart place them together with the right sides facing. That is place the smooth centres together. Whip stitch all the way around, leaving a small gap in the middle of one for the sides for your stuffing.

Turn the heart the right side out gently pushing out the point and the top two curves of the heart into shape before you begin to add the stuffing.

You can use anything for stuffing, yarn ends, fabric cabbage or indeed real wadding material.

Once the stuffing is in place, and evened out, you can sew up the gap and you are done.

When you have a pair they are ready to go to the NHS. Most local communities are collecting or you can contact your local hospital to find out where to drop them off.