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Christine's Valentine

This heart shaped bag can be made tiny for around the neck or large enough to hold your cell phone and a lipstick. Needle size and yarn weight determine finished size. The pattern is written as I knit the heart, but following are options for finishing. An excellent first project for double points because of the few number used yet one still gets the idea of how they work.

Example: size 10 needles with approximate worsted weight handspun knit to a maximum of 13 stitches per side create a finished heart just over 3 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide.

Supplies:
Double point needles, yarn of adequate weight, crochet hook and possibly needle to weave in ends.

Cast on using long tail and alternating loops onto 2 needles: 3 stitches each needle, 6 total.

R1 K
R2 K1, M1, K1, M1, K1; repeat for N2
R3 K all
R4 K1, M1, K to last stitch, M1, K1; repeat for N2

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until heart is a broad as you like.

Begin shaping:
K up to but not including the center stitch.
TW, P back
TW, K2tog, K to last 2 then K2tog
Repeat these two rows until you have sufficient stitches reduced.*

Example: 13 st on each needle. To shape K6, TW, P6, TW, K2tog, K2, K2tog, TW, P4, TW, K2tog, K2tog; 2 stitches remain.

Use crochet hook to edge chain down the inside portion of the heart. Place the crochet loop on N1.
(K2tog) twice, K to end of needle.
TW, P to end
TW, K2tog, K to last 2 and K2tog
Repeat these two rows until you have the same number of sts as previous peak.

Crochet down outside and around to N2. Pass crochet loop over first st on N2. Continue as for N1 shaping.

Crochet around side and pass crochet loop over first st.

To complete handle: Make I-Cord from front to back or side to side grafting appropriate sts.

OPTIONS: Cast off each set of remaining stitches before each crochet edge step. Attach finished handle of choice such as I-Cord, ribbon, bracelet/bangle, beaded, etc. One the red heart to the left the peak stitches were joined front to back to create one handle from I-Cord.

K = knit
P = purl
N1 = needle 1
N2 = needle 2
st = stitch
TW = turn work

* Sufficient stitches remain will depend on finished size. For neck and small bag sizes 2 or 3 are adequate while a small handbag might need 4.

© follow the star studio. Please be a responsible knitter and do not claim someone else's work as you own. For personal use and "a few" for charitable causes. If you'd like to make "a lot", have questions or exciting new options ideas, please contact me. Enjoy!

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