Ah, Valentine's day...you either love it or hate it! Why not make the most of it by showing yourself a little love, with this set of Happy Heart Hat and Mittens? It's made with Briggs and Little Heritage and is sure to keep you snug and warm. 

My hats (head and hair, really) tend to run large. If you need it much smaller and going down a needle size won't do, the heart pattern has an 8 stitch repeat and can be adjusted accordingly.  

For a limited time, you can get a kit to make this yourself that includes the yarn and lots of other fun goodies! Find it here. 

Scroll down to find a large-print version.

Printable Version

Maritime Family Fiber
Happy Hearts

Briggs and Little Heritage (heavy worsted) in Bleached White (275 yards), Plum (30 yards), Lilac (30 yards), Fundy Fog (30 Yards).

Size 5 Double Pointed Needles

Gauge: (blocked, in colorwork) 5 stitches and 7 rows per inch.

Hat circumference: 24.5 inches (my head and hair run big! To size up or down, go up to a size 6 needle or down to a 4)

Mitten length: 8 inches from upper edge of cuff to tip.

Hat:

Cast on 108 stitches, join to work in the round. Work in knit 1, purl 1 rib for 6 rounds.

Knit 1 round in stockinette, increasing 4 stitches evenly with your preferred increase (112 stitches total)

Begin chart. 

Work chart for a total of 14 hearts around, and 6 hearts tall, changing colors as needed to achieve the ombre effect (or whatever pattern you desire)

Crown shaping:

Knit 1 round even

Round 1: *knit 6, knit 2 together* repeat around

Round 2 and all even rounds except 14: Knit even

Round 3: *knit 5 k2tog* repeat around

Round 5: *knit 4, knit 2 together* repeat around

Round 7: *knit 3, knit 2 together* repeat around

Round 9: *knit 2, knit 2 together* repeat around

Round 11: *knit1, knit 2 together* repeat around

Round 13: *knit 2 together* repeat around 

Round 14: *knit 2 together* repeat around

Break yarn and pull through stitches. Sew hole firmly closed with the end. Wet block (on a balloon works great).

Mittens

Cast on 46 stitches, distributing and joining to work in the round. Work in knit 1, purl 1 rib for 18 rounds, or as desired.

Begin gusset shaping:

Increase in the first knit stitch. I prefer to knit into the shoulder of the stitch for thumb gusset shaping, making it more visible but smooth. Mark these two stitches as your thumb gusset. Increase 3 more stitches elsewhere (evenly distributed) using an invisible increase (like knit in the front and back of the stitch) for a total of 50 stitches at the end of this round. 

Begin chart on the next round, working 6 hearts around. Continue on chart but…

AT THE SAME TIME - continue increasing on each side of the thumb gusset, knitting even between increases until there are 10 stitches between the markers. 

Work gusset even while continuing in heart chart as established. 

When you reach round 4 of the third heart repeat, or measure on your own hand, put the 10 thumb gusset stitches onto a holder at the beginning of the round. Continue knitting and working in chart, joining the stitches above the gusset together. 

Work for 4 more heart chart repeats (7 total), or desired length. If you would like shorter mittens, leave off the final round of hearts and work even until the mitten reaches the tip of your ring finger.

Top shaping:

After the last heart repeat, knit 1 round even in stockinette. 

Round 1: knit 2 together around

Round 2: knit 

Repeats rounds 1 and 2 1 time more. Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches, sewing the hole closed firmly on the inside.

Thumb:

Pick up stitches from thumb holder. Pick up and knit 6 stitches from the gap above the thumb. I like to add one extra stitch, and then knit 2 together on the first round in the spot where you typically get a hole by the thumb.

Knit for 18 rounds.

Knit 2 together for two rounds, break yarn and thread through remaining stitches, using the tail to firmly sew the hole shut. 

Wet block, pretty please! They’ll look so much nicer.