Hearts and Twigs

Awwwwwwww teeny tiny little hooky hearts, so cute you gotta love 'em! I've made dozens of these hearts in the past week or so, I think I've developed a slight addiction to be honest. The thing is that they are so quick and easy to make, it's near impossible to make just a few. You start out with just a few but before you know it you've made a small stack, then a handful, then a whole heap. They multiply in front of your very eyes.

They are very dinky look...I made mine using Rowan handknit cotton DK and a 4mm hook, and they came out measuring about 4cm across and 4.5cm from top to bottom. So cute, did I say that already?? That they are sooooooooooooo unbelievably cute??! Gosh I wish I didn't have such wrinkly palms, they are most definitely not cute. Ok, moving swiftly on.......

........I've had a play with little crochet hearts a few times in the past...you may remember this one from way back last year? I did like that little pattern (original source can be found here), but it was actually fairly complex for such a small thing. Anyhow, jigetty-jig, a short while ago I was enjoying a fabulously inspiring browse through the Attic24 Inspired group pool on Flickr, when I came across this lovely creation by Meme Rose. Ahhhhhhh how sweet!! A combination of  the Japanese Flower motif and some cutesy little itty-bitty hearts, I really loved the simplicity of the idea, and those hearts, oh I really had a huge immediate crush on those hearts!

So off I trotted to find out more at Meme Rose blog, and discovered a lovely happy place where lots of happy hooky happens. Just my kind of place, I felt right at home. And wonderful news, the little heart pattern was waiting there look!! Hooray!!! I started straight away on the pattern, I couldn't wait to get a feel for it and to see how the heart shape would work out. Then I did what I often do with patterns and had a play with it. Tweaked it a little, altered the shape slightly, made the pointy end a little more defined.

I chatted via email with Mrs Meme Rose and let her know that I was twiddling with her itsy-bitsy heart pattern and that I really hoped she didn't mind my twiddlesome ways. She said she didn't mind at all. I asked if it would be ok to write up the pattern of my twiddled version of her hearts and share it with you here, and she said that was also ok, so we are all ok, ok? Meme Rose's heart pattern provided me with an excellent starting point, and I am very grateful to her for allowing me to do my thing and share it with you.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cutesy, dinky, sweet little teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy hooky hearts!!! In lots of beautiful colours!! Yippeeeee, they make me so happy!

I think you'll agree that these little hearts could be used for all manner of decorative endeavours. I just LOVE the way that Meme Rose used them to make vertical hanging decs (have already begun working my own take on that idea, more soon...). But they could be used for all sorts couldn't they?

And as you might expect, as soon as I started making these last week I had a gem of an idea brewing in the Tangled RicRac mess that is my Creative Mind.

I knew exactly what I was going to do with a pretty heap of teeny tiny hearts.

And my idea involved Twigs.

Some of you may well recall that I have a bit of a thing about crafting with twigs. Remember The Twig Project, AKA The Damned Hardest Project Ever Invented???

What the devil is it about bare twigs that I find so irresistible? I don't think I shall ever know. But one day last week I found myself pushing Little B through the park in has pushchair looking for suitable Twiggy Material for this idea of mine.

This idea that would combine bare twigs with hooky hearts.

Want to see how it turned out?

Ok then, lets have an impromptu little Ta-dah moment shall we?

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A twiggy heart tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was it what you expected? Do you like my idea??

I have to confess I just ADORE it. Loveit, loveit loveit. I had a very, very happy time on Friday setting it all up...I cleared off the rather disgracefully messy mantel (lots of rubbish and misc. objects), cleaned it (the dust on there was erm...exceptional) and rearranged it all. Then my jug of twigs was placed bang in the centre and on went the hooky hearts. I can't tell you what fun it was, although really it doesn't take much to keep me happy.

Interestingly, once the idea for this little creative twiggy project had materialised in my mind a week or two ago, I then came across several similar twiggy ideas on the internet. Not hearts mind you, but crochet leaves....you can have a look here and here, both lovely aren't they? It's such a simple idea but so quick, easy and very effective.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, sweet. Yummy. So easy to make too, a very simple pattern.

Think you'd like the pattern?? Think you'd like to churn out your own stack/pile/heap of dinky hearts and hang them around the place?

Why of course you can have it....I've already skipped one step ahead of you and it's a-done and a-dusted. Just for you, my lovelies, the heart pattern is all yours. Usual place in my left hand sidebar, the pattern is called "Teeny Tiny Hearts".

Go on! Go make some. I know you'll love'em.

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Comments

[Belinda from Melbourne]

Lovely Lucy, Teeny Tiny Hearts are gigantically awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your new production from 'The Creative Mind'. Goodness I just need more time so I can try ALL of your faboo ideas!

**HUGS**

[annri]

So pretty & so kind of you! I love the colors you chose.

[Jennifer]

Ahhh... Lucy, you know us so well! Of course we'll be making teeny tiny itty bitty hearts for ourselves! I hope everyone will post their makes on flickr, too. Your happiness is catching! xoxoxox

[Rachael@CleverCheshireCats]

I agree there just aren't enough hours in the day to have a go at all the wonderful things on your blog. Well done on another fabulous thing for us to try. Rachael Xx

[Tickety-boo]

Oh how sweet they look on the twigs! A lovely idea. It reminds me of the German Easter trees. I bought lots if Easter decorations when I lived there and they must still be in a box in the attic. They use willow branches/sticks and decorate them. Oh my I feel another WIP happening!
Love Tickety-boo
xxxx

[June]

That is a wonderful project - the hearty twiggy tree. It looks lovely on the mantelpiece - the heart of the home.
June

[frou-frou]

The teeny tiny hearts are really gorgeous. I love all the different colours. Ideal for using scraps from multi coloured granny projects!

[Lucy]

Home is indeed where the heart is X

[Joolzmac]

I think everyone needs a twiggy heart tree in their house. How could you not smile and be happy when you looked at it each day! Yummy!

Joolz

[CindyCB]

You should make cards out of the photo of the finished hearts and sell them on Etsy or EBay. I'm sure they'd sell well!

[Jamie]

Thank you so much for posting! I have been checking your blog ever since you said you were going to post. Searching for a great heart pattern for Valentine's Day, I saw the hearts you made a while back but there wasn't a pattern and I was so sad because yours are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your world of crochet with us. I am an avid reader and you always inspire me to create something colorful for my home. Thank you! I can't wait to whip a few of these up and create my own heart twigs, or wreath, pillow, wall art, whatever comes to mind.

[Lee]

so, so pretty, and brightened my day on this rainy, overcast day here in the midwest united states. thanks, lucy, for sharing this beautiful pattern, and for brightening my day! :)

[Louise]

Oh my!! I adore it too! so simple, but so effective. It looks stunning!

I want one for myself but I can't crochet, boohoo!!

[MeMeRose]

Thanks for linking to my blog Lucy.... love your twig creation! I've been making the hearts today to make into work gift vouchers for Mother's Day xxx

[Shannon]

So pretty and happy! I think the bare branches beg to be decorated because we are all so eager for SPRING. Thank you for sharing another brilliant idea!

[Kath]

Adorable! I attempted to make a twiggy tree last Easter and will probably attempt it again this year. I just couldn't find the right twigs and then I couldn't get them to stay in the jug. Hurrumphs a-plenty. But this gives me fresh impetus to make the twig tree!

[Hazel]

Oh woweeeee!! I'd have never guessed. What a sweet project. Love it. x

[Genki]

Looks great! I love those hearts, so sweet on the bare twigs.

[fee]

I SOOooo need to learn how to crochet!
Apart from the boring old job list that comes with a home and (messy) family AND my own wee business, I'm learning how to sew this year as my big challenge....I tried crochet but the shutters came down really quickly - a little like they used to in maths lessons!

But...apart from major blanket envy whenever i visit my lovely friend jane from teawaggon's house, I literally yearn to make the things you ta daa.
Y E A R N
(as well as plain old covert, as you know!!)

Very very lovely.
fee x

[Jennifer McLachlan]

oooooh my goodness, i LOVE that!!! xx

[Christine Warren]

L*O*V*E*L*Y !!! ;)

[Molly]

Thank you! Thank you! I took a beginning crochet class last year and then my interest kind of deflated. This has inspired me to get that hook out tonight!

[Cuckoo]

Oh be still my beating heart! I have a draft blog post with that title ready to reveal my heart obsession. I will now be obsessing over making these little hearts as soon as I finish my fine thread star garland, flimsy floaty shawl, teacozy, jar cover, baby blanket and "bloody tough to hook blanket" I am NOT allowed to start another wip. But I suppose I should just try out one little heart, wont take long will it? Well, i can't publish my heart post with out including one of these darlings can I? Now where' my hook? Thank you again Lucy, for all you do xxx

[Mary Grace McNamara]

As addictions go, this is not a bad one to have! Your tiny hearts are truly lovely, and the twiggy heart tree is just darling!

MGM

[Jess]

hahaha at your 'exceptional' dust - I have that type, too, the top of my piano is just...one step further than exceptional, I shall go so far as to say disgraceful!!! I shan't think about the fact that in the time it's taken me to type this, I could have dusted the darn thing.
Anyhoo I love your hearts and will be making some SOON! And just wanted to thank you, by the way, your blog has absolutely inspired me - I hadn't crocheted ANYTHING until about a couple of months ago and now I've completed two granny square blankets (small ones!!) and I am now making a lovely runner for my table and I am utterly addicted..........