Happy Hearts Crochet Afghan

The Happy Hearts Crochet Afghan is a patchwork of rosy shades and crochet hearts, making it a perfect project for your special sweetheart this Valentine's Day. This crochet blanket is made of individual granny squares joined together at the end. Arrange granny squares with crochet squares and with crochet hearts in them to form this bright and multicolored blanket design. This is a great project to work on while you're traveling for the holidays since you can work on smaller individual designs to join together later.

Easy

Crochet HookH/8 or 5 mm hook

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Crochet GaugeSquare = 4 1⁄2" x 4 1⁄2"

Finished Size40" wide x 48" long

Materials List

RED HEART® Super Saver®: 2 skeins each 774 Lt. Raspberry CA, 376 Burgundy CB, 378 Claret CC, 358 Lavender CD and 776 Dark Orchid CE
Crochet Hook: 5mm [US H-8]
Stitch marker (optional)
Yarn needle

Pattern

SOLID SQUARE (Make 20-4 in each color):
Ch 5; join with a sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 2, [3 dc in ring, ch 2] 3 times; join with a sl st in top of ch-3.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in next 2 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch-2 sp, [dc in next 3 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch- 2 sp] 3 times; join.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch-2 sp, [dc in next 7 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch- 2 sp] 3 times, dc in next 2 dc; join.
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in next 6 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch-2 sp, [dc in next 11 dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) all in next ch-2 sp] 3 times, dc in next 4 dc; join – 15 dc between corner sps. Fasten off.
SINGLE-ROW STRIPE SQUARE (Make 20):
With color CA, CB, CC, CD or CE, work Rnds 1-3 same as for Solid Square for 4 squares per color, then work Rnd 4 of each square with a different contrasting color.
DOUBLE-ROW STRIPE SQUARE (Make 20):
With color CA, CB, CC, CD or CE, work Rnds 1 and 2 same as for Solid Square for 4 squares per color, then work Rnds 3 and 4 of each square with a different contrasting color.
TRIPLE-ROW STRIPE SQUARE (Make 20):
With color CA, CB, CC, CD or CE, work Rnd 1 same as for Solid Square for 4 squares per color, then work Rnds 2-4 of each square with a different contrasting color.
HEART (Make 20-4 in each color):
Ch 11.
Point-Row 1 (Right Side): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 10 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc to last 2 sc; sc2tog; turn – 9 sc.
Rows 3-7: Rep Row 2 – 4 sc at end of Row 7.
Row 8: Ch 1, [sc2tog] twice; turn – 2 sc.
Row 9: Ch 1, sc2tog – 1 sc. Fasten off.
Bumps:
Row 1: With right side facing and working in rem lps of beg ch, join yarn in the first ch; ch 1, sc in same ch and next 4 ch; turn – 5 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc across.
Row 3: Sc2tog, sc in next sc, sc2tog. Fasten off.
With right side facing, join yarn in next free lp of beg ch and rep Rows 1-3.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Sew hearts to Solid Squares, ensuring that the heart and square color are different. Randomly arrange all squares into an 8 square x 10 square grid, and sew together.
Edging is worked in short rows across 1 or more squares in different colors. When fastening off, leave a yarn tail to sew the seams between edging sections.

LOWER EDGING:
Row 1: With right side facing, join CA in lower left corner of afghan; ch 3, dc evenly across 3 squares; turn.
Rows 2-4: Ch 3, skip first dc, dc in next dc and in each dc across and in top of ch-3; turn. Fasten off. Join CB and work 4 rows dc across next 2 squares of lower edge. Fasten off. Join CC and work 4 rows dc across next 3 squares. Fasten off.
SIDE EDGING:
Join CD and work 4 rows dc across row ends of last edging section and next 3 squares. Fasten off. Join CE and work 4 rows dc across next 4 squares. Fasten off. Join CA and work 4 rows dc across one square. Fasten off. Join CB and work 4 rows dc across next 2 squares. Fasten off.
TOP EDGING:
Join CC and work 4 rows dc across row ends of last edging section and next 4 squares. Fasten off. Join CD and work 4 rows dc across next 3 squares. Fasten off. Join CE and work 4 rows dc across one square. Fasten off.
SIDE EDGING:
Join CA and work 4 rows dc across row ends of last edging section and next 2 squares. Fasten off. Join CB and work 4 rows dc across next 3 squares. Fasten off. Join CD and work 4 rows dc across next 2 squares. Fasten off. Join CE and work 4 rows dc across last 3 squares and row ends of first edging section. Fasten off. Sew ends of edging sections tog. Weave in ends.