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The Puff Heart Crochet Border
Okay. I am in love with this puff heart crochet border! Do you know that feeling you get when something turns out exactly the way you hoped it would? I felt that after designing this border. I originally thought I would just have a black border and then started wondering about heart stitches. I didn’t want anything lacy, though, as it wouldn’t fit the weight of the design. I found the super fun puff heart stitch which I worked into the border, but I couldn’t find anyone who had used it in a border. Fortunately after a couple of trials, it all worked out beautifully. It kind of makes me think of the Queen of Hearts, so if I design an Alice in Wonderland afghan, you know what border I already have in mind for it!
I am demonstrating this border on the Semicolon Heart Rate C2C Crochet Afghan as this is the blanket I designed it for.
Puff Heart Crochet Border Instructions
For the Puff Heart Crochet Border, you will need:
~ Yarn in two colors. For my sample I used BLACK for the main color and RED for the heart color. I used Loops and Threads Impeccable Yarn 4.5 oz skeins in BLACK and RED HOT. For the Semicolon Heart Rate Afghan, I used about 2.0 ounces of each color. This was included in the yarn requirements in the first post. For other blankets of other sizes, yarn usage will vary.
~ Crochet hook. I used an H hook, but use whatever hook you crocheted the main body of your afghan with.
~ Needle. To weave in ends.
~ Scissors
Row 1
Super easy. You should have already crocheted a row of single crochet around the entire panel in BLUE HAZE. If not, do that now before beginning Row 1.
On the right side of the afghan, attach BLACK in any Single Crochet (SC) with a standing Double Crochet (DC). DC 1 in each stitch to the corner. In the corner stitch, work 3 DC. Continue around the afghan working DC 1 in each stitch and DC 3 in each corner. Slip stitch in the top of the first DC. Finish off.
NOTE: For the puff heart pattern to work out perfectly, you need a multiple of 4 + 3 additional double crochet stitches in between the corners on each side. You can easily add or skip a stitch to make it work out for you. This will save you a headache or two in the puff heart row.
I had 163 stitches (40 X 4 + 3) on the top and bottom of the blanket and . . .
119 stitches (29 X 4 + 3) on the sides.
Again, this is not including the 3 double crochet in each corner.
The photo above shows the afghan with the first row of BLACK double crochet. This would make a fine finish to your Semicolon Heart Rate Afghan if you prefer a simple, clean look.
Row 2
For this border, you need to know the puff stitch. Keep in mind that there are variations on a puff stitch, mostly involving the number of loops you add to your hook. For this border, work the puff stitch this way.
Puff Stitch
*Wrap the Yarn Over (YO) your hook. Insert your hook in the indicated stitch. Pull up a long loop (see NOTE).* Work from * to * three more times. (9 loops on hook) YO once more and pull through all the loops. Chain (CH) 1 to lock in the stitch.
NOTE: Keep the loops on your hook long, or in other words, loose. This makes it much easier to pull your hook through all of them.
NOTE 2: Be sure to CH 1 to finish off the stitch. This locks in the stitch and keeps it nice and well-formed. This is not the CH 1 you’ll do in between the puffs to create the heart stitch. You will make an additional CH 1 between puffs.
Here there are 9 loops on my hook. They’re kind of smooshed together, but if you click on the photo to enlarge it, you should be able to make out all 9 loops.
And this is the finished puff stitch.
Tip: The first puff stitch could be called a “standing puff stitch.” It is worked similar to a standing double crochet stitch—without working a slip stitch and chain stitches to begin. If you are unfamiliar with a standing double crochet, Moogly has a nice photo tutorial for it. If you find it difficult to keep the standing puff stitch still before pulling through the last loop, just eliminate the first YO. It makes it a little easier and no one will ever notice.
Row 2—Finally! 🙂
Work on the right side of the afghan and begin in a corner, using RED HOT. ^In the first of the 3 corner stitches in the next corner. Work Puff Stitch (PS) 1, CH 1, PF 1. CH 2. Skip the next stitch—the center corner stitch. In the third corner stitch work PS 1, CH 1, PF 1. Skip 3 stitches. *In the next stitch work PS 1, CH 1, PS 1. Skip 3 stitches.* Work from * to * across the full length of your edge.^ Work from ^ to ^ three more times to work your way around the entire afghan. Slip stitch into the first puff stitch. Finish off.
Isn’t this a fun border?
The photo below shows the afghan with the completed puff heart border. This would also make a fine finish to the project if you like. The choice is yours!
Though I do like the look of finishing the afghan with the puff heart crochet border, I wanted the hearts to really stand out. So I finished it off with another row of black. I think the hearts are more well-defined (they look more like hearts) and the whole border kind of like an eyelet trim.
Row 3
Again working from the front of the afghan, attach BLACK with a Single Crochet (SC) in the CH 1 space on top of any heart. Work 2 more SC in the same space. Work 1 DC in the middle skipped stitch in the black DC row below (see NOTE). Continue to the end of the side, working 3 SC in the CH 1 space on top of each heart and 1 DC into the black row below in between each heart. In each corner, work 3 DC into the skipped stitch in the DC row below.
NOTE: The DC stitches worked into the DC row below are not front post stitches. You will work in the top of the stitch and your working yarn will still be held in back of the afghan as you would for any DC. The result is a long DC stitch that nicely separates the hearts. It also creates just a hint of a scallop over the hearts.
Isn’t that great! Here’s what the corner looks like.
And the finished blanket. So, so perfect on the Semicolon Heart Rate Afghan. Don’t you think?
What project are you working on that this would be perfect for? If you crochet the Semicolon Heart Rate Afghan or another blanket and add this border, I’d love to see it! Share with me at lucinda@swishandstitch.com.
~ Lucinda
