Make it ! The Cheeky Monkey Heart !!!

I made a first try crocheting this funny heart one year ago, but I was not happy with my attempts, so I left it in a corner of a drawer, where I collect all my crochet ideas and patterns ... they are so many, that I could write more than one book with all them!!! ;oD

Last week, I told myself to try again and crochet a better heart and during the weekend I DID IT !!!
So now I'm going to share with you my new Valentine's Day pattern :

... named the "CHEEKY MONKEY HEART" as you can point out a monkey face in it (or not?)!!!

Before starting to crochet this decorative heart, you need to gather :

• some yarn (minimum 2 different colours), any kind or weight
• crochet hook, size according to the type of chosen yarn
• a pair of scissors
• yarn needle
• stitch markers (optional)

Please remember that I follow the US crochet terminology, thank you !!!

To start this project, you have to choose first the colour for the inner part of the heart, as we will start crocheting the 3 circles : I've been working with a 5,5mm hook and some grey yarn (acrylic from Indonesia).

Make a slip knot on your hook and chain 4, then insert the tip of the hook in the first chain made to form a ring. Chain 2 and work 12 double crochet (=DC) into the ring. Close this first round with a slip stitch in the top of the first DC done :

The second round is done as follows : chain 2 + 2 DC in same stitch and then 2 DC in each following stitch, so that you will end with a total of 24 DC. Close this round with a slip stitch in the top of the first DC, cut yarn (leaving a long tail) and fasten off :

This first circle will find it's place in the top left part of your heart!

Now start the second circle and complete the first round, as before :

Starting the second round of the second circle you are even going to start the join between the two circles (five stitches are involved). In fact, just after the chain 2 you'll crochet the first DC in the same stitch, but stop when the first half is done : at this point, insert the tip of your hook under the first DC (see the above picture for the stitches notation!) :

and wrap once the yarn around your hook and pull it through the stitch of the first circle (you'll have a loop)

and pull this loop through the two loops of the second half of your first DC to be completed

First DC and join done !!!
Repeat the same process for the following 4 DC, remembering that you are working the second round of a DC circle : 2 DC in each stitch!!
you'll have something like the following :

The 6th stitch shown in the above picture is part of the same stitch as the 5th one, but it's not joined to the first circle!

You can complete the second circle as usual and after the closing slip stitch, cut yarn (leaving a long tail) and fasten off :

The second circle will overlap the first one and it is located on the top right of your heart!

Start the third (and last!) circle. After the first round is done, you will join it to both the previous circles, as done between the first and second. The first 6DC of the third circle will join 3 DC on the second circle (first) and then 3 DC on the first circle. These DC are the ones included between the two stitch markers in the below picture:

So, after you've joined these stitches

you can complete the third circle (slip stitch, cut yarn and fasten off), which will overlap the other two and turn upside down the motif created

At this point, you have to change the colour to crochet the edge of the heart. The third circle can be divided into two groups of nine stitches each and you'll start to crochet on the top of the left side of the circle. In This first stitch you will join the new yarn and chain 3, then you'll make your first treble (=Tr) in the same stitch :

and so you can follow this pattern for the next 8 stitches :

• Tr
• hTr (half treble)
• DC
• DC
• DC
• hTr
• Tr
• double treble (wrap yarn around hook 3 times)

and you'll see something like this along the side of the third circle

Continue to crochet, this time on the side of the second circle, the following pattern :

• triple treble (wrap yarn around hook 4 times)
• double treble
• Tr
• Tr
• hTr
• DC
• hDC (half double crochet)
• hDC
• hDC
• hDC
• DC
• DC
• DC
• hDC
• hDC
• SC (single crochet)
• SC

.... and the right side of the heart is done ....

You have to repeat the same patterns (symmetry is required!) on the left side of your heart, reading both patterns from the bottom to the top, this time !!!

To close the edge, just make a slip stitch in the top of the first treble!
You can even decide if to keep or not a long tail : I've used it (after chaining 5 stitches) to attach a little tassel ! ;oD

If you knot together the tails left at the end of both circle 1 and 2 you can make a loop to hang your cheeky monkey heart ...

the mini tassel was made just wrapping some red yarn around my fingers (20 times) !!

Different yarns and  colours combo make a difference :

Have fun and make a lot of these hearts even for a lovely bunting !!!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !!! YEAR OF THE MONKEY !!!!

.... it seems it was a good idea to leave this pattern in a drawer for the right year and moment!!!!

xxxx Alessandra

Please, show me your makes on IG using the following hashtag : #homemadeatmyplaceoriginals or  tagging me @alessandrapoggiagliolmi .

Text, Design and Photography : Alessandra Poggiagliolmi

All Rights Reserved. No part of this pattern may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.