Heart Knit Pillow <3

This pillow with heart was inspired by the keyboard shortcut for a heart: <3. It's a slightly geeky way to show someone you care and works horizontally or vertically.

What you need

one skein each Schachenmayr Bravo Big in pink and black
one pair size 15 US (10 mm) knitting needles (I used a circular but you can use straights if you’d rather)
heart chart
fabric and stuffing or batting to make a pillow form (instructions given below)
size N/P-15 (10 mm) crochet hook

Instructions

This is a really quick knitting project thanks to the large yearn and needles, but still takes a little time to work the colorwork pattern. For my version I worked with black as the background color and pink for the heart on one side and the opposite on the other, but to make this project a little quicker you could also make one side solid.

Gauge:

7 stitches and 11 rows per 4 inches/10 cm in Stockinette Stitch

Size:

Finished pillow is about 19 inches/ 48 cm on the long side and 13 inches/33 cm on the short.

Project is worked from the long side across.

Instructions:

Cast on 36 in your background color of choice.

Beginning with a purl row, work 9 rows in Stockinette Stitch (purl 1 row, knit 1 row).

Begin working heart chart centered on the stitches (knit 17 in background color, 2 in contrast color, work across in background color to start).

Once chart is complete, work 9 more rows in Stockinette and bind off.

Repeat for the other side of the pillow, changing colors for background and contrast, or working the contrast color solid if you prefer.

Weave in ends.

Making a Pillow Form:

Measure the dimensions of your finished pillow sides and cut two pieces of fabric (I used an old towel) to the same size. I used quilt batting inside my pillow, but you can also stuff it.

Using a sewing machine and with wrong sides together, sew up three sides if using batting or most of the way around if using stuffing.

Turn the pillow case right side out. Insert the batting or stuffing and sew the hole or remaining side by hand or with the machine.

Finishing:

Stack the pillow pieces so that the hearts are facing out and aligned properly on the pillow form.

Using contrasting color and crochet hook, single crochet through both pieces around the edges to form the pillow.

How did yours turn out?